Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S677 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1274 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 677
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	William N. Brownsberger , (BY REQUEST)
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 preventing psychiatric emergencies.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Graham Moore 1 of 2
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1274 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 677
18	18	By Mr. Brownsberger (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 677) of Graham
19	19	Moore, for legislation relative to prevent psychiatric emergencies. Financial Services.
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 preventing psychiatric emergencies.
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 Chapter 176Q of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby
29	29	2amended by inserting after section 18 the following section:-
30	30	3 Section 19.
31	31	4 1. Purpose. This section aims to ensure that patients in Massachusetts receive necessary
32	32	5treatment to prevent psychiatric emergencies, as determined by their licensed physicians.
33	33	6 2. Definitions. As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
34	34	7meanings:
35	35	8 (a) "Patient" means an individual seeking mental health treatment.
36	36	9 (b) “Physician” means a licensed medical doctor or psychologist authorized to diagnose
37	37	10mental health conditions. 2 of 2
38	38	11 (c) “Psychiatric emergency” means a manic episode, a psychotic episode, a catatonic
39	39	12episode, a homicidal episode with a high risk of attempted homicide, an episode of substance use
40	40	13with a a high risk of extreme harm or fatal overdose, a self-harm episode with high risk of
41	41	14extreme self-injury, or a suicidal episode with high risk of attempted suicide.
42	42	15 (d) “Psychiatric emergency treatment" means any medical intervention recommended by
43	43	16a physician to prevent a psychiatric emergency if the physician attests the patient has a high risk
44	44	17of experiencing, or continuing to experience, a psychiatric emergency without the medical
45	45	18intervention.
46	46	19 (e) “High risk” means greater than 50 percent likelihood.
47	47	20 (f) “Extreme self-injury” self-injury that poses a high risk of causing permanent cognitive
48	48	21or physical disability or loss of life.
49	49	22 (g) “Extreme harm” substance-caused injury that poses a high risk of causing permanent
50	50	23cognitive or physical disability or loss of life.
51	51	24 3. Coverage Requirement.
52	52	25 (a) Insurance companies operating in Massachusetts are required to cover at least 90
53	53	26percent of the cost of treatment for a patient when a physician has determined that the patient has
54	54	27a high risk of experiencing a psychiatric emergency without such treatment.
55	55	28 4. Compliance and Enforcement. Insurance companies must develop protocols to ensure
56	56	29approval of claims related to treatments covered under this section within 7 days.
57	57	30 5. Effective Date. This section shall take effect within 90 days of its passage into law,
58	58	31allowing time for insurance companies to adjust their policies accordingly.