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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2125 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Bruce E. Tarr
_________________
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 bill:
An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prostheses.
_______________
PETITION OF:
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
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2125 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 716) of Bruce E. Tarr, Patrick M.
O'Connor, Anne M. Gobi, Colleen M. Garry and other members of the General Court for
legislation to provide health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis. Financial
Services.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 701 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prostheses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 17E of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so
2appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 11, after the
3words “cancer or leukemia;” the following:-
4 or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
5permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not
6part of the natural or premature aging process; and
7 SECTION 2. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
8inserting, after section 47KK, the following section:- 2 of 5
9 Section 47LL. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
10meanings:-
11 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
12however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
13hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
14 "Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
15 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
16limited to, eyebrows.
17 (b) An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that
18provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general
19policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense
20and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
21commonwealth, shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for any other prosthesis,
22coverage for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prostheses worn for hair loss
23suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia
24areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due
25to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging
26process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the
27treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically
28necessary; and provided, further, that such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
29guidelines as other prostheses. 3 of 5
30 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
31inserting after section 8MM the following section:-
32 Section 8NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
33meanings:-
34 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
35however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
36hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
37 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
38 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
39limited to, eyebrows.
40 A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital
41service plan that is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits
42on a nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
43prosthesis worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or
44leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
45permanent loss of scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the
46natural or premature aging process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to
47a written statement by the treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair
48prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
49guidelines as other prosthesis. Such pigmentation and prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a
50minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for
51hair loss due to chemotherapy. 4 of 5
52 SECTION 4. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
53inserting after section 4MM the following section:-
54 Section 4NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
55meanings:-
56 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
57however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
58hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
59 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
60 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
61limited to, eyebrows.
62 A subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement that is
63issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits on a
64nondiscriminatory basis for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis
65worn for hair loss suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a
66result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase, or permanent loss of
67facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or
68premature aging process. Such coverage, however, shall be subject to a written statement by the
69treating physician that the medical pigmentation or hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such
70coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prosthesis. Such medical
71pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same
72amount and frequency as any state insurer provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to
73chemotherapy. 5 of 5
74 SECTION 5. Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
75inserting after section 4EE the following section:-
76 Section 4FF. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
77meanings:-
78 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
79however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
80hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
81 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
82 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
83limited to, eyebrows.
84 A health maintenance contract issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth
85shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for facial hair loss suffered as a result of the
86treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis,
87non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided,
88however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging process; and provided,
89however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the treating physician that
90the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically necessary. Such coverage
91shall be subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prosthesis. Such prosthesis
92coverage shall be provided at a minimum at the same amount and frequency as any state insurer
93provides for hair prostheses for hair loss due to chemotherapy.