Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S631 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. 1376 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 631
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	James B. Eldridge
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 relative to access to care for serious mental illness.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1376 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 631
18	18	By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 631) of James B. Eldridge for
19	19	legislation relative to access to care for serious mental illness. Financial Services.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
23	23	(2023-2024)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to access to care for serious mental illness.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
29	29	2section 47PP the following new section:-
30	30	3 Section 47QQ.
31	31	4 (a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or
32	32	5renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of
33	33	6chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious
34	34	7mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step
35	35	8therapy protocol.
36	36	9 (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following
37	37	10meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
38	38	11 "Serious mental illness" a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the
39	39	12Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric 2 of 4
40	40	13Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or
41	41	14limits one or more major life activities.
42	42	15 SECTION 2. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
43	43	16section 8QQ the following new section:-
44	44	17 Section 8RR.
45	45	18 (a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or
46	46	19renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of
47	47	20chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious
48	48	21mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step
49	49	22therapy protocol.
50	50	23 (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following
51	51	24meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
52	52	25 "Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of
53	53	26the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American
54	54	27Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes
55	55	28with or limits one or more major life activities.
56	56	29 SECTION 3. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
57	57	30section 4QQ the following new section:-
58	58	31 Section 4RR.
59	59	32 (a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or
60	60	33renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of 3 of 4
61	61	34chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious
62	62	35mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step
63	63	36therapy protocol.
64	64	37 (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following
65	65	38meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
66	66	39 "Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of
67	67	40the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American
68	68	41Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes
69	69	42with or limits one or more major life activities.
70	70	43 SECTION 4. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
71	71	44section 4I the following new section:-
72	72	45 Section 4J.
73	73	46 (a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or
74	74	47renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of
75	75	48chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious
76	76	49mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step
77	77	50therapy protocol.
78	78	51 (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following
79	79	52meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
80	80	53 "Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of
81	81	54the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American 4 of 4
82	82	55Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes
83	83	56with or limits one or more major life activities.