Healthcare

passed · Massachusetts · House Jan 29, 2026

H 4993: An Act requiring automated external defibrillators at sporting events

This bill requires public stadiums, sports centers, gymnasiums, and similar facilities hosting sporting events to have at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site during all events. It also mandates that at least one trained employee or volunteer (having completed certified CPR and AED training) be present during events, with clear signage showing AED locations. The requirement excludes school-sponsored athletic events held in school gyms. Facilities must follow established guidelines for AED placement, training, and public announcements to identify trained personnel if needed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires AEDs and trained personnel at public events to improve emergency cardiac care access, enhancing public health safety measures without direct funding or coverage expansion.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 31, 2026

H 4946: An Act mandating access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans or programs provided by the public employer

This bill requires public employers (such as state, city, or fire district departments) to provide full-time firefighters with free cancer screenings every three years, starting three years after they begin working as firefighters. It covers screenings for 11 specific cancers including colon, lung, bladder, and prostate, with all costs paid by the employer's health plan - no co-pays or deductibles required. The mandate applies to firefighters in municipal departments, the Massachusetts Military Reservation, the 104th Fighter Wing, and Devens fire departments. The only exception is if the employer's health plan is federally tax-exempt and would lose that status without cost-sharing, though this is uncommon.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates public employers to cover cancer screening costs, increasing government spending on firefighter health programs without tax changes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates free cancer screenings via employer health plans, eliminating out-of-pocket costs and expanding access to preventive care for firefighters.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates free cancer screenings for firefighters, enhancing workplace safety and expanding health benefits without worker cost, directly protecting high-risk workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 22, 2026

H 4870: An Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS

This bill creates a PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to address contamination in Massachusetts drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. It directly affects communities with PFAS pollution, including vulnerable environmental justice areas, private well owners, and public water systems. The fund provides grants for PFAS treatment, remediation, and outreach programs, prioritizing communities with limited resources. Money comes from settlements with PFAS manufacturers, other grants, and interest, with strict rules requiring repayment if responsible parties are later identified.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to address water/soil contamination, prioritizing vulnerable communities and environmental justice areas through manufacturer settlements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly creates PFAS remediation fund to protect public health from environmental contamination, directly preventing health risks linked to water/soil pollution.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Environmental Justice Public Health

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 9, 2026

H 4900: An Act related to comprehensive clinical and extended support services

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers to cover addiction recovery services without preauthorization, expanding coverage and improving access to mental health care.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 20, 2026

SD 3545: An Act to establish a celiac disease screening pilot program

By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan B. Lovely for legislation to establish a celiac disease screening pilot program. Public Health.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes celiac disease screening pilot under Public Health, improving early detection access - advances healthcare services92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 9, 2026

H 4899: An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care

This bill (H 4899) requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover post-pregnancy mental health care - including postpartum and post-miscarriage care - without any out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or copays. It applies to both private insurance and Medicaid plans, ensuring coverage is equally available to enrollees and their spouses or dependents. The law explicitly adds this care to existing pregnancy-related coverage requirements in multiple sections of state health laws and prohibits unreasonable delays or restrictions in accessing these services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no-cost coverage for post-pregnancy mental health care under all insurance plans, expanding access and protecting patient rights per bill requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Women's Health

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Feb 5, 2026

HD 5614: An Act for long-term coverage of gender affirming care medications

This bill requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover prescription medications for gender-affirming care services as defined in state law. It mandates coverage for up to a 12-month period for subsequent dispensings of the same medication, allowing full or partial dispensing within that timeframe. Coverage must be provided regardless of enrollment status when the prescription was first issued, but insurers are not required to cover more than one 12-month prescription per plan year. The bill directly affects insured individuals seeking ongoing gender-affirming medication treatment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for gender-affirming medications, expanding access to healthcare services per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 30, 2026

H 4933: An Act relative to colon cancer screening

H 4933 requires Massachusetts health insurance plans to cover colorectal cancer screening with no out-of-pocket costs for people aged 30 and older. It applies to Commonwealth employees (active and retired), Medicaid recipients, private insurance policies, and employer health plans. The law mandates coverage for multiple screening methods - including colonoscopy every 5-10 years, annual stool tests, and other medically necessary procedures - as recommended by a doctor. Crucially, it eliminates copays, deductibles, and other cost-sharing for these screenings, except for tax-exempt plans that would lose status if cost-sharing were prohibited.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates zero-cost colorectal cancer screening coverage for multiple insurance types, expanding preventive care access without patient cost-sharing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 9, 2026

H 4986: An Act relative to therapeutic psilocybin treatment centers

H 4986 establishes a 5-site pilot program for non-profit therapeutic psilocybin centers in specific Massachusetts regions (western, central, North Shore, South Shore, and Metro Boston). Licensed centers, operated by trained medical professionals, must provide supervised treatment in safe facilities with qualified staff, adhere to safety protocols, and maintain affordable pricing. The bill protects participants, staff, and facility owners from criminal charges or penalties for lawful participation in licensed centers. It requires the Department of Public Health to report annually on program data, including participant visits, referrals, and safety outcomes, for review by legislative committees.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill decriminalizes therapeutic psilocybin use by shielding participants/staff from criminal penalties, reducing unnecessary criminalization in line with reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes regulated mental health treatment centers using psilocybin, expanding access to novel therapeutic services under healthcare framework.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 9, 2026

H 4935: An Act to strengthen the control of contagious and infectious diseases in the Commonwealth

H 4935 requires health insurance plans and medical assistance programs in Massachusetts to cover prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases designated by the commissioner as "of heightened public health importance" without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) or prior authorization. It applies to all health coverage under specific Massachusetts laws, including group insurance (Chapter 32A), Medicaid (Chapter 118E), and individual hospital/surgical plans (Chapters 175, 176A, 176B, 176G). The commissioner must publicly list designated diseases, review the list annually, and notify insurers and providers. An exception allows cost-sharing for tax-exempt plans that would lose their status if prohibited.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no cost-sharing for covered diseases, expanding access to prevention/treatment services under MA health plans including Medicaid and group insurance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Public Health

Track