Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health policy commission shall conduct a study examining the feasibility of establishing a program for the commonwealth to manufacture generic prescription drugs.

The study shall examine the factors that most greatly contribute to increasing drug costs in the commonwealth, the ways in which the cost of generic prescription drugs factors into MassHealth spending and healthcare costs across the Massachusetts healthcare system and whether establishing a state-run generic prescription drug brand manufacturing program would be reasonable and effective at reducing drug prices and the cost of healthcare in Massachusetts including, but not limited to: (i) factors that contribute towards the increase of generic prescription drug prices; (ii) identifying generic prescription drugs that comprise the greatest proportion of generic prescription drug spending; (iii) identifying generic prescription drugs that comprise the greatest proportion of generic prescription drug price increases; (iv) the competitive landscape of generic drug manufacturing and its effects on generic prescription drugs prices in Massachusetts; (v) the degree of competition in regards to the generic prescription drugs that comprise the greatest degree of spending; and (vi) the potential impact on prescription drug costs and healthcare costs by establishing a state-run program to manufacture generic prescription drugs.

The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, speaker of the house, senate president, clerks of the house and senate, chairs of the joint committee on ways and means and chairs of the joint committee on health care finance no later than 1 year after the passage of this act. Recommendations of the report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) a cost-benefit analysis of establishing a state-run program to manufacture generic prescription drugs; (ii) whether such a program would be sensible for the commonwealth to establish; (iii) a plan for the establishment of such a program if believed to be effective; (iv) the generic prescriptions drugs that would be most beneficial to manufacture; and (v) any legislative recommendations.