This bill amends various chapters of the General Laws to require health insurance carriers to provide coverage for pharmacists' services starting January 1, 2027. Specifically, it mandates that every group health insurance contract and every group hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state must cover services within the lawful scope of the "practice of pharmacy" as defined in 5-19.1-2, and pharmacists' services provided under a "collaborative practice agreement" as defined in 5-19.2-2, if the plan would have provided coverage if the service had been performed by a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant.

Eligible services for reimbursement include:
1. Evaluation and management of a patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and medical decision making;
2. Medication therapy management review;
3. Immunization education and administration;
4. Administration of medications; and
5. Ordering and evaluation of clinical laboratory tests.

The bill also stipulates that nonprofit medical service corporations cannot require supervision, signature, or referral from other healthcare providers as a condition of reimbursement to a pharmacist, and they are not required to pay for duplicative services rendered by both a pharmacist and any other healthcare provider. Additionally, health plans must include an adequate number of pharmacists in their network of participating medical providers, and the participation of pharmacies in the plan network's drug benefit does not satisfy this requirement.

The healthcare benefits outlined in this section apply only to services delivered within the health insurer's provider network; however, health insurers must provide coverage for these benefits outside of the network where it can be established that the required services are not available from a provider in the network.

The provisions of this bill will sunset and expire on January 1, 2031, unless extended by the General Assembly. Furthermore, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services is directed to apply for any necessary amendments to the state Medicaid plan or for any Medicaid waiver to implement these changes, with a submission deadline of September 1, 2026.