By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Paul R. Feeney for legislation to support families who experience the birth of a stillborn child. Revenue.
The committee on Environment and Natural Resources to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 587) of James B. Eldridge for legislation to protect pollinators and public health by prohibiting the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2746).
H 4329 establishes a new legal framework for medical decision-making when patients lack capacity to make their own choices. It creates Chapter 201G defining key terms and setting a priority order for surrogate decision makers (spouse, adult children, parents, siblings), requiring them to submit a written, sworn declaration. The bill specifies criteria for selecting among eligible candidates - such as relationship, familiarity with the patient’s values, and availability - and prohibits certain individuals (like treating physicians or facility staff) from serving as surrogates. Additionally, it amends existing law to allow healthcare agents’ authority to continue for up to six months after a patient’s death with prior written permission.
This bill (H 4337) requires most health insurance plans sold in Massachusetts to cover cervical cancer screenings - specifically Pap tests and HPV tests - with no out-of-pocket costs for patients. It directly affects women who receive these preventative screenings through employer-sponsored insurance, individual plans, or health maintenance organizations. The key provision mandates that all applicable policies must eliminate cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for these screenings. This applies to hospital service plans, health maintenance contracts, and group health funds delivered or renewed in Massachusetts. The bill focuses solely on ensuring coverage for preventative care, not treatment.
This bill amends multiple health insurance laws to expand access to midwifery services and clarify coverage for pregnancy care. It updates definitions in chapters 32A, 118E, 175, 176A, 176B, and 176G to include "licensed certified professional midwives" alongside existing providers and removes language restricting coverage for "abortion or abortion-related care" in insurance plans. The changes require health insurers, health plans, and Medicaid managed care organizations to comply with these updated coverage standards. The bill directly affects health insurance plans subject to these chapters, ensuring broader access to midwifery services and removing prior exclusions for abortion-related care within pregnancy coverage.
H 4344 requires all health insurance policies in Massachusetts (including employer plans and MassHealth) to cover doula services without cost-sharing like deductibles or copays. It mandates a minimum of 20 hours of prenatal/postpartum support per pregnancy, continuous labor support, and reimbursement at MassHealth rates, while prohibiting referrals and additional credentialing requirements. The bill directly affects insurers, policyholders, and doulas by standardizing coverage for non-medical support during pregnancy, birth, adoption, loss, and postpartum care. Key provisions include eliminating prior authorization for coverage and requiring policies to follow state-developed doula credentialing standards.
This bill requires health insurance plans covering commonwealth employees (under group insurance) and Medicaid enrollees to cover biomarker testing - tests analyzing tissue or blood to identify biological markers for guiding treatment - when supported by medical evidence like FDA approvals, clinical guidelines, or CMS determinations. Insurers must approve or deny prior authorization requests within 72 hours (24 hours in emergencies), with automatic approval if no response is given. The bill also mandates coverage without unnecessary disruptions, such as multiple biopsies, to ensure continuous patient care.
This bill prevents health insurers from forcing patients to switch prescription drugs without medical necessity ("nonmedical switching"). It requires insurers to maintain coverage for drugs a patient is medically stable on (as determined by their doctor), unless the drug is removed due to FDA safety concerns or manufacturing issues. Insurers must provide a clear, fast-track process for patients to request coverage exemptions, responding within 72 hours (24 hours for emergencies), with automatic approval if they miss deadlines. The bill directly affects patients on stable prescription regimens and health insurers managing drug coverage under health benefit plans.
H 4550 requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover fertility diagnostic care and treatments for individuals diagnosed with infertility, without restrictions based on age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or family status. The bill mandates coverage for up to four oocyte retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers, and unlimited intrauterine insemination cycles, while explicitly excluding non-medical costs like donor gametes or surrogacy. It also requires healthcare providers to complete training on LGBTQ+ family-building resources and eliminates discriminatory coverage limitations for infertility services. This applies to both group insurance plans (including for state employees) and medical assistance programs, as detailed in Sections 2 and 4 of the bill.
This bill expands insurance coverage for infertility treatment in Massachusetts by defining infertility broadly to include medical history, need for intervention (like donor gametes), time to conceive, and reproductive challenges. It mandates coverage for specific treatments including up to six oocyte retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers (with single embryo transfer when medically appropriate), artificial insemination, and third-party reproduction like IVF with donor eggs/sperm. Insurers must cover these services without imposing different deductibles, age limits, or arbitrary restrictions that don't align with medical guidelines, and cannot discriminate based on protected characteristics like gender identity or sexual orientation. The law directly affects insured Massachusetts residents seeking infertility care, requiring insurers to provide comprehensive coverage per clinical standards.
H 4611 requires public facilities across Massachusetts to provide free disposable menstrual products (like tampons and sanitary napkins) to menstruating individuals. It mandates this in all government-owned buildings, public colleges, shelters, schools, and correctional facilities. Products must be available in accessible restroom locations without stigmatizing the user. The law applies to all entities listed in the bill, including schools, shelters, and jails, ensuring no-cost access in designated areas. It does not cover private businesses or general public spaces outside these specified settings.
This bill requires licensed healthcare facilities in Massachusetts to collect and submit annual demographic data on their physicians (including race, ethnicity, gender identity, language skills, specialty, and employment details) to state agencies. The data will be aggregated and made publicly available on the Board of Registration in Medicine website within 60 days of each year's end. State agencies must also report on this data to legislative committees and the Department of Public Health by February 28th annually. The goal is to assess how physician workforce diversity impacts health outcomes across the Commonwealth.
