SECTION 1: Massachusetts General Law Chapter 111 is hereby amended by inserting at the end the following new section:

Section 238. The Department of Public Health shall establish and maintain a virtual marketplace known as the “PPE Exchange” for the purpose of enabling eligible elder care providers to obtain personal protective equipment at competitive prices.

“Eligible elder care providers” shall include, but not be limited to, convalescent homes, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, rest homes, or charitable homes for the aged licensed under the provisions of section 71 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, and assisted living residences and home care agencies.

The Department shall identify and solicit the participation of manufacturers, wholesalers, and suppliers in the PPE Exchange, ensure that the personal protective equipment offered on the Exchange complies with all federal and state requirements and specifications, and establish a process for negotiating competitive prices for PPE, including the ability for eligible elder care providers to aggregate PPE orders.

All sales that occur as a result of the Exchange shall be considered private transactions and the Department shall have no responsibility to process sales or deliver the personal protective equipment.

SECTION 2: The Department of Public Health shall establish the PPE Exchange within 90 days of enactment.

SECTION 3:  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall establish a special rate add-on to recognize the MassHealth share of personal protective equipment cost used to care for MassHealth beneficiaries.