Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1188 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1500 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1188
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Natalie M. Higgins and Christine P. Barber
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 relative to trans-inclusive health care access.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester1/15/2025Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/15/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/16/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/28/2025Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/29/2025Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/29/2025Danillo A. Sena37th Middlesex2/5/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/8/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk3/4/2025Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/7/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1500 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1188
18	18	By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by
19	19	bill, House, No. 1188) of Natalie M. Higgins, Christine P. Barber and others relative to
20	20	healthcare coverage for certain gender affirming care. 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 relative to trans-inclusive health care access.
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, as appearing in the 2022 Official
30	30	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 17S the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 17T. The commission shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
32	32	4health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
33	33	5accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
34	34	6satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the commission
35	35	7require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
36	36	8treatment of gender dysphoria,.
37	37	9 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
38	38	10unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
39	39	11minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
40	40	12and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. 2 of 4
41	41	13 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
42	42	14Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 10Q the following section:-
43	43	15 Section 10R. The division shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
44	44	16health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
45	45	17accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
46	46	18satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the division require
47	47	19more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the treatment of
48	48	20gender dysphoria.
49	49	21 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
50	50	22unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
51	51	23minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
52	52	24and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
53	53	25 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
54	54	26section 47UU the following section:-
55	55	27 Section 47VV. No insurer or producer authorized to issue policies of insurance pursuant
56	56	28to sections 108 or 110 shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care
57	57	29provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing
58	58	30gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy
59	59	31minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall any insurer or producer
60	60	32require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
61	61	33treatment of gender dysphoria. 3 of 4
62	62	34 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
63	63	35unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
64	64	36minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
65	65	37and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
66	66	38 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
67	67	39section 8VV the following section:-
68	68	40 Section 8WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
69	69	41certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
70	70	42care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
71	71	43certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines,
72	72	44nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
73	73	45is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
74	74	46 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
75	75	47unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
76	76	48minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
77	77	49and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
78	78	50 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
79	79	51Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 4VV the following section:-
80	80	52 Section 4WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
81	81	53certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
82	82	54care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
83	83	55certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, 4 of 4
84	84	56nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
85	85	57is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria,.
86	86	58 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
87	87	59unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
88	88	60minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
89	89	61and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
90	90	62 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
91	91	63section 4NN the following section:-
92	92	64 Section 4OO. No health maintenance organization subject to this chapter, and no officer
93	93	65or agent thereof, shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care provider,
94	94	66including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing gender-
95	95	67affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy minimum
96	96	68requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall a health maintenance organization
97	97	69require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
98	98	70treatment of gender dysphoria,.
99	99	71 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
100	100	72unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
101	101	73minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
102	102	74and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.