(a) A health carrier or pharmacy benefit manager that requires or provides financial incentives for enrollees to use a mail order pharmacy to fill a prescription for a specialty drug must ensure through contract and other means that the mail order pharmacy dispenses the prescription drug to the enrollee in a timely manner, such that the enrollee receives the filled prescription within seven business days of the date of transmittal to the mail order pharmacy. The health carrier or pharmacy benefit manager may grant to a mail order pharmacy an exemption from this requirement if the mail order pharmacy can document that the specialty drug was out of stock due to a delay in shipment by the specialty drug manufacturer or wholesaler. If an exemption is granted, the health carrier or pharmacy benefit manager must notify the enrollee within 24 hours of granting the exemption and, if medically necessary, must provide the enrollee with an emergency supply of the specialty drug.

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(b) For purposes of this section, “health carrier” includes managed care plans and county-based purchasing plans participating in a public health care program under chapter 256B or 256L, and integrated health partnerships established under section 256B.0755.