Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1042 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2160 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1042
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Vanna Howard
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to parity of treatment with substance abuse.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Vanna Howard17th Middlesex1/10/2023 1 of 7
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2160 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1042
18	18	By Representative Howard of Lowell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1042) of
19	19	Vanna Howard relative to substance abuse healthcare coverage. Financial Services.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
23	23	(2023-2024)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to parity of treatment with substance abuse.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
29	29	2section 17S the following section:-
30	30	3 Section 17T. The commission shall provide, to an active or retired employee of the
31	31	4commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission, coverage for expenses
32	32	5arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental or nervous
33	33	6conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations no more restrictive than, those imposed
34	34	7on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from treatment for other medical conditions.
35	35	8 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
36	36	9treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
37	37	10requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
38	38	11expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
39	39	12for other medical conditions. 2 of 7
40	40	13 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for:
41	41	14 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
42	42	15halfway house;
43	43	16 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
44	44	17 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
45	45	18program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
46	46	19 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.
47	47	20 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
48	48	21section 10Q the following section:-
49	49	22 Section 10R. The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health
50	50	23maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators
51	51	24under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall
52	52	25provide coverage for expenses arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including
53	53	26alcoholism, and for mental or nervous conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations
54	54	27no more restrictive than, those imposed on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from
55	55	28treatment for other medical conditions.
56	56	29 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
57	57	30treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
58	58	31requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
59	59	32expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
60	60	33for other medical conditions. 3 of 7
61	61	34 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for:
62	62	35 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
63	63	36halfway house;
64	64	37 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
65	65	38 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
66	66	39program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
67	67	40 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.
68	68	41 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
69	69	42section 47TT the following section:-
70	70	43 Section 47UU. Any policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued,
71	71	44delivered or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide coverage for expenses
72	72	45arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental or nervous
73	73	46conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations no more restrictive than, those imposed
74	74	47on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from treatment for other medical conditions.
75	75	48 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
76	76	49treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
77	77	50requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
78	78	51expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
79	79	52for other medical conditions.
80	80	53 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for: 4 of 7
81	81	54 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
82	82	55halfway house;
83	83	56 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
84	84	57 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
85	85	58program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
86	86	59 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.
87	87	60 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
88	88	61section 8UU the following section:-
89	89	62 Section 8VV. A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or
90	90	63group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall
91	91	64provide coverage for expenses arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including
92	92	65alcoholism, and for mental or nervous conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations
93	93	66no more restrictive than, those imposed on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from
94	94	67treatment for other medical conditions.
95	95	68 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
96	96	69treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
97	97	70requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
98	98	71expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
99	99	72for other medical conditions.
100	100	73 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for: 5 of 7
101	101	74 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
102	102	75halfway house;
103	103	76 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
104	104	77 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
105	105	78program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
106	106	79 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.
107	107	80 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
108	108	81section 4UU the following section:-
109	109	82 Section 4VV. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service
110	110	83agreement delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall provide coverage for
111	111	84expenses arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental
112	112	85or nervous conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations no more restrictive than,
113	113	86those imposed on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from treatment for other
114	114	87medical conditions.
115	115	88 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
116	116	89treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
117	117	90requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
118	118	91expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
119	119	92for other medical conditions.
120	120	93 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for: 6 of 7
121	121	94 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
122	122	95halfway house;
123	123	96 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
124	124	97 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
125	125	98program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
126	126	99 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.
127	127	100 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
128	128	101section 4MM the following section:-
129	129	102 Section 4NN. Any individual or group health maintenance contract that is issued or
130	130	103renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide coverage for expenses arising from
131	131	104treatment for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental or nervous conditions
132	132	105at the same level as, and subject to limitations no more restrictive than, those imposed on
133	133	106coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from treatment for other medical conditions.
134	134	107 The coverage shall not be subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for
135	135	108treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or
136	136	109requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible
137	137	110expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy
138	138	111for other medical conditions.
139	139	112 Nothing in this section shall require coverage for:
140	140	113 (i) educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or
141	141	114halfway house; 7 of 7
142	142	115 (ii) a long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;
143	143	116 (iii) psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training
144	144	117program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;
145	145	118 (iv) a court-ordered sex offender treatment program.