Senate, July 9, 2026 -- The committee on Revenue to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1927) of Michael D. Brady, Kathleen R. LaNatra, Christopher Richard Flanagan and Norman J. Orrall for legislation relative to the separation of agricultural land for renewable energy purposes, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 3150).
Senate, July 9. 2026 -- The committee on Environment and Natural Resources to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 547) of Joanne M. Comerford, Michael O. Moore, James B. Eldridge and Dylan A. Fernandes for legislation to establish an ecologically-based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth to protect public health, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 3152).
Senate, July 9, 2026 -- The committee on Revenue to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2012) of Adam Gomez and James B. Eldridge for legislation to establish fairness for agricultural laborers, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 3132).
This bill removes a current restriction preventing spouses from being paid caregivers under Massachusetts' MassHealth program. It allows spouses to serve as paid caregivers for their partners receiving home and community-based services, directly affecting MassHealth beneficiaries and their spouses who need in-home care support. The key provision requires the state health and aging secretaries to implement this change once the federal government approves a related waiver under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. The policy change would take effect only after federal approval, which is a standard requirement for such state program modifications.
H 5022 prohibits health insurance companies from denying payment for covered services solely because a patient received a referral from a doctor outside the insurance network. This affects patients seeking care from non-network providers and requires insurers to cover services under the same terms as network referrals. The bill amends multiple sections of Massachusetts health insurance laws (including Chapters 32A, 32B, 94C, 175, 176A, 176B, 176G, and 176I) to include this uniform rule. It takes effect one year after enactment for all new, renewed, or amended insurance contracts.
This bill (H 5037) changes reimbursement rules for public health dental hygienists in Massachusetts. It removes a restriction that previously prevented Medicaid from seeking payment from other insurers or third-party payors for dental services provided by these hygienists. The key provision allows Medicaid to pursue secondary payments from other insurers, aiming to improve funding stability for public health dental hygiene programs. This directly affects dental hygienists working in public health settings who rely on Medicaid reimbursement. The goal is to make their services more financially sustainable by expanding potential funding sources.
This bill prohibits health insurance carriers from including "termination without cause" clauses or unilateral changes to material contract terms (such as payment rates, service definitions, or quality policies) with healthcare providers. It requires carriers to provide written notice of any change at least 90 days before the provider must respond, and limits such changes to occur only after a contract's current term ends. The law specifically applies to state health insurance purchasing entities (like MassHealth) and their contracts with providers. It allows mutually agreed amendments but bans unilateral modifications except as required by law.
This bill requires Massachusetts state employee health plans and Medicaid programs to cover stuttering speech therapy as either habilitative (helping develop skills) or rehabilitative (restoring lost skills) services. It mandates coverage without annual visit limits, restrictions based on the cause of stuttering, or prior authorization. The law also requires coverage for both in-person and telehealth speech therapy services, including all necessary technology compliant with privacy laws. It directly affects Commonwealth employees, retirees, and Medicaid recipients by ensuring access to this specific therapy without typical insurance barriers.
This bill requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover and reimburse new telehealth services, including e-consults (provider-to-provider digital advice), e-visits (patient-initiated digital check-ins), and remote monitoring of health data. It directly affects patients seeking virtual care, healthcare providers delivering telehealth services, and insurance carriers. Key provisions mandate coverage for these services without extra prior authorization compared to in-person visits, include interpreter services for non-English speakers or Deaf patients, and require insurers to offer digital health literacy programs for patients with low tech skills. The bill also creates a shared portal for applying to affordable broadband programs to support digital access.
This bill amends Massachusetts laws governing dental insurance contracts to clarify which dental services must be covered and prevent insurers from requiring dentists to accept reduced fees for non-covered services. It defines "covered services" as dental care for which payment would be available under a plan (accounting for deductibles, annual limits, etc.) and prohibits dental insurance plans from mandating specific fees for services not classified as covered. The key provision ensures that dentists participating in insurance networks cannot be forced to provide services at a set fee unless those services are actually covered by the patient's plan. This directly affects dental insurance companies, participating dentists, and plan enrollees by aligning fee requirements with actual coverage.
This bill amends section 75 of a 2020 healthcare law to clarify that dental providers licensed to practice dentistry are excluded from certain regulations. It specifically inserts an exception after the phrase "health care provider" in the law, ensuring dental practices are not subject to these provisions. The change directly affects dental providers by exempting them from the healthcare delivery rules covered by the amended section. This is a procedural clarification, not a new policy.
This bill defines "transitional support services" as short-term residential care following clinical stabilization for addiction recovery, and requires insurers to cover medically necessary acute treatment, clinical stabilization, and transitional support services without preauthorization. It applies directly to Commonwealth employees (active/retired) under group insurance, Medicaid managed care plans, and private insurers offering "creditable coverage" under Chapter 111M. Key provisions include a 30-day coverage limit for transitional services, 48-hour facility notification to insurers after admission, and restrictions on utilization reviews (which can only begin after day 14 and cannot deny future care without 30 consecutive days of service). Medical necessity is determined by treating clinicians, not insurers, with coverage mandated for substance use disorder evaluations under Section 51½ of Chapter 111.
