SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2271        FILED ON: 9/22/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2271

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to oral cancer therapy..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Notwithstanding the provisions of any general law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a health benefit plan that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide coverage for a prescribed, orally administered anticancer medication used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis no less favorable than intravenously administered or injected cancer medications that are covered as medical benefits.  An increase in patient cost sharing for anticancer medications is not allowed to achieve compliance with this provision.