HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3197        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2983

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William Driscoll

_________________

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 regarding Massachusetts drug price relief.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

William Driscoll

7th Norfolk

1/20/2017

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

 

William L. Crocker, Jr.

2nd Barnstable

 

Dylan Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

 

James R. Miceli

19th Middlesex

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

Natalie Higgins

4th Worcester

 

Juana B. Matias

16th Essex

 

Brian Murray

10th Worcester

 

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3197        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2983

By Mr. Driscoll of Milton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2983) of William Driscoll and others that the Group Insurance Commission and the Office of Medicaid be authorized to enter into agreements with manufacturer of drugs for purchase of prescribed pharmaceuticals .  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act regarding Massachusetts drug price relief.

 

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. Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 16Y the following section:-

Section 16Z. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and insofar as may be permissible under federal law, neither the commonwealth, nor any state administrative agency or other state entity, including, but not limited to, the group insurance commission and the office of Medicaid shall enter into any agreement with the manufacturer of any drug for the purchase of a prescribed drug unless the net cost of the drug, inclusive of cash discounts, free goods, volume discounts, rebates, or any other discounts or credits, as determined by the group insurance commission, is the same as or less than the lowest price paid for the same drug by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(b) The price ceiling described in subsection (a) shall apply to all programs where the commonwealth or any state administrative agency or other state entity is the ultimate payer for the drug, even if it did not purchase the drug directly. The responsible state agency shall enter into additional agreements with drug manufacturers for further price reductions so that the net cost of the drug, as determined by the group insurance commission, is the same as or less than the lowest price paid for the same drug by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(c) All state departments, agencies and other state entities that enter into 1 or more agreements with the manufacturer of any drug for the purchase of prescribed drugs or agreement to pay directly or indirectly for prescribed drugs shall implement this section no later than July 1, 2018.

(d) Each such department agency or other state entity, may adopt administrative rules to implement this section and may seek any waivers of federal law, rule, or regulation necessary to implement this section.