[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6447193,"mediaKeyId","5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2","parentId",5873039,"title","Parents, Patients Urge Committee to Pass Emergency Insulin Access Bills H1212, H1240","audioSeconds",541,"startMs",807600,"endMs",1349020,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2&start=807&end=1349","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2/thumbnail_807600.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6447193/Massachusetts/Parents-Patients-Urge-Committee-to-Pass-Emergency-Insulin-Access-Bills-H1212-H1240","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6447193-066e961a62cc4c21fd93605044555cc5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223795&Signature=O646jql7zHzcDUVh~U8I7G9N1y2sP~beqSHSM8cSPR0lG~wenC2VxfLhw8OP~2boV7w0Q9xbxYc6TDhi2JzQ1KeTo49BVWmJ~94MJ4txOdATs~7f58kueQq7YwAGOPVUzj296KUFNNx5OCrVJygzk-TT-nK9nFcz9LFft3eKoiw4iPc-kOLHr-IeIaroQRRTgNr4VqlajOFD48qyfyuDRLjHnUNuq-FeatOvSU833b82xu7jePeEYdy6djwGB8~hlsOBDkAFkphatwSXBarqRd3RfENFlbSWZb~mlKUfLCnlzd9BPd0vZtecCh0hVOcCAj8SxYHPfZAt3HXuRsHeKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Massachusetts Legislature","date","2025-10-01T00:00:00Z","article","Chair Shane Murphy and Co‑Chair Senator Feeney heard more than a half dozen personal accounts Monday urging the Joint Committee on Financial Services to approve bills that would allow pharmacists to dispense insulin in emergencies (H1212 and H1240).

Witnesses said insulin is life‑sustaining for people with type 1 diabetes and that delays in access can rapidly lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and death. “For people like me, insulin is not optional. It's life support,” said Jessica Bongolar of Arlington, who said she spent four days in an ICU after running out of insulin as a teenager. “No one with diabetes in Massachusetts should ever die because their doctor wasn't reachable or their insurer stood in the way,” she told the committee.

The bill proponents described scenarios in which prescriptions expire, prior authorizations are delayed, shipments spoil, or the only available supply is in another city — and said those situations require timely access at retail pharmacies. “If even one person avoids going into diabetic ketoacidosis because a pharmacist could step in, then this bill will have done its job,” said Megan Rarnell, who described rushing her 12‑year‑old daughter to the emergency room in diabetic ketoacidosis when the family could not obtain insulin.

Supporters referenced laws in other states and urged Massachusetts to adopt a similar emergency dispensing allowance. Laura Ritchie, who testified for both H1240 and H1212, noted that a version of the emergency‑dispensing law—sometimes called “Kevin’s Law” in other states—has been enacted in roughly a dozen states, and she asked the committee to consider how colleagues in Ohio implemented the change.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the bills’ scope. Chair Feeney confirmed with witnesses that the measures under consideration were limited to emergency dispensing authority for pharmacists and did not address insurance coverage or price. “This is just an emergency dispensing measure, not cost or coverage,” Feeney said while reviewing the draft language.

Why it matters: witnesses said timely access to insulin can prevent hospitalizations and deaths and reduce overall health care costs that result from emergency care. They described gaps that occur despite good planning and existing supports, and they urged the committee to remove barriers that leave patients without a last‑line option when physicians or insurers are not immediately available.

The hearing included no vote on the bills; committee members closed the hearing at the end of the session.

Looking ahead: proponents urged the committee to move H1212 and H1240 out of committee and asked staff for opportunities to provide additional information on how other states implemented emergency dispensing without undermining broader insurance reforms.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Financial Services - 10-1-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple witnesses told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that pharmacists should be allowed to dispense insulin in emergencies without a new prescription, citing life‑threatening risks when people run out. Testimony cited prior ICU cases, state experience elsewhere and requested action on H1212 and H1240.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6447179,"Patient With Rare Cancer Urges Lawmakers to Restore Copay Assistance Exceptions for Specialty Drugs",179,1497280,1676280,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2&start=1497&end=1676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2/thumbnail_1497280.jpg","/articles/6447179/Massachusetts/Patient-With-Rare-Cancer-Urges-Lawmakers-to-Restore-Copay-Assistance-Exceptions-for-Specialty-Drugs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6447179-7fa6d09fcb668567bf12212fd38b5566/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223795&Signature=LYn5T1GIsAe9jjvg6tlCrJH-rEweUe3x8Qul8CfWNl~o-4tyaNtQy3AWNt0zTJtGZdFLzLddEwmU2VU6bqEHUvQzY1YCRzgppqo9XQXA8wrMPQDwGqtDi9B3LPNDVj9Bg0HVHlMRvGiQfhBGnwVCsWgQrFDc~y99n4oKpyEzhYztpuu-cjfeLLj8PmIHzSnoPNXWDkFIS4LwZqfmeXB-UCCMMPAOxk2aEKrDSd4Mef64fh1ayyRHWTEymj7UQ7j~xm6g~3cBylrP80oHRo1PRUFPi2Pp-X8VKHepTrBZlrrUwx9Iyt7xWSXsBT4j7lZZBcsd1bLJUB5onV2dqwPFLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kathleen Demarest of East Long Meadow told the Joint Committee on Financial Services she was diagnosed with a rare, incurable pancreatic cancer and that a state rule recently removed her access to copay assistance for a specialty drug (Lanreotide). She said the removal occurred because a generic was recorded as available in state records even though distribution issues meant the generic would not be available for months.

Demarest described being notified that the state would no longer allow her co‑pay assistance and said she faced a sudden increase in out‑of‑pocket cost to about $1,200 a month. She asked committee members to consider exceptions for patients currently on therapies and to review the state’s process for determining generic availability and the timing of enforcement.

“I was baffled and angry. How could the state of Massachusetts just decide to not let a private company pay for my copay?” Demarest said. She thanked Representative Brian Ashe’s office for helping her navigate the process and asked the committee for an opportunity to provide more detailed case information.

Committee members did not offer a formal response during the hearing. Demarest said the law that led to the change was adopted in 2012 and noted that Massachusetts’ approach differs from other states with similar statutes.

Why it matters: the testimony highlights how administrative determinations about drug availability and enforcement of copay assistance rules can produce immediate, significant financial burdens for patients on specialty therapies.

No committee action was taken on the matter at the hearing.","A Massachusetts patient testified that a state rule blocking private copay assistance for expensive specialty drugs left her facing $1,200 monthly co‑pays when a generic was listed as available but not actually distributed, and she urged the committee to consider exceptions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6447184,"Parent Tells Committee Pharmacy Transfer Rules Leave Families Without ADHD Medication",140,104805,245025,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2&start=104&end=245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2/thumbnail_104805.jpg","/articles/6447184/Massachusetts/Parent-Tells-Committee-Pharmacy-Transfer-Rules-Leave-Families-Without-ADHD-Medication","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6447184-441ac2f69a6f079606d0e4f7412447e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223796&Signature=Bb2EQbcdmXZPVbtdUhp5IGNs5z5AQ4qE-Dg9d7WSmWty0~6bdue0vOaqAspQiZ89ZUy1KADV-~lW8~be~Jitn6ixj1igkF4qpsTRxwm25TcnnAgjoc1g2amNm2RAc58I8p9MeFAl7Okbqse2tOTNiWBizGVvyq5o4PE5wuIRBfnzYciM2~Q-lDdEQamd7fvp6ac7vY5NHvjlSv1kacMz~nK~9UtmAnMhdtrZqWWZ8ODG3u7Depcn1vmQZ5DWUVzN6TVb~a487iNAyJi426N4e854kqJOSQ0xdrDYiKQTV-L2admN8RGY0oIP5c09J8nRfEEiYMboKIotiztoyJP34A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Will Pangyan of Lunenburg told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that restrictions on transferring prescriptions within a pharmacy chain can leave families scrambling when a local store is out of stock of essential ADHD medications such as Vyvanse.

“If one pharmacy is out of stock, we're often forced into a frustrating loop — back to the doctor for a brand‑new prescription, then off to another pharmacy hoping they'll have it,” Pangyan said. He described repeated trips to clinicians and pharmacies, missed work and school, and the stress of uncertain medication access for his twin children, both of whom are autistic and have ADHD.

Pangyan urged lawmakers to change rules so that patients can transfer control of prescriptions between pharmacies in the same chain. He said the change would reduce administrative burden, lower costs and speed access to care for families juggling appointments and activities.

Committee members accepted the testimony and did not ask follow‑up questions. The item was part of a broader hearing with multiple health‑policy witnesses; no bill number was cited during Pangyan’s remarks.

Why it matters: witnesses framed the request as a narrow, practical fix to reduce unnecessary medical visits and delays in ongoing treatment, particularly for children who rely on stimulant medications to function at school and home.

The hearing concluded with no committee action on this matter.","A Lunenburg parent asked the Joint Committee on Financial Services to allow transfers of prescriptions — including stimulants such as Vyvanse — between pharmacies in the same chain so children do not miss essential doses when local outlets are out of stock.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6447188,"Brokers, Employers Urge Committee to Protect Health Savings Accounts, Back Small‑Business Incentives",328,274430,603110,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2&start=274&end=603","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5873039-b5f5297667e0af079897acf1f55388a2/thumbnail_274430.jpg","/articles/6447188/Massachusetts/Brokers-Employers-Urge-Committee-to-Protect-Health-Savings-Accounts-Back-SmallBusiness-Incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6447188-561f2677af64a826125493ad80cf3d87/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223796&Signature=JbbyPrT5712UZ5ANi8yJj4LISFN7ZUVfYrRBNHUTVL1U1o3Qvf8QboVftPo9C6YxVhDjJERkUueHF2ilifu6SwLdsLIrVbSOZ3hh-XcXYGbvd7d6By-pXTdONzKiIcurvOIa5mndJT5c4g89kFe6gCU~zvKqdAif49oSNhWRkuvsu87pKPKOVKYBvfnPete7PLDcxtJG7xXliEx-DRNCVJW4FRmVlX6te0-KTkQ73K2wWfk5Lw3SnvPInQyoAt1GUKO0MVCKnR7-Nvwxx361BoZ~AiUDRYCCX7f6fa9PsyvjDCWgoUzRKels4FDLa~R6SMsb5dOaZ3C6X8bTm-as2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of employee benefit brokers, small businesses and trade groups urged the Joint Committee on Financial Services to adopt language that would protect health savings accounts from unintended disqualification if the state enacts future benefit mandates.

“My clients rely on HSAs as a tax‑favored way to meet large out‑of‑pocket costs,” said Eric Halko, an employee benefits broker and small‑business owner. Halko testified in support of a bill he identified as “11 85,” saying the measure would create a simple carve‑out so that future state mandates do not render HSA‑compatible plans ineligible for federal tax treatment.

Ryan Kearney, general counsel for the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, testified in favor of Senate 798 (described to the committee as legislation to provide small‑business insurance incentives). Kearney said insurers should be allowed to offer back‑end, year‑end incentives and to reward participation in small‑business group purchasing cooperatives, a tool he said helps reduce administrative costs and improve utilization management.

Bill Stewart, former insurance industry executive and vice president of a state chapter of the National Association of Brokers and Insurance Professionals, told the committee average deductibles are high — “more than $2,000 for an individual and more than $4,000 for a family” — and stressed that preserving HSA eligibility helps individuals stretch retirement and medical dollars. “If a mandate would disqualify people from funding an HSA, then that mandate would not apply to HSA‑qualified plans,” Stewart said, describing a proposal already recommended by national HSA groups.

Witnesses said the proposed protections would not add state spending, and they framed the change as an efficiency measure to avoid repeated statutory fixes after each new mandate. Committee members asked about contribution limits and whether HSAs roll over; witnesses said contribution limits change annually and that accounts carry over year to year. Halko provided a 2026 example, saying a family could contribute nearly $9,000 under federal limits, and noted the accounts can be invested.

Why it matters: witnesses said the measures are designed to keep small employers in the merged market, reduce churn into self‑insurance or professional employer organizations, and preserve a widely used tax‑favored savings vehicle for health costs.

No committee action was taken on the bills during the hearing.","Industry representatives and benefits experts told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that proposed state mandates could inadvertently disqualify HSA‑compatible plans and urged language protecting HSA tax status; witnesses also supported incentives to keep small employers in the merged market (Senate 798 / house bill 1185 referenced).","actionData","errors"]

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Parents, Patients Urge Committee to Pass Emergency Insulin Access Bills H1212, H1240

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Parent Tells Committee Pharmacy Transfer Rules Leave Families Without ADHD Medication

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