Adoption of rules and regulations

Section 5. The center shall adopt and amend rules and regulations, in accordance with chapter 30A, for the administration of its duties and powers and necessary to effectuate this chapter; provided, however, that the rules or regulations shall not be construed to impair or in any way modify the authority of the executive office of health and human services to act, pursuant to section 16 of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as the single state agency authorized to supervise and administer the state programs under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act. The regulations shall be adopted, after notice and hearing, only upon consultation with representatives of providers, provider organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, private health care payers and public health care payers. The center shall, before adopting regulations under this chapter, consult with other agencies of the commonwealth and the federal government, affected providers, affected payers, affected pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and affected pharmacy benefit managers, as applicable, to ensure that the reporting requirements imposed under the regulations are not duplicative or excessive. If reporting requirements imposed by the center result in additional costs for the reporting providers, these costs may be included in any rates promulgated by the executive office of health and human services or a governmental unit designated by the executive office for these providers. The center may specify categories of information which may be furnished under an assurance of confidentiality to the provider; provided, however, that such assurance shall only be furnished if the information is not to be used for setting rates.