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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1947 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1379 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Michael P. Kushmerek |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act exempting medications used for the treatment of opioid use disorder from the prior |
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| 13 | 13 | | approval process under the Massachusetts Medicaid program. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester1/15/2025 1 of 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1947 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1379 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Representative Kushmerek of Fitchburg, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1379) |
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| 20 | 20 | | of Michael P. Kushmerek relative to exempting medications used for the treatment of opioid use |
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| 21 | 21 | | disorder from the prior approval process under the Massachusetts Medicaid program. Health |
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| 22 | 22 | | Care Financing. |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act exempting medications used for the treatment of opioid use disorder from the prior |
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| 29 | 29 | | approval process under the Massachusetts Medicaid program. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 31 | 31 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | 1 Section 51A of Chapter 118E of the Massachusetts General Laws, is hereby amended in |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2paragraph (a) by striking the definition of “Step Therapy Protocol” and inserting in place thereof |
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| 34 | 34 | | 3the following new definition: -- |
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| 35 | 35 | | 4 “Step Therapy Protocol”, a utilization management policy or program that establishes the |
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| 36 | 36 | | 5specific sequence in which a prescription drug for a specified medical condition is covered by |
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| 37 | 37 | | 6the division or an entity with which the division contracts to provide or manage health insurance |
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| 38 | 38 | | 7benefits; provided, however, the provisions of such utilization management policy or program |
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| 39 | 39 | | 8and any regulations requiring prior authorization for prescription drugs shall not apply to any |
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| 40 | 40 | | 9medications prescribed by a health care provider for the treatment of opioid use disorder. |
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