SENATE DOCKET, NO. 642        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 570

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sal N. DiDomenico

_________________

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 out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/31/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 642        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 570

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 570) of Sal N. DiDomenico and Elizabeth A. Malia for legislation relative to out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage.  Financial Services.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 516 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage.

 

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 175 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 277 the following section:

Section 228. Patient Cost-Sharing Obligation for Prescription Drugs

(A) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Connector” means the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority.

(B) Not withstanding any law, after January 1, 2020, each health insurance carrier shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing provisions of the Connector standard benefit design to all state regulated plans, including non-standard plans sold through the Connector and state regulated plans sold outside of the Connector.  Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) A health plan that meets the requirements of a catastrophic plan, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.155, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection B.

(D) For any enrollee that is enrolled in a plan that, but for the requirements of subsections B would be a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, subsection B shall be applicable only after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

(E) The Massachusetts Division of Insurance shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement and enforce this Act.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 38 the following section:

Section 39. Patient Cost-Sharing Obligation for Prescription Drugs

(A) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Connector” means the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority.

(B) Not withstanding any law, after January 1, 2020, each health insurance carrier shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing provisions of the Connector standard benefit design to all state regulated plans, including non-standard plans sold through the Connector and state regulated plans sold outside of the Connector.  Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) A health plan that meets the requirements of a catastrophic plan, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.155, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection B.

(D) For any enrollee that is enrolled in a plan that, but for the requirements of subsections B would be a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, subsection B shall be applicable only after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

(E) The Massachusetts Division of Insurance shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement and enforce this Act.

SECTION 3.   Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 24 the following section:

Section 25. Patient Cost-Sharing Obligation for Prescription Drugs

(A) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Connector” means the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority.

(B) Not withstanding any law, after January 1, 2020, each health insurance carrier shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing provisions of the Connector standard benefit design to all state regulated plans, including non-standard plans sold through the Connector and state regulated plans sold outside of the Connector.  Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) A health plan that meets the requirements of a catastrophic plan, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.155, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection B.

(D) For any enrollee that is enrolled in a plan that, but for the requirements of subsections B would be a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, subsection B shall be applicable only after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

(E) The Massachusetts Division of Insurance shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement and enforce this Act.

SECTION 4.   Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 32 the following section:

Section 33. Patient Cost-Sharing Obligation for Prescription Drugs

(A) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Connector” means the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority.

(B) Not withstanding any law, after January 1, 2020, each health insurance carrier shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing provisions of the Connector standard benefit design to all state regulated plans, including non-standard plans sold through the Connector and state regulated plans sold outside of the Connector.  Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) A health plan that meets the requirements of a catastrophic plan, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.155, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection B.

(D) For any enrollee that is enrolled in a plan that, but for the requirements of subsections B would be a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, subsection B shall be applicable only after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

(E) The Massachusetts Division of Insurance shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement and enforce this Act.

SECTION 5.  Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 27 the following section:

Section 28. Patient Cost-Sharing Obligation for Prescription Drugs

(A) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Connector” means the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority.

(B) Not withstanding any law, after January 1, 2020, each health insurance carrier shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing provisions of the Connector standard benefit design to all state regulated plans, including non-standard plans sold through the Connector and state regulated plans sold outside of the Connector.  Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) A health plan that meets the requirements of a catastrophic plan, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 156.155, shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection B.

(D) For any enrollee that is enrolled in a plan that, but for the requirements of subsections B would be a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, subsection B shall be applicable only after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

(E) The Massachusetts Division of Insurance shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement and enforce this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect January 1, 2020.