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Massachusetts House Bill H1218

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1218 Compare Versions

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22 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 983 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
33 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1218
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Patrick Joseph Kearney
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act relative to access to health care.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth1/14/2025 1 of 16
1616 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 983 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
1717 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1218
1818 By Representative Kearney of Scituate, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1218) of
1919 Patrick Joseph Kearney relative to insurance coverage for stuttering speech therapy. Financial
2020 Services.
2121 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2222 _______________
2323 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
2424 (2025-2026)
2525 _______________
2626 An Act relative to access to health care.
2727 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2828 of the same, as follows:
2929 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as amended by section 1 of chapter 231
3030 2of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by adding the following section:-
3131 3 Section 35. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
3232 4context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
3333 5 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
3434 6skills and functioning for daily living.
3535 7 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
3636 8to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
3737 9 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
3838 10and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired. 2 of 16
3939 11 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
4040 12individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
4141 13 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
4242 14of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
4343 15 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
4444 16services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
4545 17 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
4646 18evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
4747 19procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
4848 20review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
4949 21determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
5050 22an agreement with the department of health and human services.
5151 23 (b) Any coverage offered by the commission to an active or retired employee of the
5252 24commonwealth insured through the commission shall provide coverage for the cost of: (i)
5353 25habilitative services that shall provide coverage for habilitative stuttering speech therapy
5454 26treatment as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as
5555 27developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that shall provide coverage for rehabilitative stuttering
5656 28speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering; or (iii) both habilitative services and
5757 29rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
5858 30 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
5959 31shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
6060 32of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of 3 of 16
6161 33disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
6262 34to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
6363 35determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
6464 36 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
6565 37include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
6666 38required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
6767 39plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
6868 40deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
6969 41platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
7070 42Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
7171 43 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
7272 44include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
7373 45disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
7474 46auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
7575 47 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
7676 48section 10W, added by section 2 of said chapter 231, the following section:-
7777 49 Section 10X. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
7878 50context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
7979 51 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
8080 52skills and functioning for daily living. 4 of 16
8181 53 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
8282 54to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
8383 55 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
8484 56and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired.
8585 57 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
8686 58individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
8787 59 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
8888 60of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
8989 61 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
9090 62services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
9191 63 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
9292 64evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
9393 65procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
9494 66review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
9595 67determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
9696 68an agreement with the department of health and human services.
9797 69 (b) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
9898 70organizations and third-party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care
9999 71organization, primary care clinician plan or an accountable care organization shall provide
100100 72coverage for habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering,
101101 73regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that 5 of 16
102102 74shall provide coverage for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for
103103 75stuttering; or (iii) both habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
104104 76 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
105105 77shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
106106 78of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
107107 79disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
108108 80to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
109109 81determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
110110 82 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
111111 83include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
112112 84required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
113113 85plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
114114 86deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
115115 87platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
116116 88Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
117117 89 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
118118 90include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
119119 91disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
120120 92auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
121121 93 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
122122 94section 47ZZ, added by section 3 of said chapter 231, the following section:- 6 of 16
123123 95 Section 47AAA. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
124124 96context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
125125 97 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
126126 98skills and functioning for daily living.
127127 99 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
128128 100to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
129129 101 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
130130 102and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired.
131131 103 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
132132 104individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
133133 105 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
134134 106of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
135135 107 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
136136 108services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
137137 109 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
138138 110evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
139139 111procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
140140 112review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
141141 113determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
142142 114an agreement with the department of health and human services. 7 of 16
143143 115 (b) An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that
144144 116provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general
145145 117policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense
146146 118and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
147147 119commonwealth, shall provide coverage for the cost of: (i) habilitative services that shall provide
148148 120coverage for habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering,
149149 121regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that
150150 122shall provide coverage for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for
151151 123stuttering; or (iii) both habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
152152 124 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
153153 125shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
154154 126of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
155155 127disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
156156 128to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
157157 129determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
158158 130 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
159159 131include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
160160 132required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
161161 133plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
162162 134deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
163163 135platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
164164 136Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq. 8 of 16
165165 137 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
166166 138include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
167167 139disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
168168 140auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
169169 141 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
170170 142section 8AAA, added by section 4 of said chapter 231, the following section:-
171171 143 Section 8BBB. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
172172 144context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
173173 145 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
174174 146skills and functioning for daily living.
175175 147 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
176176 148to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
177177 149 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
178178 150and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired.
179179 151 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
180180 152individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
181181 153 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
182182 154of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
183183 155 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
184184 156services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation. 9 of 16
185185 157 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
186186 158evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
187187 159procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
188188 160review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
189189 161determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
190190 162an agreement with the department of health and human services.
191191 163 (b) Any contract between a subscriber and a corporation under an individual or group
192192 164hospital service plan which is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall
193193 165provide coverage for habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering,
194194 166regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that
195195 167shall provide coverage for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for
196196 168stuttering; or (iii) both habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
197197 169 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
198198 170shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
199199 171of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
200200 172disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
201201 173to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
202202 174determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
203203 175 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
204204 176include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
205205 177required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
206206 178plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to 10 of 16
207207 179deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
208208 180platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
209209 181Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
210210 182 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
211211 183include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
212212 184disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
213213 185auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
214214 186 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
215215 187section 4AAA, added by section 5 of said chapter 231, the following section:-
216216 188 Section 4BBB. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
217217 189context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
218218 190 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
219219 191skills and functioning for daily living.
220220 192 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
221221 193to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
222222 194 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
223223 195and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired.
224224 196 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
225225 197individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
226226 198 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
227227 199of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist. 11 of 16
228228 200 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
229229 201services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
230230 202 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
231231 203evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
232232 204procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
233233 205review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
234234 206determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
235235 207an agreement with the department of health and human services.
236236 208 (b) Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement
237237 209delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall provide coverage for habilitative
238238 210stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of whether the
239239 211stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that shall provide coverage
240240 212for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering; or (iii) both
241241 213habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
242242 214 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
243243 215shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
244244 216of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
245245 217disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
246246 218to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
247247 219determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
248248 220 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
249249 221include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage 12 of 16
250250 222required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
251251 223plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
252252 224deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
253253 225platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
254254 226Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
255255 227 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
256256 228include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
257257 229disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
258258 230auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
259259 231 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
260260 232section 4SS, added by section 6 of said chapter 231, the following section:-
261261 233 Section 4TT. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
262262 234context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
263263 235 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
264264 236skills and functioning for daily living.
265265 237 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
266266 238to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
267267 239 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
268268 240and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired.
269269 241 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
270270 242individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired. 13 of 16
271271 243 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
272272 244of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
273273 245 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
274274 246services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
275275 247 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
276276 248evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
277277 249procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
278278 250review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
279279 251determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
280280 252an agreement with the department of health and human services.
281281 253 (b) Any individual or group health maintenance contract shall provide coverage for
282282 254habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of
283283 255whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that shall provide
284284 256coverage for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering; or
285285 257(iii) both habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
286286 258 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
287287 259shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
288288 260of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
289289 261disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject
290290 262to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
291291 263determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary. 14 of 16
292292 264 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
293293 265include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
294294 266required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
295295 267plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
296296 268deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
297297 269platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
298298 270Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
299299 271 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
300300 272include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
301301 273disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
302302 274auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
303303 275 SECTION 7. Chapter 176I of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
304304 276following section:-
305305 277 Section 14. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
306306 278context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
307307 279 “Habilitative services”, health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve
308308 280skills and functioning for daily living.
309309 281 “Habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an individual
310310 282to keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living.
311311 283 “Rehabilitative services”, health care services that help a person restore or improve skills
312312 284and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired. 15 of 16
313313 285 “Rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment”, speech therapy that helps an
314314 286individual restore or improve skills and functioning of daily life that have been lost or impaired.
315315 287 “Stuttering speech therapy”, therapeutic care provided to an individual for the treatment
316316 288of stuttering administered by a licensed speech language pathologist.
317317 289 “Telehealth”, the application of telecommunication technology to deliver speech therapy
318318 290services at a distance for assessment, intervention or consultation.
319319 291 “Utilization review”, a set of formal techniques designed to monitor the use of or
320320 292evaluate the medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy or efficiency of health care services,
321321 293procedures or settings, including: prior authorization, second opinion, certification, concurrent
322322 294review, case management, discharge planning or retrospective review, in order to make a
323323 295determination regarding coverage of the service under the terms of a health insurance policy or
324324 296an agreement with the department of health and human services.
325325 297 (b) An organization entering into a preferred provider contract shall provide coverage for
326326 298habilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of
327327 299whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; (ii) rehabilitative services that shall provide
328328 300coverage for rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy treatment as a treatment for stuttering; or
329329 301(iii) both habilitative services and rehabilitative services under clauses (i) and (ii).
330330 302 (c) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services coverage required under this section
331331 303shall not be: (i) subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including any limits on the number
332332 304of visits an insured may make to a speech language pathologist; (ii) limited based on the type of
333333 305disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in the stuttering; or (iii) subject 16 of 16
334334 306to utilization review or utilization management requirements, including prior authorization or a
335335 307determination that the speech therapy services are medically necessary.
336336 308 (d) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
337337 309include coverage for speech therapy provided in person and via telehealth. Telehealth coverage
338338 310required under this subsection shall: (i) not be less than the coverage required for health benefit
339339 311plans; and (ii) include the use of any communication technology, application or platform to
340340 312deliver telehealth services, except coverage may be restricted to technology, applications or
341341 313platforms that are compliant with any applicable privacy provisions of the Federal Health
342342 314Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d et seq.
343343 315 (e) Habilitative services and rehabilitative services required under this section shall
344344 316include: (i) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, fluency or auditory processing
345345 317disorder for individual service; and (ii) treatment of speech, language, voice, communication or
346346 318auditory processing disorder for group service with 2 or more individuals.
347347 319 SECTION 8. This act shall apply to all contracts entered into, renewed or amended on or
348348 320after January 1, 2026.