Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1186 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. 3361 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1186
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	William J. Driscoll, Jr. and Christine P. Barber
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 expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk1/20/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/20/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex1/26/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/26/2023Peter Capano11th Essex1/27/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/27/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/30/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/30/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden2/2/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/6/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/8/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/17/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/22/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3361 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1186
18	18	By Representatives Driscoll of Milton and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill,
19	19	House, No. 1186) of William J. Driscoll, Jr., Christine P. Barber and others that the Health
20	20	Insurance Connector Authority implement a 5-year pilot program to extend eligibility for
21	21	premium assistance payments or point-of-service cost-sharing subsidies. Health Care Financing.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding clause (b) of section 3 of chapter 176Q of the General
31	31	2Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commonwealth health insurance
32	32	3connector authority established in section 2 of said chapter 176Q shall implement a 5-year pilot
33	33	4program to extend eligibility for premium assistance payments or point-of-service cost-sharing
34	34	5subsidies for applicants at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
35	35	6 (b) Applicants participating in the pilot program that are between 300 and 500 percent of
36	36	7the federal poverty guidelines shall have access to a plan that meets at least 90 per cent actuarial
37	37	8value; provided, that the affordability standard for the pilot program shall be consistent with
38	38	9current practices pursuant to said section 3 of said chapter 176Q.
39	39	10 (c) Notwithstanding the second paragraph of section 2OOO of chapter 29 of the General
40	40	11Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, amounts necessary to support the 5-year 2 of 2
41	41	12pilot program established in subsection (a) shall be expended from the Commonwealth Care
42	42	13Trust Fund established in said section 2OOO of said chapter 29.
43	43	14 (d) The commonwealth health insurance connector authority, in consultation with the
44	44	15center for health information and analysis, shall evaluate the pilot program to assess the public
45	45	16health, health equity, utilization and financial impacts on residents of reducing out-of-pocket
46	46	17costs and premium costs. The center shall collect quantitative and qualitative data at the start of
47	47	18the pilot program and at the end of each year of the pilot program to assess the impact on pilot
48	48	19program participants. Data points to be collected shall include, but not be limited to: (i) rates of
49	49	20unmet medical need due to cost; (ii) disparities in rates of unmet medical need due to cost; (iii)
50	50	21difficulties accessing care at a doctor’s office or clinic; (iv) racial and ethnic disparities in
51	51	22difficulties accessing care at a doctor’s office or clinic; (v) insurance coverage rates, including
52	52	23rates of continuous insurance coverage; (vi) racial and ethnic disparities in insurance coverage
53	53	24rates; (vii) visits to a doctor’s office; and (viii) racial and ethnic disparities in visits to a doctor’s
54	54	25office. The connector authority shall file reports of its evaluation with the clerks of the house of
55	55	26representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint
56	56	27committee on public health and the joint committee on health care financing not later than
57	57	28December 1, 2026 and December 1, 2029.
58	58	29 SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect on Jan 1, 2024.
59	59	30 SECTION 3. Section 1 shall be repealed on Dec 31, 2028.