An Act regarding registered nurse first assistants

HD 1626 requires health insurance policies, hospital service plans, and medical service agreements in Massachusetts to cover surgical first assistant services provided by registered nurses (RNs) licensed under Chapter 112, rather than other providers. This directly affects insurers, hospitals, and RNs by mandating that existing coverage for "surgical first assisting" must specifically include RNs. The bill amends Chapters 175, 176A, 176B, and 176G of the General Laws to clarify this interpretation. Additionally, it requires the Department of Public Health to report by September 2026 on RN first assistant services, including patient outcomes and satisfaction data from hospitals and insurers.