(a) A health benefit plan issuer or pharmacy benefit manager may not steer or direct a patient to use the issuer's or manager's affiliated provider through any oral or written communication, including:
(1) online messaging regarding the provider; or
(2) patient- or prospective patient-specific advertising, marketing, or promotion of the provider.
(b) This section does not prohibit a health benefit plan issuer or pharmacy benefit manager from including the issuer's or manager's affiliated provider in a patient or prospective patient communication, if the communication:
(1) is regarding information about the cost or service provided by pharmacies or durable medical equipment providers in the network of a health benefit plan in which the patient or prospective patient is enrolled; and
(2) includes accurate comparable information regarding pharmacies or durable medical equipment providers in the network that are not the issuer's or manager's affiliated providers.