Bill > HB1423

This bill prohibits the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations from applying a prior authorization requirement, step therapy protocol, or fail-first protocol for drugs used to treat certain mental illnesses or a medication-induced movement disorder associated with the treatment of a serious mental illness. The bill also establishes a process for requesting exceptions to step therapy or fail-first protocols. Additionally, the bill requires the Maryland Department of Health to report on any cost increases to the Maryland Medical Assistance Program resulting from the implementation of this bill, and provides for the possible abrogation of Section 1 of the bill if the cost increase exceeds $2 million.