SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1031        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 581

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

_________________

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 to ensure access to medications.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Geoff Diehl

7th Plymouth

 

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

 

Thomas P. Kennedy

Second Plymouth and Bristol

 

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

16th Middlesex

 

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

9/16/2015


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1031        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 581

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 581) of James B. Eldridge, Geoff Diehl, Sheila C. Harrington, Thomas P. Kennedy and others for legislation to ensure access to medications.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to ensure access to medications.

 

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 3B of chapter 176D of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting in paragraph 4, after the word "network" in line 70, the following sentence:- 

A carrier shall not prohibit the dispensing of specialty drugs as defined by this section that are included in its pharmaceutical drug benefits to insureds by a non-network pharmacy provided that the pharmacy is able to provide the special handling, administration and monitoring requirements of the specialty drug.

Section 3B of chapter 176D as so appearing is hereby further amended by inserting at the end of paragraph 8 in line 114, the following sentence:-

The term "specialty drugs" shall mean prescription medications that require special handling, administration or monitoring.

SECTION 2.  The board of registration in pharmacy and the division of insurance shall promulgate regulations to enforce this section