Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H137 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. 1311 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 137
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Gerard J. Cassidy
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 for insurance coverage for vision screening for children.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Gerard J. Cassidy9th Plymouth1/18/2023Sally P. Kerans13th Essex2/7/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth3/1/2023 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1311 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 137
18	18	By Representative Cassidy of Brockton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 137) of
19	19	Gerard J. Cassidy, Sally P. Kerans and Michelle M. DuBois for legislation to provide insurance
20	20	coverage for vision screening for children. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 195 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act providing for insurance coverage for vision screening for children.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official
32	32	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 17I the following section:
33	33	3 Section 17J. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the
34	34	4commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage for the cost of a
35	35	5vision screening for children conducted within 12 months prior to entering kindergarten,
36	36	6pursuant to the first paragraph of section 57 of chapter 71. The vision screening shall be
37	37	7conducted by personnel approved by the department of public health and trained in vision
38	38	8screening techniques developed by the department of public health in consultation with the
39	39	9department of education. 2 of 5
40	40	10 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
41	41	11neurodevelopmental delay, the commission shall provide coverage of a comprehensive eye
42	42	12examination performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent
43	43	13or guardian indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and
44	44	14evidence of follow-up treatment, if necessary.
45	45	15 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
46	46	16section 10F the following section: —
47	47	17 Section 10G. The division shall provide coverage for the cost of a vision screening for
48	48	18children conducted within 12 months prior to entering kindergarten, pursuant to the first
49	49	19paragraph of section 57 of chapter 71. The vision screening shall be conducted by personnel
50	50	20approved by the department of public health and trained in vision screening techniques
51	51	21developed by the department of public health in consultation with the department of education.
52	52	22 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
53	53	23neurodevelopmental delay, the division shall provide coverage of a comprehensive eye
54	54	24examination performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent
55	55	25or guardian indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and
56	56	26evidence of follow-up treatment, if necessary.
57	57	27 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
58	58	28section 110L the following section: —
59	59	29 Section 110M. Any blanket or general policy of insurance which is delivered or issued
60	60	30for delivery within or without the commonwealth and which covers residents of the
61	61	31commonwealth and any employees health and welfare fund which is promulgated or renewed to 3 of 5
62	62	32any person or group of persons in the commonwealth shall provide coverage for a vision
63	63	33screening for children conducted within 12 months prior to entering kindergarten, pursuant to the
64	64	34first paragraph of section 57 of chapter 71.. The vision screening shall be conducted by personnel
65	65	35approved by the department of public health and trained in vision screening techniques
66	66	36developed by the department of public health in consultation with the department of education.
67	67	37 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
68	68	38neurodevelopmental delay, coverage shall be provided for a comprehensive eye examination
69	69	39performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent or guardian
70	70	40indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and evidence of
71	71	41follow-up treatment, if necessary.
72	72	42 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after
73	73	43section 8Z the following section:—
74	74	44 Section 8AA. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual
75	75	45or group hospital service plan that provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance,
76	76	46delivered, issued, or renewed by agreement between the insurer and the policyholder; within or
77	77	47without the commonwealth, shall provide coverage for a vision screening for children conducted
78	78	48within 12 months prior to entering kindergarten, pursuant to the first paragraph of section 57 of
79	79	49chapter 71. The vision screening shall be conducted by personnel approved by the department of
80	80	50public health and trained in vision screening techniques developed by the department of public
81	81	51health in consultation with the department of education.
82	82	52 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
83	83	53neurodevelopmental delay, coverage shall be provided for a comprehensive eye examination 4 of 5
84	84	54performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent or guardian
85	85	55indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and evidence of
86	86	56follow-up treatment, if necessary.
87	87	57 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
88	88	58section 4Z the following section:—
89	89	59 Section 4AA. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service
90	90	60agreement which provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance, delivered, issued, or
91	91	61renewed by agreement between the insurer and the policyholder, within or without the
92	92	62commonwealth, shall provide coverage for a vision screening for children conducted within 12
93	93	63months prior to entering kindergarten, pursuant to the first paragraph of section 57 of chapter 71.
94	94	64The vision screening shall be conducted by personnel approved by the department of public
95	95	65health and trained in vision screening techniques developed by the department of public health in
96	96	66consultation with the department of education.
97	97	67 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
98	98	68neurodevelopmental delay, coverage shall be provided for a comprehensive eye examination
99	99	69performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent or guardian
100	100	70indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and evidence of
101	101	71follow-up treatment, if necessary.
102	102	72 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
103	103	73section 4S the following section:—
104	104	74 Section 4T. Any group health maintenance contract, except contracts providing
105	105	75supplemental coverage to Medicare or to other government programs, delivered, issued or 5 of 5
106	106	76renewed by agreement within or without the commonwealth shall provide to a member or
107	107	77enrollee coverage for a vision screening for children conducted within 12 months prior to
108	108	78entering kindergarten, pursuant to the first paragraph of section 57 of chapter 71. The vision
109	109	79screening shall be conducted by personnel approved by the department of public health and
110	110	80trained in vision screening techniques developed by the department of public health in
111	111	81consultation with the department of education.
112	112	82 For children who fail to pass the vision screening and for children diagnosed with
113	113	83neurodevelopmental delay, coverage shall be provided for a comprehensive eye examination
114	114	84performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist chosen by the child’s parent or guardian
115	115	85indicating any pertinent diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, recommendation and evidence of
116	116	86follow-up treatment, if necessary.