What's happening
This bill prohibits insurance policies from requiring prescription drugs to be purchased exclusively from mail order pharmacies or imposing extra conditions or fees for using other pharmacies.
Why it matters
Supports patient choice and local pharmacies. By prohibiting insurance plans from forcing members to use mail order pharmacies, the bill enables patients to choose their preferred pharmacy, including local or independent options, which can strengthen community businesses and improve access for those who may not benefit from mail delivery.
Prevents financial penalties and barriers. The bill ensures that patients who opt not to use mail order pharmacies cannot be charged higher co-pays or subjected to additional requirements, protecting them from potentially punitive costs or administrative burdens for using local pharmacies.
Applies broadly across insurance types. The new rules would impact individual, group, and blanket insurance policies, as well as coverage provided by medical expense indemnity, hospital service, and health services corporations, making the changes relevant to a large portion of insured New Yorkers.
Could improve medication adherence and patient care. By allowing patients to use pharmacies they trust and have relationships with, the bill could lead to better communication with pharmacists, improved adherence to medication regimens, and more personalized care, especially for vulnerable populations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Mandatory Mail-Order Prescriptions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5681
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 14, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CURRAN, CROUCH, FINCH, RAIA, HARRIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to the purchase of prescription drugs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 34 to read as follows:
(34) No policy which provides coverage for prescribed drugs shall mandate that the same be purchased by the insured from a mail order pharmacy, nor may such policy impose a co-payment fee or other condition on any insured who elects to purchase drugs from other than a mail order pharmacy which is not also imposed on insureds electing to purchase drugs from a designated mail order pharmacy.
§ 2. Subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 20 to read as follows:
(20) No insurer delivering a group or blanket policy or issuing a group or blanket policy for delivery in this state which provides coverage for prescribed drugs shall mandate that the same be purchased by the insured from a mail order pharmacy, nor may such policy impose a co-payment fee or other condition on any insured who elects to purchase drugs from other than a mail order pharmacy which is not also imposed on insureds electing to purchase drugs from a designated mail order pharmacy.
§ 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (oo) to read as follows:
(oo) No policy issued by a medical expense indemnity corporation, a hospital service corporation or a health services corporation which provides coverage for prescribed drugs shall mandate that the same be purchased by the insured from a mail order pharmacy, nor may such policy impose a co-payment fee or other condition on any insured who elects to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08541-01-7
A. 5681 2
purchase drugs from other than a mail order pharmacy which is not also imposed on insureds electing to purchase drugs from a designated mail order pharmacy.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.