HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2149        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1013

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 pharmaceutical gag clauses.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Bradford Hill

4th Essex

1/24/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/17/2019

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/17/2019

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/30/2019

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/31/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/28/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/30/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/30/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

1/31/2019

Donald H. Wong

9th Essex

1/31/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/1/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2149        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1013

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1013) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to contracts for pharmacy services between health insurance carriers or pharmacy benefits' managers and pharmacies or pharmacists.  Financial Services.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to pharmaceutical gag clauses.

 

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

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no contract for pharmacy services between a health insurance carrier or pharmacy benefits manager and a pharmacy or pharmacist shall contain a provision prohibiting or penalizing a pharmacist’s disclosure to an insured individual purchasing a covered prescription medication of information regarding (i) the cost of the prescription medication to the individual, and (ii) the availability of any equivalent medication or alternative methods of purchasing the prescription medication, including, but not limited to, paying a cash price, which may be less expensive than the cost of the prescription medication to the individual.

No health insurance carrier or pharmacy benefits manager shall require an individual to make a payment at the point of sale for a covered prescription medication in an amount greater than the amount an individual would pay for the prescription medication if the individual purchased the prescription medication without using a health insurance plan.