An Act ensuring access to specialty medications

This bill allows retail pharmacies in Massachusetts to dispense specialty medications, which are typically used to treat serious conditions like cancer and cystic fibrosis, rather than forcing patients to rely solely on mail-order services. It achieves this by amending state law to permit local pharmacies to handle these drugs if they can meet specific administrative and monitoring requirements, aiming to reduce treatment delays and simplify the process for patients. The legislation also establishes a new registration category for specialty pharmacies to ensure safe distribution standards and closes a loophole where insurers incorrectly classify low-risk drugs as specialty medications to mandate mail-order use.