This bill (H 4942) expands the definition of "licensed mental health professional" in five Massachusetts statutes to include licensed rehabilitation counselors. It directly affects rehabilitation counselors by recognizing them as qualified providers under existing laws governing insurance, healthcare services, and professional scope. The key mechanism adds "licensed rehabilitation counselor" to the list of covered professionals in sections related to mental health services, insurance coverage, and healthcare financing. This change aims to increase consumer access to rehabilitation counseling services by ensuring they are included in the same legal framework as other mental health professionals.
H 4897 requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover "behavioral health bundled services" from licensed community behavioral health centers on equal terms. This applies to group insurance for Commonwealth employees (active and retired), individual accident/sickness policies, hospital service plans, and health maintenance contracts. The bill mandates that these plans provide nondiscriminatory coverage for medically necessary mental health, developmental, or substance use disorder care delivered through defined community centers. It directly affects insured individuals and insurers by standardizing coverage requirements across multiple insurance types. The law applies to policies issued or renewed within or outside Massachusetts.
This bill (H 4936) standardizes the definition of "licensed mental health professional" across multiple Massachusetts health care statutes. It explicitly includes psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, nurse specialists, and educational psychologists within their scope of practice. The change applies to laws governing mental health services, insurance coverage, and health care financing (specifically Chapters 32A, 175, 176A, 176B, and 176G). This procedural update ensures consistent terminology for providers and services, directly affecting how mental health care is regulated and accessed in Massachusetts.
This bill requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover pain management during IUD insertion with no out-of-pocket costs for patients. It applies to state employee group insurance (Chapter 32A), Medicaid plans (Chapter 118E), private accident/sickness insurance (Chapter 175), and hospital service plans (Chapter 176A). The law mandates coverage for specific methods like IV sedation, nitrous oxide, or topical anesthesia without deductibles, copays, or unreasonable delays, and extends benefits to covered spouses and dependents. Religious exemptions for church employers are included, requiring written notice to enrollees about excluded services. The bill directly affects insurance providers and enrollees using these coverage types for IUD procedures.
This bill requires the state to cover health insurance premiums for qualifying adjunct faculty at public higher education institutions. It defines eligible faculty as those teaching at least two 3-credit courses per semester (or four annually), regardless of funding source or employment term. The state will gradually increase its share of premium costs over five years, starting at 25% in the first year and reaching 75% by the sixth year. A working group must study adjunct faculty retirement benefits, compensation, and career pathways, reporting findings by December 2026. The bill directly affects adjunct faculty at state universities, community colleges, and UMass campuses.
This bill requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover hearing aids for insured residents. It mandates coverage for one hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear every 36 months, based on a physician's written statement of medical necessity, with coverage extending to the best-fit device (regardless of brand) and related services like fittings, adjustments, and repairs. The law caps patient copayments at $200 per hearing aid and prohibits higher deductibles or out-of-pocket costs than for other durable medical equipment. It applies to all group and individual health insurance policies, including non-group plans, ensuring consistent coverage for people with hearing loss.
H 4896 requires qualifying student health insurance plans to cover two specific mental health treatment programs: "Coordinated Specialty Care" for first-time psychosis (within 74 weeks) and "Assertive Community Treatment" for serious mental illness or emotional disturbance. It directly affects young people under 19 with serious emotional disturbance and adults 19+ with serious mental illness by mandating insurance coverage for these services without visit limits. Key provisions include requiring insurers to pay for these treatments through a bundled payment model (not per-service fees) and presuming medical necessity after a licensed professional's recommendation. The bill defines these terms to ensure consistent coverage under state insurance regulations.
This bill requires health insurers with reserves exceeding 550% of risk-based capital to pay an assessment generating $400 million total. The funds are split equally: $200 million goes to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund (supporting community health programs) and $200 million to the Medicaid Stabilization Trust Fund (preventing access cuts for MassHealth beneficiaries). The assessment applies to insurers meeting specific reserve thresholds set by the Division of Insurance, with enforcement mechanisms including interest charges for late payments. The program expires on December 31, 2026.
H 4948 creates a dedicated Health Care Access Bureau within Massachusetts' Division of Insurance to strengthen oversight of health insurance rates. The bureau, led by a deputy commissioner, will review premium rates for all health insurance plans sold in Massachusetts, focusing on consumer affordability (including deductibles and out-of-pocket costs), fairness for providers, and alignment with state healthcare cost growth goals. It requires insurers to pay an annual assessment totaling $2 million to fund the bureau's operations, including hiring specialized staff like a chief health economist and chief actuary. The bill directly affects all health insurers licensed in Massachusetts by requiring them to submit rate data for review and pay new funding assessments.
This bill requires all health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover biennial echocardiograms and concussion analysis for children aged 5 to 18. It applies to group coverage for state employees, standard health insurance policies, hospital service plans, medical service agreements, and health maintenance contracts. The coverage must be provided every two years at no additional cost to the patient. It directly affects insurers offering these plans and children in the specified age range.
