Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3987 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. 2423 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3987
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Kip A. Diggs
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 ensuring access to dental care for MassHealth recipients.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kip A. Diggs2nd Barnstable1/16/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2423 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3987
18	18	By Representative Diggs of Barnstable, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3987) of Kip
19	19	A. Diggs relative to dental care for MassHealth recipients. Health Care Financing.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
23	23	(2025-2026)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to ensuring access to dental care for MassHealth recipients.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
29	29	2section 52G the following section:
30	30	3 Section 52H. (a) For the purposes of section, the following words shall, unless the
31	31	4context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
32	32	5 “Board”, the board of registration of dentistry pursuant to section 43.
33	33	6 “Department”, the department of public health.
34	34	7 “Executive office”, the executive office of health and human services.
35	35	8 (b) No person shall be licensed by the board to practice dentistry pursuant to section 50
36	36	9unless the person agrees to: (i) accept a minimum percentage of MassHealth patients as part of
37	37	10their active patient base, the percentage of which shall be determined by the department based on 2 of 3
38	38	11regional needs and the dental provider’s capacity; and (ii) provide documentation annually to the
39	39	12department verifying compliance with the minimum patient requirement set forth in clause (i).
40	40	13 (c) The department, in consultation with the executive office, shall establish: (i) the
41	41	14minimum percentage of MassHealth patients required for compliance pursuant to subsection (b),
42	42	15which shall not be less than 5 per cent of a dental provider’s total patient caseload; and (ii) a
43	43	16process for dentists to apply for hardship exemptions or adjustments based on dental practice
44	44	17size, geographic location or other factors as determined by the department.
45	45	18 (d) Any dentist who fails to meet the requirements of this section may face: (i)
46	46	19suspension of their license to practice dentistry by the board pursuant to section 52D until
47	47	20compliance is achieved; or (ii) administrative penalties as determined by the department.
48	48	21 (e) The executive office shall develop an online portal to: (i) allow MassHealth recipients
49	49	22to locate participating dental providers by region; and (ii) provide transparency on dentist
50	50	23participation rates and available services.
51	51	24 (f) To encourage dentist participation in the MassHealth program, the executive office
52	52	25shall: (i) subject to appropriation, offer student loan forgiveness for newly licensed dentists who
53	53	26meet or exceed the required percentage of MassHealth patients for a minimum of 3 years; and
54	54	27(ii) provide increased reimbursement rates for services rendered to MassHealth patients to ensure
55	55	28financial sustainability for participating dental providers.
56	56	29 (g) In cases of an emergency, as defined by the department, any licensed dentist in the
57	57	30commonwealth may treat a MassHealth recipient regardless of their participation status in the
58	58	31MassHealth program. Such cases of an emergencies shall include, but are not limited to, acute
59	59	32dental pain, infection or trauma that requires immediate intervention to prevent significant health 3 of 3
60	60	33complications. Dentists providing care in cases of an emergency under this subsection shall be
61	61	34reimbursed at the standard MassHealth rate plus 10 per cent for services rendered within 60 days.
62	62	35 (h) The executive office shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section.
63	63	36 (i) The executive office shall prepare an annual report that shall include: (i) the number of
64	64	37dentists participating in the MassHealth program by region; (ii) the percentage of MassHealth
65	65	38patients served relative to the state’s dental care needs; and (iii) any recommendations for
66	66	39addressing gaps in access to dental care for MassHealth recipients. The annual report shall be
67	67	40submitted, not later than December 31 of each year, to the chairs of the joint committee on public
68	68	41health and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate.
69	69	42 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 180 days after passage.