Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S607 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 758 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 607
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Brendan P. Crighton
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 to increase access to nurse-midwifery services.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird EssexLydia EdwardsThird Suffolk2/8/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/8/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/14/2023Anne M. GobiWorcester and Hampshire2/14/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/14/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/6/2023 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 758 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 607
18	18	By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 607) of Brendan P. Crighton,
19	19	Lydia Edwards, Patrick M. O'Connor, Thomas M. Stanley and other members of the General
20	20	Court for legislation relative to insurance coverage and access to nurse-midwifery services.
21	21	Financial Services.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 3881 OF 2021-2022.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
27	27	(2023-2024)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act to increase access to nurse-midwifery services.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
33	33	2following section:-
34	34	3 Section 31. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the
35	35	4commonwealth insured under the group insurance commission coverage for services rendered by
36	36	5a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the practice of nurse-midwifery by the board of
37	37	6registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112; provided, however, that the
38	38	7following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified nurse
39	39	8midwife’s authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing; (2) the policy or
40	40	9contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a health care provider 2 of 4
41	41	10licensed by the commonwealth; and (3) the reimbursement for the services provided shall be in
42	42	11the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing
43	43	12the service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed
44	44	13physician to achieve compliance with this section.
45	45	14 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
46	46	15following section:-
47	47	16 Section 80. The division shall provide coverage for services rendered by a certified nurse
48	48	17midwife designated to engage in the practice of nurse-midwifery by the board of registration in
49	49	18nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112; provided, however, that the following conditions
50	50	19are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified nurse midwife’s
51	51	20authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing; (2) the policy or contract
52	52	21currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a health care provider licensed by
53	53	22the commonwealth; and (3) the reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the same
54	54	23amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the
55	55	24service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed
56	56	25physician to achieve compliance with this section.
57	57	26 SECTION 3. Section 47E of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
58	58	27Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentences:- The reimbursement for
59	59	28the services provided pursuant to this section shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement
60	60	29paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An
61	61	30insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with
62	62	31this section. 3 of 4
63	63	32 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
64	64	33section 8OO the following section:-
65	65	34 Section 8PP. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual
66	66	35or group hospital service plan which is delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall
67	67	36provide as a benefit to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to
68	68	37all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth for
69	69	38services rendered by a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the practice of nurse-
70	70	39midwifery by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112;
71	71	40provided, however, that the following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the
72	72	41scope of the certified nurse midwife’s authorization to practice by the board of registration in
73	73	42nursing; (2) the policy or contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a
74	74	43health care provider licensed by the commonwealth; and (3) the reimbursement for the services
75	75	44provided shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed
76	76	45physician performing the service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the
77	77	46reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with this section.
78	78	47 SECTION 5. Section 4G of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
79	79	48Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentences:- The reimbursement for
80	80	49the services provided pursuant to this section shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement
81	81	50paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An
82	82	51insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with
83	83	52this section. 4 of 4
84	84	53 SECTION 6. Section 4 of Chapter 176G is of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
85	85	54hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-
86	86	55 (g) services rendered by a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the practice of
87	87	56nurse-midwifery by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112,
88	88	57subject to the terms of a negotiated agreement between the health maintenance organization and
89	89	58the provider of health care services. The reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the
90	90	59same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the
91	91	60service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed
92	92	61physician in order to comply with this section.