Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1066 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 417 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Sally P. Kerans and Joan B. Lovely
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 providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Sally P. Kerans13th Essex1/12/2023Joan B. LovelySecond Essex1/12/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/1/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex2/7/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/10/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/14/2023Denise C. Garlick13th Norfolk2/15/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/22/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/22/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex2/28/2023Richard M. Haggerty30th Middlesex3/6/2023 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 417 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066
18	18	By Representative Kerans of Danvers and Senator Lovely, a joint petition (accompanied by bill,
19	19	House, No. 1066) of Sally P. Kerans, Joan B. Lovely and others relative to providing health
20	20	insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis. Financial Services.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 17E of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so
30	30	2appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 11, after the
31	31	3words “cancer or leukemia;” the following:-
32	32	4 or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
33	33	5permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not
34	34	6part of the natural or premature aging process; and
35	35	7 SECTION 2. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
36	36	8inserting, after section 47KK, the following section:-
37	37	9 Section 47LL. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
38	38	10meanings:- 2 of 5
39	39	11 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
40	40	12however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
41	41	13hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
42	42	14 "Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
43	43	15 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
44	44	16limited to, eyebrows.
45	45	17 (b) An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that
46	46	18provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general
47	47	19policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense
48	48	20and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
49	49	21commonwealth, shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for any other prosthesis,
50	50	22coverage for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prostheses worn for hair loss
51	51	23suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia
52	52	24areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due
53	53	25to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging
54	54	26process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the
55	55	27treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically
56	56	28necessary; and provided, further, that such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
57	57	29guidelines as other prostheses.
58	58	30 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
59	59	31inserting after section 8MM the following section:- 3 of 5
60	60	32 Section 8NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
61	61	33meanings:-
62	62	34 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
63	63	35however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
64	64	36hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
65	65	37 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
66	66	38 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
67	67	39limited to, eyebrows.
68	68	40 A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital
69	69	41service plan that is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits
70	70	42on a nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
71	71	43prosthesis worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or
72	72	44leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
73	73	45permanent loss of scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the
74	74	46natural or premature aging process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to
75	75	47a written statement by the treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
76	76	48prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
77	77	49guidelines as other prosthesis. Such pigmentation and prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a
78	78	50minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for
79	79	51hair loss due to chemotherapy.
80	80	52 SECTION 4. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
81	81	53inserting after section 4MM the following section:- 4 of 5
82	82	54 Section 4NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
83	83	55meanings:-
84	84	56 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
85	85	57however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
86	86	58hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
87	87	59 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
88	88	60 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
89	89	61limited to, eyebrows.
90	90	62 A subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement that is
91	91	63issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits on a
92	92	64nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis
93	93	65worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a
94	94	66result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase, or permanent loss of
95	95	67facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or
96	96	68premature aging process. Such coverage, however, shall be subject to a written statement by the
97	97	69treating physician that the medical pigmentation or hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such
98	98	70coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prosthesis. Such medical
99	99	71pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same
100	100	72amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to
101	101	73chemotherapy.
102	102	74 SECTION 5. Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
103	103	75inserting after section 4EE the following section:- 5 of 5
104	104	76 Section 4FF. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
105	105	77meanings:-
106	106	78 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
107	107	79however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
108	108	80hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
109	109	81 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
110	110	82 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
111	111	83limited to, eyebrows.
112	112	84 A health maintenance contract issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth
113	113	85shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for facial hair loss suffered as a result of the
114	114	86treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis,
115	115	87non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided,
116	116	88however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging process; and provided,
117	117	89however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the treating physician that
118	118	90the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage
119	119	91shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prostheses. Such prosthesis
120	120	92coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer
121	121	93provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to chemotherapy.