HOUSE  .   .   .   .   .   .   .  No. 3732

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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                              HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 4, 2013.                         

The committee on Health Care Financing to whom was referred the Bill relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency (House, No. 2001), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefore a bill with the same title (House, No. 3732) [Cost: Greater than $100,000].

For the committee,

STEVEN M. WALSH.

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3732

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
 

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.

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: Section 2A of Chapter 17 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraph:-

The commissioner shall implement the statewide plan for making prescription drugs available during a state of emergency pursuant to section 224A of chapter 111. 

SECTION 2: Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after section 224 the following section:-

Section 224A. The department shall, in consultation with the Board of Registration in Pharmacy, Division of Insurance, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, develop and publicize a statewide plan for ensuring the availability of prescription medications during a state of emergency declared by the governor, that is detrimental to the public health, pursuant to section 2A of chapter 17.  Such plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) allowance for early refills of prescriptions, if the current amount that a patient possesses is not expected to last beyond 10 days of the date of the declaration of emergency;

(b) ensuring that vehicles delivering medications to pharmacies and hospitals be given the same road access available to other emergency vehicles;

(c) ensuring that the system does not create a duplicate/redundant supply chain infrastructure;

(d) coordination among pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, pharmacists, and other industry stakeholders; and,

(e) creation of a safety net system including a toll-free number (Voice and TTY) and an internet location for citizens to contact during the emergency for assistance in locating prescription medication, in the event no medications are available to them locally.