Healthcare

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2700: An Act relative to modern family building

This bill (HD 2700) requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover fertility diagnostic care and fertility treatment for residents diagnosed with infertility, without restrictions based on age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. It mandates coverage for specific services including at least four oocyte retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers, and unlimited intrauterine insemination cycles. The law prohibits insurers from applying different deductibles, copays, or coverage limits for fertility treatments compared to other medical services and bans exclusions based on third-party services like surrogacy. It directly affects insured residents with infertility diagnoses, state employees (via group insurance), and Medicaid recipients (through expanded coverage in Chapter 118E).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for fertility treatments without restrictions, expanding access to reproductive healthcare services as per healthcare topic definition.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1732: An Act protecting patients and healthcare workers from exposure to surgical smoke

This bill requires Massachusetts hospitals and outpatient surgical centers to use smoke evacuation systems during procedures generating surgical smoke (such as those using lasers or electrosurgery) to protect patients and healthcare workers from inhaling harmful particles. Facilities must adopt policies ensuring smoke evacuation by January 1, 2026, and report these policies to the Department of Public Health by April 1, 2026. Non-compliance will result in fines of at least $500 per violation. The law directly affects all licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities in the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates smoke evacuation systems to protect patients/healthcare workers from surgical smoke hazards, advancing safety standards in healthcare facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2988: An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care

HD 2988 requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover post-pregnancy mental health care - encompassing both postpartum and post-miscarriage care - without any deductibles, copayments, or cost-sharing. It applies directly to insured individuals and their covered spouses or dependents, ensuring equal access to this care as part of existing postpartum coverage requirements. The bill mandates that insurers provide this coverage without unreasonable delays or restrictions, aligning with existing health care laws. These changes apply to multiple sections of Massachusetts General Laws governing health insurance plans and Medicaid.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers to cover post-pregnancy mental health care without cost-sharing, expanding access to essential services per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3012: An Act to increase substance use prevention and awareness and reduce overdose abandonment

This bill requires public schools to update their substance use prevention policies to include specific education about the dangers of addictive substances (with emphasis on opioids) and the legal immunities available for reporting overdoses. It mandates that schools develop and implement these educational plans, while also allowing them to assess effectiveness and collaborate with state health departments. The policy changes directly affect public school systems and their students by integrating standardized overdose prevention education into school curricula. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, focusing on concrete policy adjustments rather than broader program funding or outcomes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates schools to implement substance use prevention education in curriculum, enhancing student health education programs per bill's requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates school-based substance use prevention education and overdose reporting, directly advancing public health initiatives to reduce overdoses, a core healthcare concern.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Substance Abuse

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3870: An Act to encourage, and improve the level of availability of physicians

HD 3870 establishes a Massachusetts Physicians Scholarship Program (PSP) that covers tuition costs for up to 10 years for medical students enrolled in accredited programs within the state. In exchange, recipients must commit to four years of full-time work in a Massachusetts healthcare facility after graduation. The program targets medical students to address physician shortages by incentivizing training and retention within the state, with annual reporting required to the Department of Public Health. It directly affects medical students seeking education in Massachusetts and healthcare facilities needing qualified physicians.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds medical student tuition to increase physician availability in MA, directly supporting healthcare access and workforce development through incentive-based retention.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3884: An Act relative to IUD pain management coverage

This bill requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover pain management options during IUD insertions without cost-sharing. It applies to state employee health plans, Medicaid, private accident/sickness insurance, and hospital service plans, covering methods like IV sedation, oral sedation, or topical anesthesia as prescribed by a provider. The law prohibits deductibles, copays, or cost-sharing for these services and ensures coverage extends to spouses and dependents. Religious employers may opt out but must notify enrollees about excluded contraceptive services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no cost-sharing for IUD pain management coverage under insurance plans, expanding patient access to necessary care without financial barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3094: An Act to address medical debt through hospital financial assistance reform

This bill requires Massachusetts hospitals to establish clear financial assistance policies for low- and moderate-income patients. It sets income-based discounts: free care for households under 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), 75% discounts for 201-300% FPL, 50% for 301-350% FPL, and 25% for 351-400% FPL. Hospitals must provide written and verbal notices about these policies during registration and billing, post notices prominently in facilities, and include clear financial assistance information on all billing statements. The bill also prohibits hospitals from considering immigration status, total bill cost, or restrictive contracts when determining eligibility, and mandates annual reporting of application data by hospital.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires income-based hospital discounts for low/moderate-income patients, expanding access and reducing medical debt per bill's explicit financial assistance mandate.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1776: An Act relative to direct primary care

This bill prohibits health insurance carriers from denying payment for covered services solely because a patient was referred by a provider outside the carrier's network. It directly affects insurance companies (carriers) and their enrollees (patients), ensuring referrals from out-of-network doctors don't lead to denied claims. The key provision appears repeatedly across multiple chapters of health insurance law, mandating that payment decisions cannot be based on the referral source alone. The bill does not change coverage for specific treatments or alter prescription rules, focusing solely on referral-based payment denials. It applies to all health plans governed by the referenced statutes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from denying payment for out-of-network referrals, protecting patient access to care without financial penalty.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 947: An Act relative to dual diagnosis treatment coverage

This bill (SD 947) requires health insurance plans to cover specific addiction and mental health treatments without preauthorization. It defines "acute treatment," "clinical stabilization," and "co-occurring treatment" services as 24-hour inpatient care for substance use and mental health conditions, with a 14-day maximum coverage limit. The law applies to state employee health plans (Section 1), Medicaid programs (Section 2), and private insurance policies meeting "creditable coverage" standards (Section 3), mandating coverage for these services while requiring facilities to notify insurers within 48 hours of admission. Utilization reviews can begin after day 7 of treatment. The policy change directly affects individuals seeking these treatments through these specific insurance programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for mental health/addiction treatments without preauthorization, expanding access to critical services per bill's coverage requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2651: An Act prioritizing patient access to care

HD 2651 modifies Massachusetts abortion law by removing specific medical justification requirements. It replaces the previous list of permitted circumstances (e.g., preserving life, health, or fetal anomalies) with a standard allowing abortions "based upon the professional judgment of the physician." The bill also eliminates a requirement for physicians to independently review cases involving pregnancies over 24 weeks and deletes language about "determinations" related to those cases. This change directly affects patients seeking abortions and physicians performing them by broadening the legal basis for the procedure.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves restrictive medical justification requirements for abortions, enabling physician judgment and improving patient access to reproductive healthcare services per bill's core modification.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track