within 24 hours of the request for a determination, and shall respond with a determination of exception eligibility as quickly as the condition or disease requires, and no later than 24 hours after receipt of the additional required information. (e) Medication step therapy protocol In this section, the term medication step therapy protocol means a drug therapy utilization management protocol or program under which a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage of prescription drugs requires a participant or beneficiary to try an alternative preferred, prescription drug or drugs before the plan or health insurance issuer approves coverage for the non-preferred drug therapy prescribed. (f) Clarification This section shall apply with respect to any group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with such a plan that provides coverage of a prescription drug pursuant to a policy that meets the definition of the term medication step therapy protocol in subsection (e), regardless of whether such policy is described by such group health plan or health insurance coverage as a step therapy protocol. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( 29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 713 the following new items: Sec. 713A. Required exceptions process for medication step therapy protocols. . (c) Effective date (1) In general The amendment made by subsection (a) applies with respect to plan years beginning with the first plan year that begins at least 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) Regulations Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall issue final regulations, through notice and comment rulemaking, to implement the provisions of section 713A of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as added by subsection (a).