Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1323 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. 1016 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1323
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Alan Silvia
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 insurance coverage for individuals with autism.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Alan Silvia7th Bristol1/14/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1016 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1323
18	18	By Representative Silvia of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1323) of
19	19	Alan Silvia relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism. Financial Services.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE HOUSE, NO. 1149 OF 2023-2024.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 2 chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
31	31	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “forces”, in line 74, the following
32	32	3words:- , and a child, regardless of age, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in
33	33	4section 25.
34	34	5 SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of subdivision 2 of section 108 of chapter 175 of the General
35	35	6Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “persons”, in line 33, the
36	36	7following words:- , including, but not limited to, dependent persons diagnosed with autism
37	37	8spectrum disorders, as defined in section 47AA.
38	38	9 SECTION 3. Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
39	39	10amended by adding the following subdivision:- 2 of 3
40	40	11 (Q) A blanket or general policy of insurance described in subdivision (A), (C) or (D),
41	41	12except policies or certificates that are not health benefit plans, as defined in section 1 of chapter
42	42	13176J, or coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs which shall be delivered, issued
43	43	14or renewed in the commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all group members having a place
44	44	15of employment in the commonwealth, coverage to dependent persons diagnosed with autism
45	45	16spectrum disorders, as defined in section 47AA.
46	46	17 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
47	47	18section 8OO, as inserted by section 48 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, the following section:-
48	48	19 Section 8PP. Any subscription certification under an individual or group nonprofit
49	49	20hospital service agreement, except certificates which provide stand-alone dental services,
50	50	21supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs, that is delivered, issued or
51	51	22renewed in the commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all individuals or to all group
52	52	23members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth, coverage to
53	53	24dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 8DD.
54	54	25 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
55	55	26section 4OO, as inserted by section 50 of said chapter 260, the following section:-
56	56	27 Section 4PP. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service
57	57	28agreement, except certificates that provide stand-alone dental services, supplemental coverage to
58	58	29Medicare or other governmental programs, that is delivered or issued or renewed in the
59	59	30commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the
60	60	31commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the 3 of 3
61	61	32commonwealth, coverage to dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in
62	62	33section 4DD.
63	63	34 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
64	64	35section 4GG, as inserted by section 52 of said chapter 260, the following section:-
65	65	36 Section 4HH. A health maintenance contract, except certificates which provide stand-
66	66	37alone dental services, supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs, shall
67	67	38provide, as benefits to all individuals or to group members having a principal place of
68	68	39employment within the commonwealth, coverage to dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum
69	69	40disorders, as defined in section 4V.
70	70	41 SECTION 7. Section 1 of chapter 176J of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
71	71	42Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “eligible dependent” and
72	72	43inserting in place thereof the following definition:-
73	73	44 “Eligible dependent”, the spouse or child of an eligible person, subject to the applicable
74	74	45terms of the health benefit place covering such employee. The child of an eligible individual or
75	75	46eligible employee shall be considered an eligible dependent until the end of the child’s twenty-
76	76	47sixth year of age; provided, however, that a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as
77	77	48defined in section 47AA of chapter 175, shall be considered an eligible dependent regardless of
78	78	49age.