1. (a) A Medicaid managed care organization's pharmacy benefit plan required by Section 540.0273 in a contract to which this subchapter applies must allow the organization or any subcontracted pharmacy benefit manager to contract with a pharmacist or pharmacy providers separately for specialty pharmacy services, except that:

   1. (1) the organization and pharmacy benefit manager are prohibited from allowing exclusive contracts with a specialty pharmacy owned wholly or partly by the pharmacy benefit manager responsible for administering the pharmacy benefit program; and

   2. (2) the organization and pharmacy benefit manager must adopt policies and procedures for reclassifying prescription drugs from retail to specialty drugs that:

      1. (A) are consistent with rules the executive commissioner adopts; and
      2. (B) include notice to network pharmacy providers from the organization.

2. (b) A Medicaid managed care organization, under the organization's pharmacy benefit plan required by Section 540.0273 in a contract to which this subchapter applies:

   1. (1) may not prevent a pharmacy or pharmacist from participating as a provider if the pharmacy or pharmacist agrees to comply with the financial terms, as well as other reasonable administrative and professional terms, of the contract;
   2. (2) may include mail-order pharmacies in the organization's networks, but may not require enrolled recipients to use those pharmacies; and
   3. (3) may not charge an enrolled recipient who opts to use a mail-order pharmacy a fee, including a postage or handling fee.

Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2025.