Paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of section 3 of chapter 175H of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company may offer a discount, rebate, product voucher or other reduction in an individual's out-of-pocket expenses, including co-payments and deductibles, for a prescription drug that has an AB rated generic equivalent, for the benefit of any consumer who is able to provide written verification from a health care practitioner, as defined in section 1 of chapter 111N, that the consumer could benefit from use of that particular prescription drug but the drug’s AB rated generic equivalent would not be effective in treating the consumer.