Sen. Paul Feeney

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicaid coverage in Massachusetts to include tobacco cessation counseling services. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries who need help quitting tobacco use by ensuring they can access these programs. The key provision updates state law to define "tobacco use cessation counseling" broadly, allowing it to be delivered by various qualified professionals including physicians, dentists, and behavioral health counselors through individual, group, or phone sessions. By adding this specific language to existing health statutes, the legislation formalizes the availability of these support services for those enrolled in the state's public health insurance program.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to create a specific exception for the Group Insurance Commission regarding procurement rules. It allows the commission to accept proposals and bids that would normally be restricted under existing state statutes. The change directly affects how the commission sources goods and services by carving out a special category for its own purchasing activities. By modifying the General Laws, the legislation clarifies that standard procurement limitations do not apply to the commission's specific bidding processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the amount of out-of-pocket health costs, such as deductibles and copayments, that employees and their families must pay under public health plans in Massachusetts. It sets a maximum annual limit of $2,500 for individual coverage and $5,000 for family coverage, ensuring that no enrollee pays more than these amounts for covered services. Additionally, the law requires public authorities offering health plans to align their cost-sharing features with the most affordable plans available in the state and creates a trust fund to handle any excess premium payments for future use.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to formally define cognitive rehabilitation services for individuals with acquired brain injuries, such as those caused by strokes or traumatic brain injuries. It establishes specific definitions for various therapies, including cognitive rehabilitation therapy and community reintegration services, to ensure clarity in how these treatments are described and delivered. The legislation aims to create a standardized framework for these services, which are designed to help patients relearn essential daily living skills and safely return to their communities. By updating the legal definitions within Chapter 32A of the General Laws, the bill provides a clearer basis for insurance coverage and service delivery for this specific population.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission to cover diabetes prevention program services for state employees who have prediabetes. Specifically, it mandates that active or retired employees insured under the commission receive items and services from programs recognized by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The legislation aims to expand health benefits by ensuring access to these specific prevention resources for a defined group of state workers.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill requires that social service and home care workers be paid at least 140 percent of the state's minimum wage. To make this possible, the state agency overseeing these programs must adjust the payment rates it gives to service providers to cover the increased labor costs. Before setting these new rates, the agency must hold public hearings to gather input from workers, employers, and community members, and it must investigate current wages and working conditions. The law also grants the agency the power to issue subpoenas to ensure witnesses and records are available during this investigation process.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws to increase the minimum time required for individuals to remain in addiction recovery programs before they can be released from certain legal restrictions. Specifically, it changes the standard from 14 days to 20 days and mandates that these programs include at least 20 sessions of structured outpatient treatment. The changes apply to various sections of the state's statutes governing the rehabilitation of substance abusers. By extending the duration and adding a requirement for more treatment sessions, the legislation aims to ensure longer and more intensive recovery periods for those involved in the system.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a two-year pilot program in Massachusetts that allows private urology clinics to operate their own specialty pharmacies. The Department of Public Health and the Board of Pharmacy will set rules for participation, requiring clinics to accept MassHealth patients and considering factors like location and patient demographics to ensure equitable access. Selected clinics must follow specific guidelines for staffing and medication services, and the program will be evaluated after two years to assess its impact on patient access, costs, and medication adherence before any potential renewal.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to ensure municipal employees receive health insurance coverage starting on their first day of work if they enroll within the first 10 days of employment. The key provision allows eligible city and town workers to subscribe to coverage retroactively, meaning the policy becomes effective on the later of their start date or the date they sign up, rather than waiting for the standard enrollment period to end. To enforce this change, the Group Insurance Commission is required to create new regulations within three months of the bill's effective date. The legislation directly affects municipal employees and their employers by clarifying the timeline for obtaining health benefits at the start of a job.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts insurance laws to allow insurance companies to invest in specific types of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that function as long-term bonds. To qualify, these funds must be solvent, have at least $100 million in net assets, be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and be approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The legislation also sets a limit that an insurer cannot invest more than 15 percent of its capital and surplus in any single qualifying ETF and explicitly bans investments in leveraged or inverse ETFs. Additionally, the bill updates rules regarding the investment of insurance company assets in bonds issued by institutions with provisional credit ratings.