Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1308 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. 713 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1308
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Natalie M. Higgins
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 protecting reproductive destiny.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/12/2025Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester1/12/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/7/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/11/2025 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 713 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1308
18	18	By Representatives Sabadosa of Northampton and Higgins of Leominster, a petition
19	19	(accompanied by bill, House, No. 1308) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa, Natalie M. Higgins and others
20	20	relative to health insurance coverage for voluntary female sterilization. Financial Services.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 1138 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to protecting reproductive destiny.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Section 12W of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
32	32	2inserting
33	33	3 after the first paragraph the following:-
34	34	4 Whenever any physician has reason to believe a person eighteen years or over is unable
35	35	5to give informed consent, including when a person is in a state institution or under guardianship
36	36	6under chapter 190B of the General Laws, no such sterilization shall be performed.
37	37	7 SECTION 2: Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
38	38	8inserting at the end of Section 10N the following new Section:-
39	39	9 Section 10O. Expanded Medicaid Coverage for Voluntary Female Sterilization 2 of 2
40	40	10 (1) For purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:
41	41	11 “Decision Counseling”, a counseling model for providers to ensure patients are fully
42	42	12informed about the effects and permanency of sterilization.
43	43	13 ''Informed written consent'', a written consent form for the requested provision of
44	44	14voluntary female sterilization.
45	45	15 “Voluntary Female Sterilization”, any medical procedure, treatment, or operation for the
46	46	16purpose of rendering an individual permanently incapable of reproducing performed at the
47	47	17request of the individual.
48	48	18 (2) Coverage of Voluntary Female Sterilization Services:
49	49	19 The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
50	50	20organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
51	51	21to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall provide coverage
52	52	22for voluntary female sterilization even in the event that an individual covered by a Medicaid
53	53	23managed care organization or primary care clinician plan has not fulfilled the federally required
54	54	2430-day waiting period provided that the individual has completed Decision Counseling and
55	55	25signed an informed written consent.