Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S746 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. 2233 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 746
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul R. Feeney
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 to improve patient access to non-emergency medical transportation.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2233 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 746
18	18	By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 746) of Paul R. Feeney for
19	19	legislation to improve patient access to non-emergency medical transportation. Financial
20	20	Services.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act to improve patient access to non-emergency medical transportation.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
30	30	2Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 34. If required by the commission, any prior authorization for nonemergency
32	32	4ambulance and wheelchair van transportation to inpatient and outpatient dialysis treatment,
33	33	5inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and inpatient and outpatient post-acute care,
34	34	6shall be valid for a minimum of 3 business days.
35	35	7 SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
36	36	8adding the following section:-
37	37	9 Section 83. (a) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health
38	38	10maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators
39	39	11under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall issue
40	40	12payments to eligible providers, as defined by regulation 101 CMR 327.00, and nonpublic 2 of 4
41	41	13ambulance service providers, as defined by regulation 101 CMR 327.00, in an amount no less
42	42	14than 2 and one half times the determined rates for authorized ambulance and wheelchair van
43	43	15services for: ambulance service, advanced life support, nonemergency transport (101 CMR
44	44	16327.00 Code A0426); ambulance service, basic life support, nonemergency transport (101 CMR
45	45	17327.00 Code A0428); nonemergency wheelchair van transportation (101 CMR 327.00 Code
46	46	18A0130); nonemergency wheelchair transportation with loaded mileage (101 CMR 327.00 Code
47	47	19S0215) and; nonemergency wheelchair transportation with patient attendant or escort (101 CMR
48	48	20327.00 Code T2001) when transporting covered members to inpatient and outpatient dialysis
49	49	21treatment, inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and inpatient and outpatient post-
50	50	22acute care, inclusive. Any required prior authorization for these services shall be valid for a
51	51	23minimum of 3 business days.
52	52	24 (b) The executive office shall promulgate regulations as necessary to carry out this
53	53	25section.
54	54	26 SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
55	55	27adding the following section:-
56	56	28 Section 231. If required by a policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance
57	57	29issued, delivered or renewed within or without the commonwealth, which is considered
58	58	30creditable coverage under section 1 of chapter 111M, any prior authorization for nonemergency
59	59	31ambulance and wheelchair van transportation to inpatient and outpatient dialysis treatment,
60	60	32inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and inpatient and outpatient post-acute care,
61	61	33shall be valid for a minimum of 3 business days. 3 of 4
62	62	34 SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
63	63	35adding the following section:-
64	64	36 Section 39. If required by a contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an
65	65	37individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the
66	66	38commonwealth, any prior authorization for nonemergency ambulance and wheelchair van
67	67	39transportation to inpatient and outpatient dialysis treatment, inpatient and outpatient behavioral
68	68	40health services, and inpatient and outpatient post-acute care, shall be valid for a minimum of 3
69	69	41business days.
70	70	42 SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
71	71	43adding the following section:-
72	72	44 Section 26. If required by a subscription certificate under an individual or group medical
73	73	45service agreement delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth, any prior
74	74	46authorization for nonemergency ambulance and wheelchair van transportation to inpatient and
75	75	47outpatient dialysis treatment, inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and inpatient
76	76	48and outpatient post-acute care, shall be valid for a minimum of 3 business days.
77	77	49 SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
78	78	50adding the following section:-
79	79	51 Section 34. If required by an individual or group health maintenance contract that is
80	80	52issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth, any prior authorization for
81	81	53nonemergency ambulance and wheelchair van transportation to inpatient and outpatient dialysis
82	82	54treatment, inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, and inpatient and outpatient post-
83	83	55acute care, shall be valid for a minimum of 3 business days. 4 of 4
84	84	56 SECTION 7. a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the
85	85	57contrary, the health policy commission, in collaboration with center for information and analysis,
86	86	58shall study the adequacy of reimbursement rates of MassHealth and commercial carriers for
87	87	59nonemergency medical transportation, including but not limited to, the role of external economic
88	88	60factors on the development, sustainability, and retention of the emergency medical service
89	89	61workforce, such as the increases in the minimum wage and competition from for-profit
90	90	62industries.