SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 176O of the Massachusetts general laws is hereby amended by inserting therein the following new definition: -

“Serious mental illness,” any of the following conditions, as defined by the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders:

(1) Bipolar disorders, hypomanic, manic, depressive, and mixed.

(2) Childhood and adolescent depression.

(3) Major depressive disorders, single episode or recurrent.

(4) Obsessive-compulsive disorders.

(5) Paranoid personality disorder and other psychotic disorders.

(6) Schizo-affective disorders, bipolar or depressive.

(7) Schizophrenia.

(8) Post-traumatic stress disorder.

SECTION 2.  Section 12A of said Chapter 176O is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection:-

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a carrier or utilization review organization shall not, with respect to a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of serious mental illness, impose a prior authorization requirement, step therapy protocol, or any other protocol that could restrict or delay the dispensing of the drug.

SECTION 3. Section 8 of Chapter 118E of the Massachusetts general laws is hereby amended by inserting therein the following new definition: -

i½. “Serious mental illness”, any of the following conditions, as defined by the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders:

(1) Bipolar disorders, hypomanic, manic, depressive, and mixed.

(2) Childhood and adolescent depression.

(3) Major depressive disorders, single episode or recurrent.

(4) Obsessive-compulsive disorders.

(5) Paranoid personality disorder and other psychotic disorders.

(6) Schizo-affective disorders, bipolar or depressive.

(7) Schizophrenia.

(8) Post-traumatic stress disorder.

SECTION 4.  Section 51A of said chapter 118E is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection: - 

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the division or an entity with which the division contracts to provide or manage health insurance benefits shall not, with respect to a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of serious mental illness, impose a prior authorization requirement, step therapy protocol, or any other protocol that could restrict or delay the dispensing of the drug.