SENATE DOCKET, NO. 832        FILED ON: 2/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 654

 

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

2/25/2021


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 832        FILED ON: 2/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 654

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 654) 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. 570 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

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:
 

Chapter 175 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 230 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, 2021, each health insurance carrier that sells state-regulated plans outside of the Connector, including individual, small group and large group plans, shall apply the prescription drug cost-sharing requirements of the Connector ​Silver or Gold standard benefit designs ​to at least fifty percent of plans offered in said markets. Cost-sharing includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

(C) For a plan that meets the requirements of a High Deductible Health Plan as defined in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the requirements of subsection B shall apply after the minimum annual deductible specified in section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is reached.

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