MainePharmacies must supply medicine for delayed or unusable mail-order prescriptions
The law requires pharmacies in a patient’s plan to supply medicine when a mail-order delivery is more than one day late or arrives unusable.
What it does
Pharmacies in a patient’s plan must supply medicine when mailed prescriptions arrive unusable or more than one day late. Late deliveries qualify for up to seven days’ supply or the smallest prepackaged supply.
Patients receiving medicine under either rule cannot be charged more than one copayment, coinsurance payment, or other out-of-pocket payment for dispensing that prescription.
Argument forGetting medicine from a pharmacy in their plan could help patients avoid missed doses when mailed prescriptions arrive late or unusable.
Argument againstThe limited backup supply for late deliveries could run out before the mailed medicine arrives, leaving patients needing another refill.
More detail
Pharmacy benefit managers, which manage prescription coverage, must allow these fills. Pharmacies in the plan’s network must supply the medicine. These rules cover people with prescription coverage who use a mail-order pharmacy. For a late delivery, the pharmacy must provide up to a seven-day supply or the smallest prepackaged supply. If medicine arrives unusable, the pharmacy must supply it according to the patient’s prescription. The late-delivery rule applies more than one day after the expected delivery date given by the mail-order pharmacy.
Patients receiving medicine under either rule cannot be charged more than the total of one copayment, coinsurance payment, or other out-of-pocket payment for dispensing that prescription. The limit covers patients receiving medicine from a pharmacy in their plan because a mailed prescription is more than one day late or arrives unusable.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 6PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 2Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 2PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Apr 2In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 2The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-597).Minor
- Apr 2Under suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.
- Apr 2CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- Mar 31Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence.
- Mar 31Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-597).Minor
- Mar 31Committee Amendment "A" (S-597) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 31READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 31Report READ and ACCEPTED.
- Mar 27Reported Out - OTP-AM
- Feb 4Voted - OTP-AM
- Feb 4Work Session Held
- 2025
- Dec 3Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 3, 2025 and REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2Introduced
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