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