An Act to improve access and care coordination for people with pain

HD 3239 requires Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) plans to cover non-opioid pain medications on equal terms with opioids, prohibiting restrictions like labeling them as "non-preferred" or applying stricter prior authorization rules. It mandates comprehensive care coordination for Medicaid enrollees with chronic pain, including access to primary care, specialists (like pain management and physical therapists), social work, and transportation support through individualized treatment plans. The bill also requires Medicaid managed care organizations to implement a chronic pain quality strategy by 2026, including provider training on multidisciplinary pain care and timely identification of patients. Additionally, it directs the state health center to collect and report data on chronic pain incidence, demographics, and treatment costs every two years to identify gaps and improve services. This bill directly affects Medicaid patients with chronic pain and the healthcare providers and insurers managing their care.