Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2249 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 882 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2249
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Edward R. Philips
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk1/11/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 882 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2249
18	18	By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2249) of
19	19	Edward R. Philips relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.
20	20	Public Health.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2387 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to the availability of prescription medication during an emergency.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby
32	32	2amended by adding the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 236. (a) The department shall, in consultation with the board of registration in
34	34	4pharmacy, the division of insurance, the office of Medicaid and the Massachusetts emergency
35	35	5management agency, develop and publicize a statewide plan for ensuring the availability of
36	36	6prescription medications during a state of emergency declared by the governor. The plan shall, at
37	37	7a minimum: 2 of 2
38	38	8 (1) allow for early refills of prescriptions, if the current amount that a patient possesses is
39	39	9not expected to last beyond 10 days of the date of the declaration of emergency; provided,
40	40	10however, that a pharmacist shall confirm such prescription with the prescriber before each refill;
41	41	11 (2) ensure that vehicles delivering medications to pharmacies and hospitals shall be given
42	42	12the same road access available to other emergency vehicles;
43	43	13 (3) coordinate among pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors,
44	44	14pharmacists and other industry stakeholders;
45	45	15 (4) avoid duplicative or redundant supply chain infrastructure; and
46	46	16 (5) create a safety net system, including a toll-free telephone number and a website for
47	47	17persons to contact during the emergency for assistance in locating prescription medication, in the
48	48	18event no medications are available to them locally.
49	49	19 (b) If the governor declares a state of emergency pursuant to section 2A, chapter 639 of
50	50	20the acts of 1950, or any other applicable law, the commissioner shall implement the statewide
51	51	21plan for ensuring the availability of prescription medications for the duration of the state of
52	52	22emergency.