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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 376 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 128
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental
disability, intellectual disability, or autism.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/12/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/12/2023Sean Garballey23rd Middlesex1/23/2023Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth1/26/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/30/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex1/30/2023Kay Khan11th Middlesex2/1/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/2/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/2/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/8/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/9/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/11/2023Frank A. Moran17th Essex2/16/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol2/16/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/16/2023David Allen Robertson19th Middlesex2/16/2023Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex2/18/2023 2 of 2
Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex2/21/2023Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/22/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/22/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden2/22/2023Simon Cataldo14th Middlesex2/23/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/23/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/23/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/24/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk3/2/2023Michelle L. Ciccolo15th Middlesex3/2/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk3/6/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 376 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 128
By Representative Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 128) of
Christine P. Barber and others relative to ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential
for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism. Children, Families
and Persons with Disabilities.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 184 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental
disability, intellectual disability, or autism.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 118E of General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition is hereby
2amended by inserting after section 62 the following section:-
3 Section 63. The Division shall cover the cost of habilitative and rehabilitative medically
4necessary treatments for individuals aged 21 and older who are receiving coverage under this
5chapter and who have been diagnosed with any of the following disorders as defined in the most
6recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):
7developmental disability, an intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disorder. The diagnoses
8must be made by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be
9medically necessary. Treatments shall include, but shall not be limited to, applied behavior 2 of 2
10analysis provided or supervised by a licensed behavior analyst that is necessary to develop,
11maintain or restore, to the maximum extent practicable, the functioning of an individual. In
12addition, the Division shall cover the cost of both dedicated and non-dedicated augmentative and
13alternative communication devices, including, but not limited to, medically necessary tablets.