Massachusetts H 4944: An Act relative to emergency insulin access

Bill Text

HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4944

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 23, 2026.
The committee on Financial Services, to whom was referred the
petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1212) of Hannah Kane, Meghan
K. Kilcoyne and others relative to emergency insulin access, reports
recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4944) ought to
pass.

For the committee,

JAMES M. MURPHY.

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FILED ON: 12/23/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4944

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to emergency insulin access.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Section 17G of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 6, the first time it
3 appears, the following words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation
4 pursuant to section 12D½ of chapter 112.
5 SECTION 2. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
6 section 12D the following section:-
7 Section 12D ½ (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
8 following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
9 "Emergency situation", an event in which authorization for the dispensing of insulin may
10 not be readily obtained from the practitioner.
11 “Pharmacist’s professional judgment”, the judgment of a pharmacist as to whether the
12 substance to be dispensed is essential to sustain the life of the patient or continue therapy for a

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13 chronic condition of the patient, and whether failure to dispense or sell the drug to the patient
14 could result in harm to the health of the patient.
15 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in an emergency situation,
16 a pharmacist may dispense a supply of insulin. The supply dispensed may not exceed a 30-day
17 supply as provided in the prescription or, if the standard unit of dispensing for the drug exceeds a
18 30-day supply, the amount of the drug dispensed or sold does not exceed the standard unit of
19 dispensing. The pharmacist shall exercise professional judgment in determining the amount of
20 the drug to be dispensed or sold.
21 (c) A pharmacist shall not dispense or sell a particular drug to the same patient in an
22 amount described in subsection (b) more than once in any 6-month period.
23 (d) The commissioner of public health shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary
24 for the implementation of this section.
25 SECTION 3. Section 10C of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
26 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 4, the following
27 words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation pursuant to section 12D½ of
28 chapter 112.
29 SECTION 4. Section 47N of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
30 amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 14, the first time it appears, the following
31 words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation pursuant to section 12D½ of
32 chapter 112.

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33 SECTION 5. Section 8P of chapter 176A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
34 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 13, the first time
35 it appears, the following words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation
36 pursuant to section 12D½ of chapter 112.
37 SECTION 6. Section 4S of chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
38 amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 13, the first time it appears, the following
39 words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation pursuant to section 12D½ of
40 chapter 112.
41 SECTION 7. Section 4H of chapter 176G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
42 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "items", in line 9, the following
43 words:- or if dispensed by a pharmacist in an emergency situation pursuant to section 12D½ of
44 chapter 112.