Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S716 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. 2125 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Bruce E. Tarr
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 providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prostheses.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and MiddlesexPatrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/2/2023Anne M. GobiWorcester and Hampshire2/2/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/8/2023John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/13/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/16/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/21/2023Walter F. TimiltyNorfolk, Plymouth and Bristol3/8/2023 1 of 5
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2125 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
18	18	By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 716) of Bruce E. Tarr, Patrick M.
19	19	O'Connor, Anne M. Gobi, Colleen M. Garry and other members of the General Court for
20	20	legislation to provide health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis. Financial
21	21	Services.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE SENATE, NO. 701 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 providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prostheses.
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. Subsection (b) of section 17E of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so
33	33	2appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 11, after the
34	34	3words “cancer or leukemia;” the following:-
35	35	4 or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
36	36	5permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not
37	37	6part of the natural or premature aging process; and
38	38	7 SECTION 2. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
39	39	8inserting, after section 47KK, the following section:- 2 of 5
40	40	9 Section 47LL. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
41	41	10meanings:-
42	42	11 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
43	43	12however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
44	44	13hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
45	45	14 "Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
46	46	15 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
47	47	16limited to, eyebrows.
48	48	17 (b) An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that
49	49	18provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general
50	50	19policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense
51	51	20and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
52	52	21commonwealth, shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for any other prosthesis,
53	53	22coverage for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prostheses worn for hair loss
54	54	23suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia
55	55	24areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due
56	56	25to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging
57	57	26process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the
58	58	27treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically
59	59	28necessary; and provided, further, that such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
60	60	29guidelines as other prostheses. 3 of 5
61	61	30 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
62	62	31inserting after section 8MM the following section:-
63	63	32 Section 8NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
64	64	33meanings:-
65	65	34 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
66	66	35however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
67	67	36hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
68	68	37 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
69	69	38 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
70	70	39limited to, eyebrows.
71	71	40 A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital
72	72	41service plan that is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits
73	73	42on a nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
74	74	43prosthesis worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or
75	75	44leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
76	76	45permanent loss of scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the
77	77	46natural or premature aging process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to
78	78	47a written statement by the treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
79	79	48prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
80	80	49guidelines as other prosthesis. Such pigmentation and prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a
81	81	50minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for
82	82	51hair loss due to chemotherapy. 4 of 5
83	83	52 SECTION 4. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
84	84	53inserting after section 4MM the following section:-
85	85	54 Section 4NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
86	86	55meanings:-
87	87	56 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
88	88	57however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
89	89	58hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
90	90	59 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
91	91	60 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
92	92	61limited to, eyebrows.
93	93	62 A subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement that is
94	94	63issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits on a
95	95	64nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis
96	96	65worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a
97	97	66result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase, or permanent loss of
98	98	67facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or
99	99	68premature aging process. Such coverage, however, shall be subject to a written statement by the
100	100	69treating physician that the medical pigmentation or hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such
101	101	70coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prosthesis. Such medical
102	102	71pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same
103	103	72amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to
104	104	73chemotherapy. 5 of 5
105	105	74 SECTION 5. Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
106	106	75inserting after section 4EE the following section:-
107	107	76 Section 4FF. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
108	108	77meanings:-
109	109	78 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
110	110	79however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
111	111	80hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
112	112	81 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
113	113	82 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
114	114	83limited to, eyebrows.
115	115	84 A health maintenance contract issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth
116	116	85shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for facial hair loss suffered as a result of the
117	117	86treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis,
118	118	87non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided,
119	119	88however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging process; and provided,
120	120	89however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the treating physician that
121	121	90the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage
122	122	91shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prosthesis. Such prosthesis
123	123	92coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer
124	124	93provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to chemotherapy.