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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
H 4893 requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover at least six sessions of preventive behavioral health services for individuals under 21 who have a positive screening for depression, anxiety, or other emotional concerns (or for infants whose caregivers screen positive for postpartum depression), without cost-sharing or prior authorization. This applies to group insurance plans for state employees, private insurance policies, and health plans governed by state law, covering individual, family, or group sessions delivered in pediatric primary care, community, or school settings. Insurers must accept alternative diagnosis codes (like Social Determinants of Health Z-codes) for billing these services. The bill directly affects children, adolescents, and infants with early behavioral health screenings by mandating accessible, no-cost preventive care to help prevent more severe conditions.
