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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1714 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 699
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Brendan P. Crighton
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to unilateral contract changes.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird EssexErika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/28/2025 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1714 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 699
By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 699) of Brendan P. Crighton and
Erika Uyterhoeven for legislation relative to unilateral contract changes with health care
providers. Financial Services.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to unilateral contract changes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 15 of chapter 176O of the General Laws is hereby amended by
2striking out subsection j and inserting in place thereof the following new subsection:-
3 (j) No carrier shall make a contract with a health care provider which includes a provision
4permitting termination without cause. A carrier shall provide a written statement to a provider of
5the reason or reasons for such provider's involuntary disenrollment. No carrier shall make a
6contract with a health care provider which includes a provision permitting the carrier to make a
7unilateral change to any material term or condition of such contract, including, but not limited to,
8changes to underlying fee schedules, payment terms, carrier policies or procedures, definitions of
9covered services or covered sites of services, policies associated with utilization review, quality
10management and improvement, credentialing or covered preventive health services, other than a
11change expressly required by law, unless the effective date of such unilateral change is after the
12end of the then-current term of such contract, and notice of such change was provided, in 2 of 3
13writing, to the health care provider more than 90 days before the date by which the health care
14provider must provide notice of termination or non-renewal to the carrier under such contract.
15Nothing herein shall prohibit a carrier and a health care provider from entering into a mutually-
16agreeable amendment to such contract.
17 SECTION 2. Section 4 of chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by
18inserting after the first paragraph the following new paragraph:-
19 The commission shall not purchase a policy providing health insurance benefits from an
20insurance company whose contract with a healthcare provider under said policy includes a
21provision permitting termination without cause. The commission shall not purchase a policy
22providing health insurance benefits from an insurance company whose contract with a healthcare
23provider under said policy includes a provision permitting the carrier to make a unilateral change
24to any material term or condition of such contract, including, but not limited to, changes to
25underlying fee schedules, payment terms, carrier policies or procedures, definitions of covered
26services or covered sites of services, policies associated with utilization review, quality
27management and improvement, credentialing or covered preventive health services, other than a
28change expressly required by law, unless the effective date of such unilateral change is after the
29end of the then-current term of such contract, and notice of such change was provided, in
30writing, to the health care provider more than 90 days before the date by which the health care
31provider must provide notice of termination or non-renewal to the carrier under such contract.
32Nothing herein shall prohibit an insurance company and a health care provider from entering into
33a mutually-agreeable amendment to such contract. 3 of 3
34 SECTION 3. Section 4A of chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by
35inserting at the end of the first paragraph the following:-
36 The commission shall not enter into such service-type contracts if said contract includes a
37provision permitting the termination without cause of a healthcare provider. The commission
38shall not enter into such service-type contracts if said contract includes a provision permitting the
39carrier to make a unilateral change to any material term or condition of such contract, including,
40but not limited to, changes to underlying fee schedules, payment terms, carrier policies or
41procedures, definitions of covered services or covered sites of services, policies associated with
42utilization review, quality management and improvement, credentialing or covered preventive
43health services, other than a change expressly required by law, unless the effective date of such
44unilateral change is after the end of the then-current term of such contract, and notice of such
45change was provided, in writing, to the health care provider more than 90 days before the date by
46which the health care provider must provide notice of termination or non-renewal to the carrier
47under such contract. Nothing herein shall prohibit an insurance company and a health care
48provider from entering into a mutually-agreeable amendment to such contract.