EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0306*
SENATE BILL 306
K1 5lr0818
By: Senator Beidle
Introduced and read first time: January 13, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Workers’ Compensation – Prescription Drug and Pharmaceutical Services – 2
Reimbursements 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Workers’ Compensation Commission to regulate 4
fees and other charges for the reimbursement of prescription drugs and 5
pharmaceutical services; limiting reimbursements to a certain cost index or indexes; 6
and generally relating to reimbursement for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical 7
services under workers’ compensation law. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Labor and Employment 10
Section 9–663 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Labor and Employment 16
9–663. 17
(a) (1) The Commission shall adopt regulations setting standards for the 18
assessment of fines under § 9–664 of this Part IX of this subtitle. 19
(2) The Commission may adopt regulations about: 20
(i) the provision of medicine and medical, nursing, and hospital 21
services to a covered employee; 22
(ii) payment for the medicine and services; and 23 2 SENATE BILL 306
(iii) the exercise by the Chairman of the Commission of the powers 1
granted under § 9–662 of this subtitle. 2
(b) (1) The Commission may regulate fees and other charges for medical 3
services or treatment under this subtitle. 4
(2) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL REGU LATE FEES AND OTHER 5
CHARGES FOR THE REIM BURSEMENT OF PRESCRI PTION DRUGS AND 6
PHARMACEUTICAL SERVI CES UNDER THIS SUBTITLE. 7
(II) REIMBURSEMENT UNDER S UBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS 8
PARAGRAPH SHALL BE L IMITED TO AN INDEX OR INDEXES BASED ON ACQUISITION 9
COST, CALCULATED ON A PER UNIT BASIS, AS OF THE DATE OF DI SPENSING AND MAY 10
INCLUDE REASONABLE D ISPENSING FEES. 11
(3) Each fee or other charge for medical service or treatment under this 12
subtitle is limited to the amount that prevails in the same community for similar treatment 13
of an injured individual with a standard of living that is comparable to that of the covered 14
employee. 15
[(3)] (4) At least once every 2 years, the Commission shall: 16
(i) review its guide of medical and surgical fees for completeness and 17
reasonableness; and 18
(ii) make appropriate revisions to the guide of medical and surgical 19
fees. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2025. 22