SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1630        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 715

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

_________________

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 price transparency and cost sharing.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

 

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/25/2019

Kathleen R. LaNatra

12th Plymouth

2/1/2019

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

2/1/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

4/8/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1630        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 715

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 715) of Patrick M. O'Connor, David Allen Robertson, Josh S. Cutler, Kathleen R. LaNatra and others for legislation relative to pharmaceutical price transparency and cost sharing.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to pharmaceutical price transparency and cost sharing.

 

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 12C of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding, after Section 10, the following new section:-

Section 10B. Pharmacy Cost Sharing Requirements.

(a) A provider organization may not prohibit a pharmacist or pharmacy from providing a purchaser information regarding the amount of the purchaser’s cost share for a prescription drug and the clinical efficacy of a lower-priced alternative drug, if one is available. Neither a pharmacy nor a pharmacist shall be penalized by a pharmacy’s provider organization for discussing any information described in this section or for selling a lower-priced drug to the insured if one is available.

(b) A pharmacy or pharmacist shall provide the purchaser with any relevant information pertaining to the acquisition of a prescription medication. A pharmacist shall disclose any and all relevant information pertaining to the clinical efficacy, or the availability of any therapeutically equivalent alternative prescription medications, or any alternative methods to the purchasing of a prescription medication, including, but not limited to, paying a cash price, that is less expensive than the cost of the prescription medication to the insured individual.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.