Page 4 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2025 MASS HOUSE | FROM Page 3 Chapter 342 requires health insurers to cover life-saving medications for diabetes, asthma and certain heart conditions with no or limited outof-pocket costs for patients. The measure is particularly critical for residents of color, who disproportionately face chronic illnesses. For each condition, Chapter 342 requires insurers to eliminate cost-sharing requirements for one generic drug 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Tues. - Sat. at 4:00 PM Closed Sun. & Mon. Announcing our Classic Specials Dine In Only:Dine In Only: * FREE Salad with purchase of Entree, Tuesdays & W Entree, Tuesdays & Wednesdays * Cheese Pizza - Only $10 Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s Scan & Follow Us on Facebook!Scan & Follow Us on Facebook! and to cap copayments on one brand-name drug at $25 per 30-day supply. It further brings down consumer costs by ensuring that consumers are not charged a cost-sharing amount, such as a copay, if it would be cheaper for them to purchase the drug without using their insurance. “Ensuring that patients with chronic illnesses are able to aff ord the lifesaving medications that are prescribed to them is a prerequisite for establishing health care as a human right, which is why the price caps included in this legislation are so important. At the same time, it is also imperative that lawmakers and regulators have insight into the complex inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry, as that access will make future, necessary reforms possible,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Lawn and the members of the conference committee for their hard work, as well as all my colleagues in the House and our partners in the Senate for voting to send this critical legislation to the Governor’s desk for her signature.” “The Speaker’s leadership www.810bargrille.com will forever be remembered as transformative in shaping health care and health insurance policy in Massachusetts. This bill is another key victory in his legacy. By holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable, we are taking crucial steps to lower prescription drug costs for all. The price reductions for generic medications, especially those most commonly used, will have a profound impact on our communities, particularly for those on fi xed incomes struggling with the high cost of medication,” said State Representative Jessica Giannino (D-Revere). “Speaker Ron Mariano will go down in the Commonwealth’s history as the most influential legislator with respect to health care and health insurance law. This important legislation is just another example of his influence. Holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable is a long overdue step to reducing the costs of prescription drugs. Statutory price reductions for generic drugs for the most commonly used medications will benefi t all of us. This important law will be lifechanging for our fellow citizens on a fi xed income struggling to pay the cost of prescription drugs,” said State Representative Jeff rey Rosario Turco (D-Winthrop). Approximately nine percent of Massachusetts residents have diagnosed diabetes, and 6.2 percent of adults over 35 live with heart disease. In 2015, more than 10 percent of residents lived with asthma. Black residents face each at a higher rate: over 12 percent live with diabetes and nearly 14 percent of Black adults live with asthma. Chapter 342 drastically increases state oversight of pharmacy benefi t managers (PBMs), which currently negotiate prescription drug prices with little oversight, making it unclear if they consistently act in the best interest of consumers. To do so, the legislation authorizes the Division of Insurance to license and regulate PBMs. PBMs are also prohibited from making payments to pharmacy benefi t consultants or brokers who work on behalf of health plan sponsors during a contracting or bidding process. To create a more complete data-driven picture of drug costs in Massachusetts, the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) will collect a range of drug cost information from pharmaceutical manufacturers and PBMs. With the data, CHIA can offer a more complete examination of the drivers of health care costs in its annual health care cost report, allowing policymakers and consumers to better understand the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers and PBMs in the health care system. In addition to CHIA’s cost analysis, pharmaceutical manufacturers and PBMs will be included in the Annual Health Care Cost Trends Hearing of the Health Policy Commission (HPC) for the fi rst time. Participation in the annual hearings will require manufacturers and PBMs to provide public testimony on the factors that infl uence drug costs, allowing those factors to be taken into account as HPC identifi es how to improve care and reduce costs for residents. Further, Chapter 342 establishes the Offi ce for Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis within HPC, which will be tasked with analyzing trends related to pharmaceutical access, aff ordability and spending in Massachusetts. The offi ce will publish an annual report with recommendations for strategies to mitigate pharmaceutical spending growth, promote aff ordability and enhance pharmaceutical access.
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