Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H4634

Introduced
5/9/24  
Refer
5/9/24  

Caption

Study Order

Impact

The implications of HB 4634 are significant in the context of state law and public health strategy. By allowing a formal study of health care financing, the bill aims to address and potentially rectify deficiencies in current health care systems. Supporters believe that identifying gaps in medication access, affordability, and overall financing strategy can help in forming legislation that promotes better health outcomes for the residents of Massachusetts. The findings could lead to new policies or laws that reshape how health care is delivered and financed within the state.

Summary

House Bill 4634, identified as a Study Order, is focused on the examination of various health care financing issues, particularly concerning medications. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts' House of Representatives has set the groundwork for a committee on Health Care Financing to investigate these matters and report findings and recommendations back to the General Court by the end of December 2024. This bill serves as an authorization for further research and analysis into the current state of health care financing in Massachusetts.

Contention

There may be points of contention surrounding this bill, particularly in relation to funding and the authority of the Health Care Financing committee. Discussions may also arise around the methods used to study these health care issues, particularly regarding which metrics and data sources will be utilized in the analysis. Stakeholders in the healthcare sector could have differing opinions about what qualifies as significant findings, thus influencing future amendments to relevant statutes and regulations.

Companion Bills

MA H4854

Similar To Study Order

MA H5018

Similar To Study Order

MA H5014

Similar To Study Order

MA H5016

Similar To Study Order

MA H5015

Similar To Study Order

MA S1209

Replaces To prohibit mandatory overtime

MA S593

Replaces Relative to mental health providers

MA S771

Replaces Providing transparency for patients receiving care at hospital-based facilities

MA S657

Replaces Providing continuity of care for mental health treatment

MA S745

Replaces Relative to fiduciary responsibility

MA S744

Replaces Establishing medicare for all in Massachusetts

MA S638

Replaces Limiting out of pocket health expenses

MA S642

Replaces Related to health insurance benefits for municipal employees

MA S682

Replaces Relative to increasing consumer access to licensed rehabilitation counselors

MA S754

Replaces To ensure access to the full range of treatment options for people with obesity

MA S735

Replaces Providing affordable care through out-of-pocket assistance

MA S779

Replaces Increasing access to MassHealth dental providers

MA S804

Replaces To strengthen the management of the health care connector

MA S663

Replaces To prevent inappropriate denials by insurers for medically necessary services

MA S1271

Replaces Relative to fetal opioid drug exposure

MA S1369

Replaces To establish a pilot program for specialty pharmacy in urology

MA S1661

Replaces To provide diabetes prevention program benefits for GIC insurees

MA S742

Replaces To ensure access and continuity of care to specialist and hospital services for dually eligible individuals

MA S673

Replaces Ensuring support groups are part of the pathway of care following the annual mental health wellness exam

MA S772

Replaces To continue enhanced Medicaid hospital payments

MA S717

Replaces Relative to ambulance service reimbursement

MA S664

Replaces Relative to the sustainability of public health dental hygienists through adequate reimbursements

MA S716

Replaces Providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prostheses

MA S668

Replaces To ensure dependent health coverage for adults with disabilities

MA S1269

Replaces Relative to creating a pilot program to transfer high acuity behavioral health and dual diagnosis patients away from overcrowded emergency departments

MA S796

Replaces Relative to reciprocity clarification

MA S730

Replaces Advancing health care research and decision-making centered on patients and people with disabilities

MA S649

Replaces Relative to increasing consumer access to licensed rehabilitation counselors

MA S1355

Replaces Relative to safer treatment for pain

MA S776

Replaces Limiting out of pocket expenses

MA S618

Replaces Relative to telehealth parity for nutrition counseling

MA S768

Replaces Providing Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation programs

MA S614

Replaces Reining in premiums through stronger rate review

MA S759

Replaces Requiring equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers

MA S715

Replaces To ensure access to prescription medications

MA S731

Replaces Relative to the sustainability of high public payer community hospitals

MA S803

Replaces Relative to health care non-discrimination

MA S807

Replaces Empowering patients and entrepreneurs with real transparency on cost

MA S665

Replaces Relative to specialty medications and patient safety

MA S811

Replaces To address the financial sustainability of the Health Safety Net

MA S605

Replaces Empowering health care consumers

MA S662

Replaces Providing access to full spectrum addiction treatment services

MA S1444

Replaces Relative to the reform of the personal care attendant system

MA S793

Replaces Resolve establishing a task force on MassHealth reimbursement for schools

MA S751

Replaces Relative to medical records requests

MA S660

Replaces Relative to the care and treatment of patients with mitochondrial disease

MA S733

Replaces Expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare

MA S645

Replaces Relative to out-of-network billing

MA S193

Replaces To protect life-saving electronic health records from reckless corporate greed and corruption

MA S1106

Replaces Specifying an electronic system to ensure that sales of certain products containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) do not exceed limits established under federal law

MA S636

Replaces Relative to rehabilitation periods for those in addiction recovery

MA S706

Replaces Relative to pediatric care appointments

MA S758

Replaces Providing access to patient protection services for MassHealth consumers

MA S766

Replaces Establishing a public health option

MA S806

Replaces Establishing a healthcare insurance premium payment pool for working families

MA S1385

Replaces Relative to collaborative drug therapy management optimization

MA S670

Replaces To help patients and reduce healthcare costs by ensuring patient adherence to medications

MA S691

Replaces To increase access to lactation care and services

MA S655

Replaces Relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients

MA S764

Replaces To establish the family caregiver tax credit

MA S773

Replaces Relative to premium impact statements

MA S741

Replaces To reduce racial and ethnic health disparities through commercial rate equity for safety net hospitals

MA S1428

Replaces Relative to smoking cessation agents

MA S640

Replaces Relative to insurance companies

MA S763

Replaces To promote an enhanced care worker minimum wage

MA S601

Replaces Prohibiting self-dealing by pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies under common ownership

MA S609

Replaces Relative to consumer deductibles

MA S667

Replaces To prohibit cost sharing for opioid antagonists

MA S594

Replaces Addressing duplicative notifications of UR approvals (administrative simplification)

MA S708

Replaces Enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care

MA S724

Replaces Administering national standards to Medicaid medical necessity reviews

MA S737

Replaces To ensure effective health care as a right

MA S656

Replaces To reduce the cost of pharmacy benefits

MA S707

Replaces Expanding health insurance access for state employees

MA S1251

Replaces Strengthening prescription drug safety and drug stewardship

MA S718

Replaces Relative to insurance coverage of mobile integrated health

MA S786

Replaces Relative to transfer of assets by MassHealth members

MA S635

Replaces Relative to cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with an acquired brain injury

MA S637

Replaces Relative to group insurance commission procurement

MA S700

Replaces To ensure access to epinephrine for minors

MA S1212

Replaces Relative to continuation of health insurance in the case of plant closings

MA S630

Replaces Ensuring access to specialty medications

MA S722

Replaces Relative to the practice of acupuncture

MA S704

Replaces Prohibiting discrimination against 340b drug discount program participants

MA S809

Replaces To stabilize adult day health services

MA S805

Replaces Relative to association health plans

MA S787

Replaces To alleviate skyrocketing consumer health care costs

MA S612

Replaces Relative to promoting healthcare access and affordability for patients

MA S620

Replaces Requiring prospective payment system methodology for reimbursement to community health centers

MA S1387

Replaces Regulating surgical assistants

MA S792

Replaces Limiting facility fees

MA H1244

Replaces Relative to stabilizing the Commonwealth's nursing facilities

MA H980

Replaces Relative to the safety of autistic and alzheimer individuals

MA H1230

Replaces To stabilize adult day health services

MA H936

Replaces Providing continuity of care for mental health treatment

MA H1169

Replaces Providing Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation programs and information

MA H934

Replaces To enact the pharmacy benefit manager compensation reform

MA H1238

Replaces To improve patient care through integrated electronic health records

MA H1225

Replaces Providing access to patient protection services for MassHealth consumers

MA H1017

Replaces Relative to pediatric care appointments

MA H1227

Replaces To reduce racial and ethnic health disparities through commercial rate equity for safety net hospitals

MA H939

Replaces To update mental health parity

MA H944

Replaces Reining in premiums through stronger rate review

MA H1234

Replaces Relative to an individual Medicare marketplace option

MA H978

Replaces Relative to promoting healthcare access and affordability for patients

MA H963

Replaces Relative to costs for treatment and management of diabetes

MA H999

Replaces Empowering health care consumers

MA H1186

Replaces Expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare

MA H1172

Replaces Relative to same day drug testing

MA H1038

Replaces Relative to mental health providers

MA H1217

Replaces To address the financial sustainability of the Health Safety Net

MA H1241

Replaces To improve discharge opportunities from acute care facilities

MA H1194

Replaces Resolve relative to the reimbursement of school-based care

MA H1236

Replaces Increasing access to MassHealth dental providers

MA H1164

Replaces To ensure MassHealth rate parity for behavioral health inpatient providers

MA H1231

Replaces To promote an enhanced care worker minimum wage

MA H1224

Replaces Relative to state funding of certain nonprofits

MA H1171

Replaces To incentivize high-value care

MA H962

Replaces To modernize the Massachusetts insurer’s insolvency fund

MA H997

Replaces To protect health care consumers from surprise billing

MA H959

Replaces Prohibiting discrimination against 340b drug discount program participants

MA H986

Replaces Relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients

MA H1016

Replaces To enact pharmacy benefit manager duties

MA H1167

Replaces Relative to patient centered access to behavioral health services in accountable care organizations

MA H1010

Replaces Relative to ambulance service reimbursement

MA H733

Replaces Relative to emergency response and preparedness in the event of a surge in pediatric or adult hospitalizations

MA H1196

Replaces Administering national standards to Medicaid medical necessity reviews

MA H1235

Replaces Relative to maintenance of certification

MA H982

Replaces Relative to non-medical switching

MA H1204

Replaces Relative to establishing a health safety net task force

MA H1208

Replaces Establishing a state-wide drug repository program

MA H1243

Replaces To ensure access to the full range of treatment options for people with obesity

MA H1001

Replaces Relative to step therapy and in vitro fertilization insurance coverage

MA H945

Replaces To ensure prescription drug cost transparency and affordability

MA H1007

Replaces Relative to insurance coverage of mobile integrated health

MA H211

Replaces Establishing a bill of rights for individuals experiencing homelessness

MA H1207

Replaces Prohibiting surprise outside billing

MA H968

Replaces Requiring reimbursement for the costs of providing competent interpreter services

MA H1223

Replaces To ensure access and continuity of care to specialist and hospital services for dual eligibles

MA H1199

Replaces Relative to using Medicaid for violence prevention and intervention

MA H943

Replaces To reduce co-pays for people with chronic conditions

MA H1221

Replaces Ensuring protections for physicians and hospitals that contract with Medicaid managed care organizations

MA H1239

Replaces Establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts

MA H1188

Replaces Providing affordable care through out-of-pocket assistance

MA H927

Replaces Relative to colon cancer screening

MA H1213

Replaces Relative to asset limits for MassHealth

MA H1036

Replaces Relative to increasing consumer access to licensed rehabilitation counselors

MA H1190

Replaces To continue enhanced Medicaid hospital payments

MA H948

Replaces Requiring prospective payment system methodology for reimbursement to community health centers

MA H1177

Replaces Relative to defining invasive surgical procedures

MA H1187

Replaces Providing financial transparency for patients receiving care at hospital-based outpatient facilities

MA H1198

Replaces To extend enhanced Medicaid benefits to eligible hospitals

MA H1182

Replaces Relative to the treatment of epilepsy and seizure disorders

MA H1183

Replaces Advancing health care research and decision-making centered on patients and people with disabilities

MA H953

Replaces Relative to consumer deductibles

MA H1242

Replaces Providing equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers

MA H1004

Replaces Relative to cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with an acquired brain injury

MA H2147

Replaces Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to Long COVID related needs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

MA H381

Replaces Relative to cosmetic labeling

MA H2194

Replaces Authorizing a 90-day supply of medically necessary testosterone therapy medication

MA H1021

Replaces Concerning the safety of autistic and alzheimer individuals

MA H2150

Replaces Relative to the definition of podiatry

MA H1847

Replaces Relative to the small necessities leave act

MA H2129

Replaces Relative to facilitating the utilization of psychologists on the health care team

MA H2182

Replaces To reduce incidence and death from pancreatic cancer

MA H3600

Replaces Relative to discharge from substance use disorder treatment

MA H3588

Replaces Relative to MassHealth

MA H3625

Replaces Relative to videotaping, audiotaping and photographing persons receiving medical treatment

MA H3629

Replaces Relative to the prescription monitoring program

MA H3622

Replaces Relative to protecting public health and reducing health care costs

MA H3764

Replaces Relative to parental notification about student health evaluations

MA H3832

Replaces Relative to changing Mass Health estate recoup for people with disabilities beyond age 55

MA H4270

Replaces Relative to adding efficiency to paid family and medical leave

MA H4411

Replaces Relating to patient cost, benefit and coverage information, choice, and price transparency

MA S2637

Replaces Relating to patient cost, benefit and coverage information, choice, and price transparency

Similar Bills

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