establishing safety and care requirements for clinician-administered drugs.

SB 256 requires health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to cover clinician-administered drugs (CADs) - outpatient medications that patients cannot safely self-administer and are typically given by healthcare professionals in clinics or hospitals - without requiring prior authorization. It prohibits HMOs from mandating that pharmacies dispense CADs directly to patients for them to transport to a healthcare setting for administration. The bill mandates HMOs to use the lowest-cost reimbursement method for covered CADs and ensures coverage aligns with medical standards of care. This directly affects patients needing CADs (like IV therapies) and HMOs operating in New Hampshire, effective January 1, 2026.