Rep. Tackey Chan

Maddy summaryHD 2485 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in Massachusetts healthcare. It bans healthcare providers and entities from denying lifesaving treatment or prioritizing care based on assumptions about a person's quality of life or "worth" due to disability, or using metrics that value lives with disabilities less than others. The law specifically prohibits conditioning treatment on having a "Do Not Resuscitate" order or advance directive, while allowing consideration of short-term survival likelihood in crisis care. This applies to all public and private healthcare entities in Massachusetts, ensuring equal access to treatment regardless of disability.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts utilities to create a public online dashboard showing real-time breakdowns of residential utility bills, including clean energy program benefits and costs. It mandates that at least 70% of certain clean energy compliance payments must be returned to ratepayers as annual bill credits within 90 days. The dashboard will display historical rate components, program benefits (like reduced emissions and system reliability), and utility cost recovery mechanisms. These changes directly affect residential electricity and gas customers by increasing bill transparency and providing direct financial returns for clean energy investments.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a current restriction preventing spouses from being paid caregivers under Massachusetts' MassHealth program. It allows spouses to serve as paid caregivers for their partners receiving home and community-based services, directly affecting MassHealth beneficiaries and their spouses who need in-home care support. The key provision requires the state health and aging secretaries to implement this change once the federal government approves a related waiver under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. The policy change would take effect only after federal approval, which is a standard requirement for such state program modifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws governing dental insurance contracts to clarify which dental services must be covered and prevent insurers from requiring dentists to accept reduced fees for non-covered services. It defines "covered services" as dental care for which payment would be available under a plan (accounting for deductibles, annual limits, etc.) and prohibits dental insurance plans from mandating specific fees for services not classified as covered. The key provision ensures that dentists participating in insurance networks cannot be forced to provide services at a set fee unless those services are actually covered by the patient's plan. This directly affects dental insurance companies, participating dentists, and plan enrollees by aligning fee requirements with actual coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends section 75 of a 2020 healthcare law to clarify that dental providers licensed to practice dentistry are excluded from certain regulations. It specifically inserts an exception after the phrase "health care provider" in the law, ensuring dental practices are not subject to these provisions. The change directly affects dental providers by exempting them from the healthcare delivery rules covered by the amended section. This is a procedural clarification, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryThis 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the legal definition of "office-based surgical center" in Massachusetts law. It defines such centers as offices or facilities owned/operated by medical practitioners (solo or group) providing surgical services, while explicitly excluding hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and facilities following specific surgical guidelines. The definition also clarifies that dental practices and oral/maxillofacial surgery by licensed dentists are not covered under this definition. This change directly affects medical practices operating in non-hospital settings seeking to provide surgical services.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets new wage standards for direct care workers in Massachusetts human services programs. It requires that direct care staff wages meet or exceed the 75th percentile of similar jobs in the state (based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data), with salary increases for these roles tied to this benchmark. The law specifically excludes top executives (like CEOs and CFOs) from these wage requirements. It also mandates transparent calculation of fringe benefits and payroll costs for providers, and ensures compliance won't reduce funding for existing social service programs. The changes take effect 180 days after enactment, with a planning process starting July 1, 2025.

By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Tackey Chan relative to increasing available support systems for those with substance use disorder. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the City of Quincy Retirement Board to apply specific legal presumptions regarding pre-employment physical exams for public safety personnel (like police and firefighters) seeking accidental disability retirement. If the city cannot locate a member's physical exam record, the member or employer may submit a signed affidavit stating the exam was completed and did not reveal the disabling condition they now claim. This affidavit would then serve as valid proof that the member met the physical requirements for employment. The policy change directly affects Quincy public safety workers applying for disability retirement when their original exam records are missing.