Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S661 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. 2103 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John F. Keenan
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
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve establishing a commission to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental
14	14	health providers.
15	15	_______________
16	16	PETITION OF:
17	17	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth 1 of 2
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2103 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
20	20	By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 661) of John F. Keenan that
21	21	provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including members
22	22	of the General Court) to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental health
23	23	providers. Financial Services.
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	Resolve establishing a commission to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental
30	30	health providers.
31	31	1 Resolved, that a special commission is hereby established to study and make
32	32	2recommendations on increasing acceptance of commercial insurance and Medicaid by outpatient
33	33	3mental health providers.
34	34	4 The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the secretary
35	35	5of health and human services, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of insurance; the
36	36	6director of Medicaid; the executive director of the group insurance commission; the house and
37	37	7senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery; and the
38	38	8following members to be appointed by the chair: 1 of who shall be a representative of the health
39	39	9policy commission; 1 of who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society,
40	40	10Inc.; 1 of who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychological Association, Inc.; 1
41	41	11of who shall be a representative of the National Association of Social Workers, Inc.; 1 of who
42	42	12shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc.; 1 of
43	43	13who shall be a representative of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.; 1 of who shall 2 of 2
44	44	14be a representative of the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, Inc.; 1 of who
45	45	15shall be a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, Inc.; 1 of
46	46	16who shall be a representative of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign; 1 of who shall be a
47	47	17representative of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association; 1 of who shall be a
48	48	18representative of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.; and 1 of who shall be a
49	49	19representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc.
50	50	20 The commission’s review shall include, but not be limited to: (i) creating aggregate
51	51	21demographic and geographic profiles of outpatient mental health provider acceptance of
52	52	22commercial insurance and Medicaid throughout the commonwealth; (ii) identifying barriers to
53	53	23outpatient mental health providers’ acceptance of commercial insurance and Medicaid,
54	54	24including, but not limited to, the impact of commercial and Medicaid reimbursement rates and
55	55	25administrative processes; (iii) identifying ways to encourage outpatient mental health providers
56	56	26to accept commercial insurance and Medicaid; (iv) the feasibility of requiring acceptance of
57	57	27commercial insurance and Medicaid as a condition of licensure for outpatient mental health
58	58	28providers; and (v) other challenges of insured patients with a mental health disorder to accessing
59	59	29outpatient mental health outpatient services, including, but not limited to, experiences of young
60	60	30people under the age of 22.
61	61	31 Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act, the commission shall submit its
62	62	32findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to
63	63	33carry those recommendations into effect, to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives
64	64	34and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery.