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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 247 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 669 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Joan B. Lovely |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joan B. LovelySecond EssexMichael J. BarrettThird Middlesex1/27/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 247 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 669 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 669) of Joan B. Lovely and Michael |
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| 19 | 19 | | J. Barrett for legislation to require mental health parity for disability policies. Financial Services. |
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| 20 | 20 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 21 | 21 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 703 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 22 | 22 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 23 | 23 | | _______________ |
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| 24 | 24 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 29 | 29 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 108 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2adding the following:- |
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| 32 | 32 | | 3 13. No individual policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income |
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| 33 | 33 | | 4replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit |
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| 34 | 34 | | 5limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such |
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| 35 | 35 | | 6limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 7 SECTION 2. Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 37 | 37 | | 8adding the following subsection:- |
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| 38 | 38 | | 9 (Q) No certificate of coverage under a group policy of short-term or long-term disability |
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| 39 | 39 | | 10insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 11shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health |
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| 41 | 41 | | 12disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected |
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| 42 | 42 | | 13by physical disorders. |
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| 43 | 43 | | 14 SECTION 3. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit periodic medical exams or |
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| 44 | 44 | | 15other procedures reasonably calculated to determine whether a disability exists or continues to |
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| 45 | 45 | | 16exist; provided said examinations, procedures or protocols are comparable and no more frequent |
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| 46 | 46 | | 17or onerous than those required for disabilities caused by physical disorders. |
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