Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S733 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. 1950 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 733
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John J. Cronin
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 expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John J. CroninWorcester and MiddlesexSusannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/27/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/27/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th MiddlesexThomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/7/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/20/2023Julian CyrCape and Islands2/23/2023 1 of 2
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1950 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 733
18	18	By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 733) of John J. Cronin, Susannah M.
19	19	Whipps, Joanne M. Comerford, Jack Patrick Lewis and other members of the General Court for
20	20	legislation to expand affordable coverage through ConnectorCare. Health Care Financing.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act expanding affordable coverage through ConnectorCare.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding clause (b) of section 3 of chapter 176Q of the General
30	30	2Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commonwealth health insurance
31	31	3connector authority established in section 2 of said chapter 176Q shall implement a 5-year pilot
32	32	4program to extend eligibility for premium assistance payments or point-of-service cost-sharing
33	33	5subsidies for applicants at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
34	34	6 (b) Applicants participating in the pilot program that are between 300 and 500 percent of
35	35	7the federal poverty guidelines shall have access to a plan that meets at least 90 per cent actuarial
36	36	8value; provided, that the affordability standard for the pilot program shall be consistent with
37	37	9current practices pursuant to said section 3 of said chapter 176Q.
38	38	10 (c) Notwithstanding the second paragraph of section 2OOO of chapter 29 of the General
39	39	11Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, amounts necessary to support the 5-year 2 of 2
40	40	12pilot program established in subsection (a) shall be expended from the Commonwealth Care
41	41	13Trust Fund established in said section 2OOO of said chapter 29.
42	42	14 (d) The commonwealth health insurance connector authority, in consultation with the
43	43	15center for health information and analysis, shall evaluate the pilot program to assess the public
44	44	16health, health equity, utilization and financial impacts on residents of reducing out-of-pocket
45	45	17costs and premium costs. The center shall collect quantitative and qualitative data at the start of
46	46	18the pilot program and at the end of each year of the pilot program to assess the impact on pilot
47	47	19program participants. Data points to be collected shall include, but not be limited to: (i) rates of
48	48	20unmet medical need due to cost; (ii) disparities in rates of unmet medical need due to cost; (iii)
49	49	21difficulties accessing care at a doctor’s office or clinic; (iv) racial and ethnic disparities in
50	50	22difficulties accessing care at a doctor’s office or clinic; (v) insurance coverage rates, including
51	51	23rates of continuous insurance coverage; (vi) racial and ethnic disparities in insurance coverage
52	52	24rates; (vii) visits to a doctor’s office; and (viii) racial and ethnic disparities in visits to a doctor’s
53	53	25office. The connector authority shall file reports of its evaluation with the clerks of the house of
54	54	26representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint
55	55	27committee on public health and the joint committee on health care financing not later than
56	56	28December 1, 2026 and December 1, 2029.
57	57	29 SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect on Jan 1, 2024.
58	58	30 SECTION 3. Section 1 shall be repealed on Dec 31, 2028.