HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 706        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1988

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Louis L. Kafka

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

1/14/2015

William C. Galvin

6th Norfolk

1/30/2015

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

10/10/2019

James E. Timilty

Bristol and Norfolk

10/10/2019

Michael J. Moran

18th Suffolk

2/2/2015

Edward F. Coppinger

10th Suffolk

10/10/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

10/10/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/31/2015

Walter F. Timilty

7th Norfolk

10/10/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

10/10/2019

Claire D. Cronin

11th Plymouth

1/21/2015

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

10/10/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

10/10/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

10/10/2019

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

1/29/2015

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

10/10/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

2/3/2015

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/4/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 706        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1988

By Mr. Kafka of Stoughton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1988) of Louis L. Kafka and others relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.  Public Health.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 4215 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.

 

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

SECTION 1. Section 2A of chapter 17 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraph:-

The commissioner shall implement the statewide plan for making prescription drugs available during a state of emergency pursuant to section 230 of chapter 111. 

SECTION 2. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following section:-

Section 230. The department shall, in consultation with the board of registration in pharmacy, the division of insurance, the office of Medicaid and the Massachusetts emergency management agency, develop and publicize a statewide plan for ensuring the availability of prescription medications during a state of emergency declared by the governor.  The plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) allowance for early refills of prescriptions, if the current amount that a patient possesses is not expected to last beyond 10 days of the date of the declaration of emergency; provided, however, that a pharmacist shall confirm such prescription with the prescriber before each refill;

(b) ensuring that vehicles delivering medications to pharmacies and hospitals be given the same road access available to other emergency vehicles;

(c) ensuring that the system does not create a duplicate or redundant supply chain infrastructure;

(d) coordination among pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, pharmacists and other industry stakeholders; and,

(e) creation of a safety net system including a toll-free telephone number and a website for citizens to contact during the emergency for assistance in locating prescription medication, in the event no medications are available to them locally.