MA S684

Bill

MA S684

To reduce the cost of pharmacy benefits

Introduced
03/29/2021

In Committee
02/17/2022

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2022

Introduced Session

192nd General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation to reduce the cost of pharmacy benefits. Financial Services.

AI Summary

This bill seeks to reduce the cost of pharmacy benefits by implementing several key provisions. It defines a "pharmacy benefit manager" (PBM) as an entity that manages prescription drug coverage on behalf of health carriers, self-insurance plans, or other third-party payers. The bill prohibits PBMs from requiring pharmacies or providers to meet accreditation standards beyond state or federal requirements, and it prohibits health carriers or PBMs from requiring covered persons to use specific pharmacies in which the PBM has an ownership interest. Additionally, the bill requires PBMs to annually submit a transparency report detailing their aggregate rebates, administrative fees, and retained rebate percentages, which the Health Policy Commission will publish to allow insurers and others to negotiate cost-effective contracts. The Attorney General can impose civil fines and penalties for violations of these provisions.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

Sponsors (2)

Pat Jehlen (D)*, Brian Murray (D),

Last Action

Accompanied a study order, see S2800 (on 03/31/2022)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S684

(13 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S684
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S684.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H1123	Relative to pharmaceutical gag clauses	Accompanied a study order, see H4975	Similar To
H1124	Establishing a commission to study the promotion of preferred pharmacy networks	Accompanied a study order, see H4975	Similar To
H2549	Relative to cost of living adjustments for retired public employees of the Commonwealth	Accompanied a study order, see H4960	Similar To
H2773	Providing prescription drug cost reimbursements to elderly governmental retirees	Accompanied a study order, see H4960	Similar To
H3787	Relative to pharmacy benefit managers reimbursements to pharmacies in the Commonwealth	Accompanied S771	Similar To
S1859	Reducing the costs for adoption	Accompanied a study order, see H5248	Similar To
S2039	Relative to justice of the peace fees	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S2052	To reduce the cost of government and create new jobs	Accompanied a study order, see S2681	Similar To
S2518	Authorizing the treasurer of the town of Middleborough to pay from available funds to Middleborough High School students, parents or guardians amounts paid but not reimbursed for the costs of the 2020 senior trip	Signed by the Governor, Chapter 226 of the Acts of 2022	Similar To
S2800	Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Health Care Financing to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to health care financing	Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules	Replaced by
S639	Relative to pharmacy benefit managers	Accompanied a study order, see S2917	Similar To
S654	Relative to out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage	Accompanied a study order, see S2693	Similar To
S802	To ensure timely health care cost reporting	Accompanied a study order, see S2800	Similar To

Bill

Bill Name

Last Action

Type

H1123

Relative to pharmaceutical gag clauses

Accompanied a study order, see H4975

Similar To

H1124

Establishing a commission to study the promotion of preferred pharmacy networks

Accompanied a study order, see H4975

Similar To

H2549

Relative to cost of living adjustments for retired public employees of the Commonwealth

Accompanied a study order, see H4960

Similar To

H2773

Providing prescription drug cost reimbursements to elderly governmental retirees

Accompanied a study order, see H4960

Similar To

H3787

Relative to pharmacy benefit managers reimbursements to pharmacies in the Commonwealth

Accompanied S771

Similar To

S1859

Reducing the costs for adoption

Accompanied a study order, see H5248

Similar To

S2039

Relative to justice of the peace fees

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

S2052

To reduce the cost of government and create new jobs

Accompanied a study order, see S2681

Similar To

S2518

Authorizing the treasurer of the town of Middleborough to pay from available funds to Middleborough High School students, parents or guardians amounts paid but not reimbursed for the costs of the 2020 senior trip

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 226 of the Acts of 2022

Similar To

S2800

Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Health Care Financing to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to health care financing

Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules

Replaced by

S639

Relative to pharmacy benefit managers

Accompanied a study order, see S2917

Similar To

S654

Relative to out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage

Accompanied a study order, see S2693

Similar To

S802

To ensure timely health care cost reporting

Accompanied a study order, see S2800

Similar To

Bill > S684

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (2)

Last Action

Official Document

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