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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2103 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John F. Keenan
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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
resolve:
Resolve establishing a commission to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental
health providers.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2103 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 661) of John F. Keenan that
provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including members
of the General Court) to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental health
providers. Financial Services.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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Resolve establishing a commission to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental
health providers.
1 Resolved, that a special commission is hereby established to study and make
2recommendations on increasing acceptance of commercial insurance and Medicaid by outpatient
3mental health providers.
4 The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the secretary
5of health and human services, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of insurance; the
6director of Medicaid; the executive director of the group insurance commission; the house and
7senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery; and the
8following members to be appointed by the chair: 1 of who shall be a representative of the health
9policy commission; 1 of who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society,
10Inc.; 1 of who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychological Association, Inc.; 1
11of who shall be a representative of the National Association of Social Workers, Inc.; 1 of who
12shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc.; 1 of
13who shall be a representative of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.; 1 of who shall 2 of 2
14be a representative of the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, Inc.; 1 of who
15shall be a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, Inc.; 1 of
16who shall be a representative of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign; 1 of who shall be a
17representative of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association; 1 of who shall be a
18representative of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.; and 1 of who shall be a
19representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc.
20 The commission’s review shall include, but not be limited to: (i) creating aggregate
21demographic and geographic profiles of outpatient mental health provider acceptance of
22commercial insurance and Medicaid throughout the commonwealth; (ii) identifying barriers to
23outpatient mental health providers’ acceptance of commercial insurance and Medicaid,
24including, but not limited to, the impact of commercial and Medicaid reimbursement rates and
25administrative processes; (iii) identifying ways to encourage outpatient mental health providers
26to accept commercial insurance and Medicaid; (iv) the feasibility of requiring acceptance of
27commercial insurance and Medicaid as a condition of licensure for outpatient mental health
28providers; and (v) other challenges of insured patients with a mental health disorder to accessing
29outpatient mental health outpatient services, including, but not limited to, experiences of young
30people under the age of 22.
31 Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act, the commission shall submit its
32findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to
33carry those recommendations into effect, to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives
34and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery.