Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S716 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1661 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Julian Cyr
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 telehealth parity for nutrition counseling.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Julian CyrCape and Islands 1 of 6
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1661 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716
18	18	By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 716) of Julian Cyr for legislation
19	19	relative to telehealth parity for nutrition counseling. Financial Services.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 618 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 telehealth parity for nutrition counseling.
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 30 of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as inserted by section 3 of
31	31	2chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:-
32	32	3 “Medical nutrition therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
33	33	4counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
34	34	5as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
35	35	6management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
36	36	7 SECTION 2. Said section 30 of said chapter 32A of the General Laws, as inserted by
37	37	8section 3 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection
38	38	9(g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 2 of 6
39	39	10 (g) The commission shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network providers of
40	40	11behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition therapy delivered via
41	41	12interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than the rate of
42	42	13payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this subsection
43	43	14shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and medical nutrition therapy covered as
44	44	15required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of
45	45	16chapter 176O.
46	46	17 SECTION 3. Section 79 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as inserted by section 40
47	47	18of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:-
48	48	19 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
49	49	20counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
50	50	21as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
51	51	22management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
52	52	23 SECTION 4. Said section 79 of said chapter 118E of the General Laws, as inserted by
53	53	24section 40 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out
54	54	25subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
55	55	26 (g) The division shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network providers of
56	56	27behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition therapy delivered via
57	57	28interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than the rate of
58	58	29payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this subsection
59	59	30shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and providers of medical nutrition therapy 3 of 6
60	60	31covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of
61	61	32section 6 of chapter 176O.
62	62	33 SECTION 5. Subsection (a) of section 47MM of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as
63	63	34inserted by section 47 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the
64	64	35following definition:-
65	65	36 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
66	66	37counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
67	67	38as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
68	68	39management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
69	69	40 SECTION 6. Said section 47MM of said chapter 175 of the General Laws, as inserted by
70	70	41section 40 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out
71	71	42subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
72	72	43 (g) Insurance companies organized under this chapter shall ensure that the rate of
73	73	44payment for in-network providers of behavioral health services and in-network providers of
74	74	45medical nutrition therapy delivered via interactive audio-video technology and audio-only
75	75	46telephone shall be no less than the rate of payment for the same service delivered via in-person
76	76	47methods; provided, that this subsection shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and
77	77	48providers of medical nutrition therapy covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the
78	78	49second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
79	79	50 SECTION 7. Section 38 of chapter 176A of the General Laws, as inserted by section 49
80	80	51of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:- 4 of 6
81	81	52 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
82	82	53counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
83	83	54as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
84	84	55management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
85	85	56 SECTION 8. Said section 38 of said chapter 176A of the General Laws, as inserted by
86	86	57section 40 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out
87	87	58subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
88	88	59 (g) Hospital service corporations shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network
89	89	60providers of behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition therapy
90	90	61delivered via interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than
91	91	62the rate of payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this
92	92	63subsection shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and providers of medical
93	93	64nutrition therapy covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of
94	94	65subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
95	95	66 SECTION 9. Section 25 of chapter 176B of the General Laws, as inserted by section 51
96	96	67of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:-
97	97	68 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
98	98	69counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
99	99	70as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
100	100	71management, or treatment of a disease or condition. 5 of 6
101	101	72 SECTION 10. Said section 25 of said chapter 176B of the General Laws, as inserted by
102	102	73section 40 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out
103	103	74subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
104	104	75 (g) Medical service corporations shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network
105	105	76providers of behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition therapy
106	106	77delivered via interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than
107	107	78the rate of payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this
108	108	79subsection shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and providers of medical
109	109	80nutrition therapy covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of
110	110	81subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
111	111	82 SECTION 11. Section 33 of chapter 176G of the General Laws, as inserted by section 51
112	112	83of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:-
113	113	84 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
114	114	85counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
115	115	86as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
116	116	87management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
117	117	88 SECTION 12. Said section 33 of chapter 176G of the General Laws, as inserted by
118	118	89section 40 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out
119	119	90subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
120	120	91 (g) Health maintenance organizations shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-
121	121	92network providers of behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition
122	122	93therapy delivered via interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no 6 of 6
123	123	94less than the rate of payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that
124	124	95this subsection shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and providers of medical
125	125	96nutrition therapy covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of
126	126	97subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
127	127	98 SECTION 13. Section 13 of chapter 176I of the General Laws, as inserted by section 51
128	128	99of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:-
129	129	100 “Medical Nutrition Therapy” the provision of nutrition care services, including nutrition
130	130	101counseling, provided by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist within the field of dietetics and nutrition
131	131	102as defined in section 201 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, aimed at prevention, delay,
132	132	103management, or treatment of a disease or condition.
133	133	104 SECTION 14. Said section 13 of chapter 176I of the General Laws, as inserted by section
134	134	10540 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (g)
135	135	106and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
136	136	107 (g) Organizations shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network providers of
137	137	108behavioral health services and in-network providers of medical nutrition therapy delivered via
138	138	109interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than the rate of
139	139	110payment for the same service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this subsection
140	140	111shall apply to providers of behavioral health services and providers of medical nutrition therapy
141	141	112covered as required under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of
142	142	113section 6 of chapter 176O.