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H 7744Health Insurance

Insurance - Accident and Sickness Insurance Policies

This bill bans health insurance companies from forcing patients to use mail-order pharmacies to get their prescription medications covered.

Introduced
Population
Affected
65
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House Health & Human Services

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends Rhode Island insurance laws regarding prescription drug coverage. It mandates that group health insurers, nonprofit hospital service corporations, nonprofit medical service corporations, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) must offer at least two options for acquiring prescription drugs. Furthermore, the bill explicitly prohibits these insurers from requiring policyholders to use a mail-order pharmacy as a condition for receiving benefits. Essentially, it ensures patients have the freedom to choose between mail-order and retail pharmacies for their medications.

For younger readers

When people get sick, they often need medicine from a pharmacy. Insurance companies help pay for this medicine. Right now, some insurance companies might tell people they have to get their medicine sent through the mail, even if they want to pick it up at a store nearby. This new rule says insurance companies cannot force people to use the mail. They must give people at least two choices, so they can go to a regular pharmacy store if that is what they prefer.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Patients with prescription needsHealth insurance companiesRetail pharmaciesMail-order pharmaciesPharmacists
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Protects vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with unstable housing, who may struggle with mail delivery or face package theft, ensuring they have reliable access to medication.
  • Supports local economies and community-based labor by directing business to local retail pharmacies rather than centralized, often out-of-state, automated mail-order facilities.
  • Preserves the patient-pharmacist relationship, ensuring that patients have access to face-to-face counseling and health advice, which is a vital component of community health welfare.
  • May unintentionally increase overall healthcare costs and insurance premiums, which disproportionately burdens low-income families and the working class.
  • Fails to address the systemic issue of exorbitant pharmaceutical pricing, offering only a minor logistical adjustment rather than comprehensive healthcare reform.
  • Could reduce the environmental efficiency gained by bulk mail distribution, potentially leading to increased carbon emissions from individual vehicle trips to pharmacies.
For Conservatives
  • Empowers the individual consumer by ensuring they have the freedom to choose their preferred pharmacy provider rather than submitting to corporate mandates.
  • Supports small business owners and independent pharmacies by preventing large insurance conglomerates from steering all revenue to their own mail-order services.
  • Checks the power of large Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and insurance giants, promoting market competition and preventing monopolistic behavior.
  • Represents government overreach into the private marketplace by dictating the specific terms and conditions under which private businesses can offer services.
  • Interferes with the ability of businesses to negotiate contracts that maximize efficiency and cost-savings, effectively punishing successful business models.
  • Will likely result in higher insurance premiums for all policyholders as insurers pass the increased costs of retail drug delivery on to the consumer.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 16 additions · 8 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 27-18-33 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-18 entitled "Accident and Sickness Insurance Policies" is hereby amended to read as follows: 27-18-33. Drug coverage. No Any group health insurer subject to the provisions of this chapter that provides coverage for prescription drugs under a group plan master contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall offer a minimum of two (2) options for the delivery of prescription drugs, but is prohibited from requiring may require any person covered under the contract to obtain prescription drugs from a mail order pharmacy as a condition of obtaining benefits for the drugs.

SECTION 2. Section 27-19-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-19 entitled "Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows: 27-19-26. Drug coverage. No Any group health insurer subject to the provisions of this chapter that provides coverage for prescription drugs under a group plan master contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall offer a minimum of two (2) options for the delivery of prescription drugs, but is prohibited from requiring may require any person covered under the contract to obtain prescription drugs from a mail order pharmacy as a condition of obtaining benefits for the drugs.

SECTION 3. Section 27-20-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-20 entitled "Nonprofit Medical Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows: 27-20-23. Drug coverage. No Any group health insurer subject to the provisions of this chapter that provides coverage for prescription drugs under a group plan master contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall offer a minimum of two (2) options for the delivery of prescription drugs, but is prohibited from requiring may require any person covered under the contract to obtain prescription drugs from a mail order pharmacy as a condition of obtaining benefits for the drugs.

SECTION 4. Section 27-41-38 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-41 entitled "Health Maintenance Organizations" is hereby amended to read as follows: 27-41-38. Drug coverage. No Any health maintenance organization that provides coverage for prescription drugs under a group plan master contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall offer a minimum of two (2) options for the delivery of prescription drugs, but is prohibited from requiring may require any person covered under the contract to obtain prescription drugs from a mail order pharmacy as a condition of obtaining benefits for the drugs.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.