Amendment #557 to H4400

Academic Detailing Amendment

Ms. Benson of Lunenburg moves to amend the bill in section 2, in item 1450-1200, by adding the following: “and provided further the Health Policy Commission shall make available no less than $500,000 to fund the operation of an evidence-based outreach and education program (academic detailing) designed to provide information to physicians, pharmacists and other health care professionals authorized to prescribe and dispense medications that shall focus on managing pain without over prescribing opioids.  And provided further the Health Policy Commission shall contract with a nonprofit organization which satisfies each of the following criteria:  has five or more years of expertise in the administration and implementation of an academic detailing program; operates in accordance with clinical guidelines/protocols approved by an accredited medical school;  has published papers in peer-reviewed literature on academic detailing; and has previously qualified for funding from two or more state government agencies one of which shall include a Massachusetts government agency.  The purpose of this funding is for the development, implementation and promotion of an academic detailing program, which will provide evidence-based prescriber outreach and education to enhance the therapeutic and cost effective utilization of prescription drugs particularly in MassHealth, group insurance commission, health safety net, prescription advantage plan, children’s medical security plan and connector care populations or other publicly-funded, contracted or subsidized health care program populations. Access to data from MassHealth, The Massachusetts online prescription drug monitoring program and other databases will be utilized to identify regions and prescribers, which would most benefit from the program.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #557 to H4400

Academic Detailing Amendment