Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1127 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4149 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1127
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Marjorie C. Decker and Brandy Fluker-Reid
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 to increase access to nurse-midwifery services.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex1/17/2025Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/6/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/7/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/7/2025Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire2/10/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4149 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1127
18	18	By Representatives Decker of Cambridge and Fluker-Reid of Boston, a petition (accompanied by
19	19	bill, House, No. 1127) of Marjorie C. Decker, Susannah M. Whipps and others relative to
20	20	insurance coverage and access to nurse-midwifery services. Financial Services.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act to increase access to nurse-midwifery services.
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. Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
30	30	2following section:-
31	31	3 Section 34. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the
32	32	4commonwealth insured under the group insurance commission coverage for services rendered by
33	33	5a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the practice of nurse-midwifery by the board of
34	34	6registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112, and the payment rate for a service
35	35	7provided by a certified nurse-midwife that is within the scope of the certified nurse-midwife’s
36	36	8authorization to practice shall be equal to the payment rate for the same service if performed by a
37	37	9physician.
38	38	10 SECTION 2. Section 47E of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
39	39	11Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentences:- The reimbursement for
40	40	12the services provided pursuant to this section shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement 2 of 3
41	41	13paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An
42	42	14insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with
43	43	15this section.
44	44	16 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
45	45	17section 8VV the following section:-
46	46	18 Section 8WW. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an
47	47	19individual or group hospital service plan which is delivered, issued or renewed in the
48	48	20commonwealth shall provide as a benefit to all individual subscribers and members within the
49	49	21commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the
50	50	22commonwealth for services rendered by a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the
51	51	23practice of nurse-midwifery by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of
52	52	24chapter 112, and the payment rate for a service provided by a certified nurse-midwife that is
53	53	25within the scope of the certified nurse-midwife’s authorization to practice shall be equal to the
54	54	26payment rate for the same service if performed by a physician.
55	55	27 SECTION 4. Section 4G of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
56	56	28Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentences:- The reimbursement for
57	57	29the services provided pursuant to this section shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement
58	58	30paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An
59	59	31insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with
60	60	32this section.
61	61	33 SECTION 5. Section 4 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
62	62	34amended by adding the following subsection:- 3 of 3
63	63	35 (g) services rendered by a certified nurse midwife designated to engage in the practice of
64	64	36nurse-midwifery by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to section 80C of chapter 112,
65	65	37subject to the terms of a negotiated agreement between the health maintenance organization and
66	66	38the provider of health care services. The reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the
67	67	39same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the
68	68	40service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed
69	69	41physician in order to comply with this section.