H 4489
to ensure affordable prescription medications through accountability standards
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill aims to make prescription medications more affordable in Massachusetts by requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose pricing information and undergo review by the state’s health policy commission. The commission will analyze drug costs, identify potentially unreasonable pricing, and recommend measures to reduce costs, such as alternative purchasing plans or rebates. The bill also expands the attorney general’s role in monitoring healthcare market trends and pharmaceutical costs.
Key provisions
- Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose pricing information, including wholesale acquisition cost increases, R&D expenditures, and factors influencing price changes.
- Establishes a process for the health policy commission to review drug pricing and identify potentially unreasonable costs.
- Authorizes the commission to recommend measures to reduce drug costs, such as bulk purchasing programs or value-based payment methodologies.
- Requires the attorney general to monitor trends in the healthcare market, including prescription drug costs.
- Mandates annual audits of pharmacy benefit managers by health insurers.
- Creates a license requirement for pharmacy benefit managers to contract with health insurers.
- Establishes criteria for the health policy commission to refer drugs for review based on cost and utilization.
- Provides for penalties for manufacturers who fail to comply with the commission’s requests for information.
Who is affected
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Cosponsors
Christine P. Barber
James C. Arena-DeRosa
James J. O'Day
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
Bill H.4489 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure affordable prescription medications through accountability standards
View Text Print Preview Download PDF
Bill Information
Bill Information
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Financial Services Status: Referred to Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
Tabs
Bill History Cosponsors Committee Vote Committee Summary
Bill History
Displaying 5 actions for Bill H.4489
| Date | Branch | Action |
| 9/18/2025 | House | Reported from the committee on Financial Services |
| 9/18/2025 | House | New draft of H1092 |
| 9/18/2025 | House | Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing |
| 12/8/2025 | House | Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026 |
| 3/19/2026 | House | Reporting date extended to Monday, June 15, 2026 |
Similar Bills
H.1092 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure affordable prescription medications through accountability standards
H.1157 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure access to prescription medication and community pharmacies
H.1326 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure access to prescription medications
S.827 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure access to prescription medications
H.4493 194th (Current)
An Act to ensure access to prescription medication and community pharmacies
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.