Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S681 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. 1220 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 681
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Joanne M. Comerford
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 trans-inclusive health care access.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and WorcesterJason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/4/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/10/2025Julian CyrCape and Islands2/14/2025Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex2/19/2025 1 of 5
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1220 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 681
18	18	By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 681) of Joanne M. Comerford,
19	19	Jason M. Lewis, James B. Eldridge, Julian Cyr and others for legislation relative to trans-
20	20	inclusive health care access. Financial Services.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 596 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 trans-inclusive health care access.
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. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
32	32	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 17S the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 17T. The commission shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
34	34	4health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
35	35	5accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
36	36	6satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the commission
37	37	7require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
38	38	8treatment of gender dysphoria. 2 of 5
39	39	9 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
40	40	10unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
41	41	11minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
42	42	12and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
43	43	13 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
44	44	14Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 10Q the following section:-
45	45	15 Section 10R. The division shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
46	46	16health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
47	47	17accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
48	48	18satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the division require
49	49	19more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the treatment of
50	50	20gender dysphoria.
51	51	21 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
52	52	22unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
53	53	23minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
54	54	24and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
55	55	25 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
56	56	26section 47UU the following section:-
57	57	27 Section 47VV. No insurer or producer authorized to issue policies of insurance pursuant
58	58	28to sections 108 or 110 shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care
59	59	29provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing
60	60	30gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy 3 of 5
61	61	31minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall any insurer or producer
62	62	32require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
63	63	33treatment of gender dysphoria.
64	64	34 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
65	65	35unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
66	66	36minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
67	67	37and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
68	68	38 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
69	69	39section 8VV the following section:-
70	70	40 Section 8WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
71	71	41certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
72	72	42care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
73	73	43certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines,
74	74	44nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
75	75	45is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
76	76	46 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
77	77	47unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
78	78	48minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
79	79	49and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
80	80	50 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
81	81	51Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 4VV the following section:- 4 of 5
82	82	52 Section 4WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
83	83	53certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
84	84	54care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
85	85	55certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines,
86	86	56nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
87	87	57is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
88	88	58 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
89	89	59unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
90	90	60minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
91	91	61and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
92	92	62 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
93	93	63section 4NN the following section:-
94	94	64 Section 4OO. No health maintenance organization subject to this chapter, and no officer
95	95	65or agent thereof, shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care provider,
96	96	66including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing gender-
97	97	67affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy minimum
98	98	68requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall a health maintenance organization
99	99	69require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
100	100	70treatment of gender dysphoria.
101	101	71 For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
102	102	72unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the 5 of 5
103	103	73minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
104	104	74and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.