1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 945 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 763
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Adam Gomez
_________________
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 telehealth and digital equity for patients.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampdenLindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/17/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/11/2025Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/20/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/27/2025Mike Connolly26th Middlesex3/5/2025 1 of 35
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 945 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 763
By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 763) of Adam Gomez, Lindsay N.
Sabadosa, Manny Cruz, Sal N. DiDomenico and other members of the General Court for
legislation relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients. Financial Services.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 655 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients.
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 18AA of Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
2by Section 1 of Chapter 174 of the Acts of 2022, is hereby amended by inserting after the word
3“benefits” the last time it appears the following:
4 The executive office of health and human services and the executive office of housing
5and economic development shall determine a method for the common application portal to also
6allow individuals to simultaneously apply to affordable broadband programs offered by
7telecommunications providers. 2 of 35
8 SECTION 2. Section 30 of Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
9by section 3 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after the
10definition of “behavioral health services, the following:
11 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
12shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
13to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
14on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
15other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
16back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
17 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
18HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and
19management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
20what would occur in an in-office visits.
21 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
22transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
23a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
24related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
25member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
26patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
27transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
28 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
29physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not 3 of 35
30limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
31treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device.
32 SECTION 3. Subsection (b) of Section 30 of Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as most
33recently inserted by section 3 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting
34at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
35 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
36e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
37services and devices.
38 SECTION 4. Section 30 of Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
39by section 3 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (c)
40and inserting in place thereof the following:
41 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
42that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in
43person. Carriers shall not impose any prior authorization requirements to obtain medically
44necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to the receipt of those same services
45on an in-person basis. A carrier shall not be required to reimburse a health care provider for a
46health care service that is not a covered benefit under the plan or reimburse a health care
47provider not contracted under the plan except as provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of
48the second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
49 SECTION 5. Section 30 of Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
50by Section 3 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020 is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof
51the following subsections: 4 of 35
52 (i) Coverage for telehealth services shall include reimbursement for interpreter services
53for patients with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
54 (j) Carriers providing coverage to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth
55insured under the group insurance commission shall develop and maintain procedures to identify
56and offer digital health education to enrollees with low digital health literacy to assist them with
57accessing any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a
58digital health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify current enrollees
59with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate insured
60members regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited to
61distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in multiple
62languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health literacy
63workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering enrollees in-person digital health
64navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital health
65education services and supports.
66 (k) Carriers providing coverage to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth
67insured under the group insurance commission shall make information available to the
68commission regarding the procedures that they have implemented under subsection (j) including
69but not limited to statistics on the number of enrollees identified with low digital health literacy
70and receiving digital health education, manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening
71and digital health education, financial impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness
72of digital health literacy interventions. 5 of 35
73 (l) Carriers providing coverage to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth
74insured under the group insurance commission shall not prohibit a physician licensed pursuant to
75Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare services who is providing healthcare
76services to a patient who is physically located in Massachusetts at the time the healthcare
77services are provided via telehealth from providing such services from any location within
78Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the location from which the physician
79provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality and privacy and the location from
80which the physician provides the services does not exceed restrictions placed on the physician’s
81specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set by the hospital, institution, clinic or
82program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws
83has been appointed.
84 SECTION 6. Subsection (a) of Section 79 of Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as most
85recently amended by Section 40 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
86inserting after the definition of “behavioral health services” the following:
87 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
88shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
89to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
90on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
91other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
92back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
93 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
94HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and 6 of 35
95management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
96what would occur in an in-office visits. “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health
97and medical data collection, transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one
98location, which is then transmitted to a provider in a different location and is used primarily for
99the management, treatment, care and related support of ongoing health conditions via regular
100information inputs from members and member guidance outputs from healthcare providers,
101including the remote monitoring of a patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or
102subjective data by a device that transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
103 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
104physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
105limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
106treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device. SECTION 7. Subsection (b)
107of Section 79 of Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as most recently amended by Section 40 of
108Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof after the word
109“providers.” the following:
110 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
111e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices including but not limited to treatment for
112i) congenital heart diseases, ii) pulmonary conditions and lung diseases, iii) enteral nutrition and
113feeding needs, iv) failure to thrive and gain weight, and v) gastrointestinal conditions and remote
114therapeutic monitoring services, devices and associated professional care. SECTION 8. Section
11579 of Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as most recently amended by Section 40 of Chapter
116260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by striking subsection (c)and inserting in place
117thereof the following: 7 of 35
118 (c) The division, a contracted health insurer, health plan, health maintenance
119organization, behavioral health management firm or third-party administrators under contract to
120a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall not impose any
121utilization management requirements, including but not limited to, prior authorization
122requirements to obtain medically necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to
123the receipt of those same services on an in-person basis. The division, a contracted health insurer,
124health plan, health maintenance organization, behavioral health management firm or third-party
125administrator under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician
126plan shall not be required to reimburse a health care provider for a health care service that is not
127a covered benefit under the plan or reimburse a health care provider not contracted under the
128plan except as provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection
129(a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
130 SECTION 9. Section 79 of Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
131by Section 40 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020 is hereby amended by inserting at the end
132thereof the following subsections:
133 (i) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
134organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
135to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care organization or primary care
136clinician plan shall include in its coverage for reimbursement for interpreter services for patients
137with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or hard of hearing in its coverage for
138telehealth services. 8 of 35
139 (j) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
140organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
141to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care organization or primary care
142clinician plan shall develop and maintain procedures to identify and offer digital health education
143to members with low digital health literacy to assist them with accessing any medical necessary
144covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a digital health literacy screening
145program or other similar procedure to identify new and current members with low digital health
146literacy and a digital health education program to educate insured members regarding the
147effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited to distributing educational
148materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in multiple languages, including
149sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health literacy workshops; integrating
150digital health coaching; offering enrollees in-person digital health navigators; and partnering
151with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital health education services and
152supports.
153 (k) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
154organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
155to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care organization or primary care
156clinician plan shall publish information annually regarding the procedures that they have
157implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics on the number of
158members identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital health education,
159manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health education, financial
160impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health literacy interventions. 9 of 35
161 (l) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
162organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
163to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care organization or primary care
164clinician plan providing coverage to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth insured
165under the group insurance commission shall not prohibit a physician licensed pursuant to
166Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare services who is providing healthcare
167services to a patient who is physically located in Massachusetts at the time the healthcare
168services are provided via telehealth from providing such services from any location within
169Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the location from which the physician
170provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality and privacy and the location from
171which the physician provides the services does not exceed restrictions placed on the physician’s
172specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set by the hospital, institution, clinic, or
173program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws
174has been appointed.
175 (m) The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance
176organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract
177to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care organization or primary care
178clinician plan shall not impose any prior authorization requirements to obtain medically
179necessary remote patient monitoring services and devices or remote therapeutic monitoring
180services or devices.
181 SECTION 10. Section 47MM of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as most recently
182inserted by section 47 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after
183the definition of “behavioral health services, the following: 10 of 35
184 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
185shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
186to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
187on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
188other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
189back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
190 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
191HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and
192management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
193what would occur in an in-office visits.
194 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
195transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
196a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
197related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
198member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
199patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
200transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
201 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
202physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
203limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
204treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device. 11 of 35
205 SECTION 11. Subsection (b) of Section 47MM of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as
206most recently inserted by section 47 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
207inserting at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
208 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
209e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
210services and devices.SECTION 12. Section 47MM of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as most
211recently amended by Section 47 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
212striking out subsection (c) and inserting place thereof the following:
213 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
214that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in
215person. A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or
216renewed within or without the commonwealth shall not impose any prior authorization
217requirements to obtain medically necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to
218the receipt of those same services on an in-person basis. A policy, contract, agreement, plan or
219certificate of insurance issued, delivered or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall
220not be required to reimburse a health care provider for a health care service that is not a covered
221benefit under the plan or reimburse a health care provider not contracted under the plan except as
222provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of section
2236 of chapter 176O.
224 SECTION 13. Section 47MM of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as most recently
225inserted by Section 47 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020 is hereby further amended by adding
226at the end thereof the following subsections: 12 of 35
227 (i) A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or
228renewed within the commonwealth that provides coverage for telehealth services shall include
229reimbursement for interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency or those who
230are deaf or hard of hearing.
231 (j) A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or
232renewed within the commonwealth shall develop and maintain procedures to identify and offer
233digital health education to subscribers with low digital health literacy to assist them with
234accessing any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a
235digital health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify new and current
236subscribers with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate
237insured subscribers regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited
238to distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in
239multiple languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health
240literacy workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering subscribers in-person digital
241health navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital
242health education services and supports.
243 (k) A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or
244renewed within the commonwealth shall publish information annually regarding the procedures
245that they have implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics on the
246number of subscribers identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital health
247education, manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health education,
248financial impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health literacy
249interventions. 13 of 35
250 (l) A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or
251renewed within the commonwealth shall not prohibit a physician licensed pursuant to Chapter
252112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare services who is providing healthcare services
253to a patient who is physically located in Massachusetts at the time the healthcare services are
254provided via telehealth from providing such services from any location within Massachusetts or
255outside Massachusetts; provided, that the location from which the physician provides services
256does not compromise patient confidentiality and privacy and the location from which the
257physician provides the services does not exceed restrictions placed on the physician’s specific
258license, including but not limited to, restrictions set by the hospital, institution, clinic or program
259in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws has been
260appointed.
261 SECTION 14. Section 38 of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
262by section 49 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after the
263definition of “behavioral health services, the following:
264 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
265shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
266to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
267on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
268other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
269back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
270 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
271HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and 14 of 35
272management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
273what would occur in an in-office visits.
274 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
275transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
276a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
277related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
278member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
279patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
280transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
281 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
282physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
283limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
284treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device.
285 SECTION 15. Subsection (b) of Section 38 of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as
286most recently inserted by section 49 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
287inserting at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
288 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
289e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
290services and devices.
291 SECTION 16. Section 38 of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as most recently
292amended by Section 49 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by
293striking subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following: 15 of 35
294 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
295that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in
296person. A carrier shall not impose any prior authorization requirements to obtain medically
297necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to the receipt of those same services
298on an in-person basis. A carrier shall not be required to reimburse a health care provider for a
299health care service that is not a covered benefit under the plan or reimburse a health care
300provider not contracted under the plan except as provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of
301the second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
302 SECTION 17. Section 38 of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
303by Section 49 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by adding at the end
304thereof the following subsections:
305 (i) Coverage for telehealth services shall include reimbursement for interpreter services
306for patients with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
307 (j) Hospital service corporations shall develop and maintain procedures to identify and
308offer digital health education to subscribers with low digital health literacy to assist them with
309accessing any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a
310digital health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify new and current
311subscribers with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate
312insured subscribers regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited
313to distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in
314multiple languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health
315literacy workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering subscribers in-person digital 16 of 35
316health navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital
317health education services and supports.
318 (k) Hospital service corporations shall publish information annually regarding the
319procedures that they have implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics
320on the number of subscribers identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital
321health education, manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health
322education, financial impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health
323literacy interventions.
324 (l) Hospital service corporations providing coverage under this section shall not prohibit a
325physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare
326services who is providing healthcare services to a patient who is physically located in
327Massachusetts at the time the healthcare services are provided via telehealth from providing such
328services from any location within Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the
329location from which the physician provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality
330and privacy and the location from which the physician provides the services does not exceed
331restrictions placed on the physician’s specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set
332by the hospital, institution, clinic or program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9
333of Chapter 112 of the General Laws has been appointed.
334 SECTION 18. Section 25 of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
335by section 51 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after the
336definition of “behavioral health services, the following: 17 of 35
337 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
338shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
339to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
340on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
341other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
342back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
343 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
344HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and
345management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
346what would occur in an in-office visits.
347 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
348transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
349a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
350related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
351member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
352patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
353transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
354 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
355physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
356limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
357treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device. 18 of 35
358 SECTION 19. Subsection (b) of Section 25 of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as
359most recently inserted by section 3 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
360inserting at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
361 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
362e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
363services and devices.
364 SECTION 20. Section 25 of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as most recently
365amended by Section 51 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by
366striking subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following:
367 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
368that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in
369person. A carrier shall not impose any prior authorization requirements to obtain medically
370necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to the receipt of those same services
371on an in-person basis. A carrier shall not be required to reimburse a health care provider for a
372health care service that is not a covered benefit under the plan or reimburse a health care
373provider not contracted under the plan except as provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of
374the second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
375 SECTION 21. Section 25 of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as most recently
376inserted by Section 51 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by adding at the
377end thereof the following subsections: 19 of 35
378 (i) A contract that provides coverage for telehealth services shall include reimbursement
379for interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or
380hard of hearing who require interpreter services.
381 (j) Medical service corporations shall develop and maintain procedures to identify and
382offer digital health education to subscribers with low digital health literacy to assist them with
383accessing any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a
384digital health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify new and current
385subscribers with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate
386insured subscribers regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited
387to distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in
388multiple languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health
389literacy workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering subscribers in-person digital
390health navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital
391health education services and supports.
392 (k) Medical service corporations shall publish information annually regarding the
393procedures that they have implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics
394on the number of subscribers identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital
395health education, manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health
396education, financial impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health
397literacy interventions.
398 (l) Medical service corporations providing coverage under this section shall not prohibit a
399physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare 20 of 35
400services who is providing healthcare services to a patient who is physically located in
401Massachusetts at the time the healthcare services are provided via telehealth from providing such
402services from any location within Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the
403location from which the physician provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality
404and privacy and the location from which the physician provides the services does not exceed
405restrictions placed on the physician’s specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set
406by the hospital, institution, clinic or program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9
407of Chapter 112 of the General Laws has been appointed.
408 SECTION 22. Section 33 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
409by section 53 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after the
410definition of “behavioral health services, the following:
411 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
412shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
413to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
414on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
415other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
416back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
417 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
418HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and
419management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
420what would occur in an in-office visits. 21 of 35
421 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
422transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
423a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
424related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
425member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
426patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
427transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
428 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
429physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
430limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
431treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device.
432 SECTION 23. Subsection (b) of Section 33 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as
433most recently inserted by section 53 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
434inserting at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
435 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
436e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
437services and devices.
438 SECTION 24. Section 33 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as most recently
439amended by Section 53 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby further amended by
440striking subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following:
441 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
442that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in 22 of 35
443person. A health maintenance organization shall not impose any prior authorization requirements
444to obtain medically necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to the receipt of
445those same services on an in-person basis. A health maintenance organization shall not be
446required to reimburse a health care provider for a health care service that is not a covered benefit
447under the plan or reimburse a health care provider not contracted under the plan except as
448provided for under subclause (i) of clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of section
4496 of chapter 176O.
450 SECTION 25. Section 33 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
451by Section 53 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by adding at the end
452thereof the following subsection:
453 (i) A contract that provides coverage for telehealth services shall include reimbursement
454for interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or
455hard of hearing.
456 (j) Health maintenance organizations shall develop and maintain procedures to identify
457and offer digital health education to members with low digital health literacy to assist them with
458accessing any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a
459digital health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify new and current
460members with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate
461insured subscribers regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited
462to distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in
463multiple languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health
464literacy workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering subscribers in-person digital 23 of 35
465health navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital
466health education services and supports.
467 (k) Health maintenance organizations shall publish information annually regarding the
468procedures that they have implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics
469on the number of subscribers identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital
470health education, manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health
471education, financial impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health
472literacy interventions.
473 (l) Health maintenance organizations providing coverage under this section shall not
474prohibit a physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide
475healthcare services who is providing healthcare services to a patient who is physically located in
476Massachusetts at the time the healthcare services are provided via telehealth from providing such
477services from any location within Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the
478location from which the physician provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality
479and privacy and the location from which the physician provides the services does not exceed
480restrictions placed on the physician’s specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set
481by the hospital, institution, clinic or program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9
482of Chapter 112 of the General Laws has been appointed.
483 SECTION 26. Section 13 of Chapter 176I of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
484by section 54 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by inserting after the
485definition of “behavioral health services, the following: 24 of 35
486 “E-consults”, asynchronous, consultative, provider-to-provider communications within a
487shared electronic health record (EHR) or web-based platform that are intended to improve access
488to specialty expertise for patients and providers without the need for a face-to-face visit, focused
489on a specific question. E-consults are inclusive of the consult generated from one provider or
490other qualified health professional to another, and of communications before/after consultation
491back to the member and/or the member’s caregiver.
492 “E-Visits”, patient-initiated, non face-to-face digital communications conducted via a
493HIPAA-compliant secure platform or patient portal including online digital evaluation and
494management services. Such communications involve clinical decision-making comparable to
495what would occur in an in-office visits.
496 “Remote patient monitoring services”, personal health and medical data collection,
497transmission, retrieval, or messaging from a member in one location, which is then transmitted to
498a provider in a different location and is used primarily for the management, treatment, care and
499related support of ongoing health conditions via regular information inputs from members and
500member guidance outputs from healthcare providers, including the remote monitoring of a
501patient’s vital signs, biometric data, or other objective or subjective data by a device that
502transmits such data electronically to a healthcare practitioner.
503 “Remote therapeutic monitoring services”, the collection, storage and transfer of non-
504physiologic data to a healthcare provider related to a therapeutic treatment including, but not
505limited to, data on a patient’s musculoskeletal or respiratory system, treatment adherence, and
506treatment response utilizing a connected electronic medical device. 25 of 35
507 SECTION 27. Subsection (b) of Section 13 of Chapter 176I of the General Laws, as most
508recently inserted by section 54 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by
509inserting at the end thereof after the word “providers.” the following:
510 Coverage for telehealth services shall include coverage and reimbursement for e-consults,
511e-visits, remote patient monitoring services and devices, and remote therapeutic monitoring
512services and devices.SECTION 28. Section 13 of Chapter 176I of the General Laws, as most
513recently amended by section 54 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby further amended
514by striking subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following:
515 (c) Coverage for telehealth services may include utilization review; provided, however,
516that any utilization review shall be made in the same manner as if the service was delivered in
517person. An organization shall not impose any prior authorization requirements to obtain
518medically necessary health services via telehealth that would not apply to the receipt of those
519same services on an in-person basis. An organization shall not be required to reimburse a health
520care provider for a health care service that is not a covered benefit under the plan or reimburse a
521health care provider not contracted under the plan except as provided for under subclause (i) of
522clause (4) of the second sentence of subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 176O.
523 SECTION 29. Section 13 of Chapter 176I of the General Laws, as most recently inserted
524by Section 54 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020, is hereby amended by adding at the end
525thereof the following subsection:
526 (i) A preferred provider contract that provides coverage for telehealth services shall
527include reimbursement for interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency or
528those who are deaf or hard of hearing. 26 of 35
529 (j) Organizations shall develop and maintain procedures to identify and offer digital
530health education to covered persons with low digital health literacy to assist them with accessing
531any medical necessary covered telehealth benefits. These procedures shall include a digital
532health literacy screening program or other similar procedure to identify new and current covered
533persons with low digital health literacy and a digital health education program to educate covered
534persons regarding the effective use of telehealth technology including but not limited to
535distributing educational materials about how to access certain telehealth technologies in multiple
536languages, including sign language, and in alternative formats; holding digital health literacy
537workshops; integrating digital health coaching; offering covered persons in-person digital health
538navigators; and partnering with local libraries and/or community centers that offer digital health
539education services and supports.
540 (k) Organizations shall publish information annually regarding the procedures that they
541have implemented under subsection (j) including but not limited to statistics on the number of
542covered persons identified with low digital health literacy and receiving digital health education,
543manner(s) or method of digital health literacy screening and digital health education, financial
544impact of the programs, and evaluations of effectiveness of digital health literacy interventions.
545 (l) Organizations providing coverage under this section shall not prohibit a physician
546licensed pursuant to Chapter 112 or otherwise authorized to provide healthcare services who is
547providing healthcare services to a patient who is physically located in Massachusetts at the time
548the healthcare services are provided via telehealth from providing such services from any
549location within Massachusetts or outside Massachusetts; provided, that the location from which
550the physician provides services does not compromise patient confidentiality and privacy and the
551location from which the physician provides the services does not exceed restrictions placed on 27 of 35
552the physician’s specific license, including but not limited to, restrictions set by the hospital,
553institution, clinic or program in which a physician licensed pursuant to section 9 of Chapter 112
554of the General Laws has been appointed.
555 SECTION 30. Section 26 of Chapter 176O of the General Laws is hereby amended by
556striking the current section and inserting in place thereof the following:
557 Section 26. The commissioner shall establish standardized processes and procedures
558applicable to all health care providers and payers for the determination of a patient's health
559benefit plan eligibility at or prior to the time of service, including telehealth services. As part of
560such processes and procedures, the commissioner shall (i) require payers to implement
561automated approval systems such as decision support software in place of telephone approvals
562for specific types of services specified by the commissioner and (ii) require establishment of an
563electronic data exchange to allow providers to determine eligibility at or prior to the point of care
564and determine the insured’s cost share for a proposed telehealth service, including any
565copayment, deductible, coinsurance or other out of pocket amount for any covered telehealth
566services.
567 SECTION 31. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health
568policy commission, in consultation with the center for health information and analysis, the
569executive office of health and human services and the division of insurance shall issue a report
570on the use of telehealth services in the commonwealth and the effect of telehealth on health care
571access and system cost. The report, along with a suggested plan to implement its
572recommendations in order to maximize access, quality of care and cost savings, shall be
573submitted to the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees 28 of 35
574on ways and means not later than 2 years from the effective date of this act; provided, however,
575that not later than 1 year from the effective date of this act, the commission shall present a report
576on: i) the estimated impacts on costs and time spent by patients accessing healthcare services due
577to the use of telehealth; ii) the estimated impacts to access to healthcare services due to the use of
578telehealth including employment productivity, transportation costs and school attendance; iii) the
579estimated impacts on healthcare costs due to the impacts of telehealth on COVID-19
580transmission and treatment; iv) the estimated impact on the costs of personal protective
581equipment for providers and healthcare facilities due to the use of telehealth; v) an estimate of
582the impact of health outcomes to those communities that have not been able to access telehealth
583services due to language or accessibility issues; and vi) an interim estimate of the fiscal impact of
584telehealth use in the commonwealth that shall include public health outcomes, increased access
585to services, reduction in transportation services and vehicle miles traveled, and reduction in
586hospitalizations. The report shall additionally include data regarding the number of telehealth
587visits utilizing an interpreter for those who are deaf and hard of hearing and for languages other
588than English and shall quantify the number of telehealth visits in each language.
589 SECTION 32. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health
590policy commission shall establish a Digital Bridge Pilot Program to support telehealth services
591and devices and to provide funding for healthcare and human service providers and their patients
592and clients to support the purchase of telecommunications, information services and connected
593devices necessary to provide telehealth services to patients and clients. Communities that have
594had the highest prevalence of and been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 shall be
595prioritized for funding under this program in addition to communities that experience barriers in
596accessing telehealth services due to language constraints, socioeconomic constraints or other 29 of 35
597accessibility issues. Eligible programs may include but not be limited to public private
598partnerships with telecommunication providers, municipalities, healthcare providers and other
599organizations.
600 Eligible services may include, but not be limited to: telecommunications services;
601broadband and internet connectivity services including the purchase of broadband subscriptions
602and the establishment of wireless hotspots, so-called; voice services; remote patient monitoring
603platforms and services; patient reported outcome platforms; store and forward services, including
604the asynchronous transfer of patient images and data for interpretation by a physician; platforms
605and services to provide synchronous video consultation; tablets, smartphones, or connected
606devices to receive connected care services at home for patient or provider use; and telemedicine
607kiosks / carts for provider sites. Funding shall not be used for unconnected devices that patients
608utilize in the home and then manually report their results to providers.
609 SECTION 33. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health
610policy commission shall establish a Digital Health Navigator Tech Literacy Pilot Program,
611herein referred to as the program, to complement and work in conjunction with the Digital
612Bridge Pilot Program. The program shall establish telehealth digital health navigators including
613community health workers, medical assistants, and other healthcare professionals to assist
614patients with accessing telehealth services. The program and its funding shall prioritize
615populations who experience increased barriers in accessing healthcare and telehealth services,
616including those disproportionately affected by COVID-19, the elderly and those who may need
617assistance with telehealth services due to limited English proficiency or limited literacy with
618digital health tools. Entities receiving funding through this program will provide culturally and
619linguistically competent hands-on support to educate patients on how to access broadband and 30 of 35
620wireless services and subsequently utilize devices and online platforms to access telehealth
621services.
622 (b) The health policy commission shall publish a report, one year following the
623implementation of said Digital Bridge Health Navigator Tech Literacy Pilot Program, which
624shall include but not be limited to the following: (i) an identification of the program’s telehealth
625navigators disaggregated by healthcare profession; (ii) the resources required to provide literacy
626with digital health tools, including, but not limited to, the cost of operating said pilot program
627and additional workforce training for the program’s telehealth navigators; (iii) an identification
628of the populations served by the program disaggregated by demographics including, but not
629limited to, race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and primary language spoken; (iv) an
630identification of the regions served by the program across the commonwealth; and (v) an
631evaluation of the efficacy of the program in increasing the utilization of telehealth services
632disaggregated by patient demographics and including, but not limited to, the rate of attendance at
633telehealth visits.
634 SECTION 34. a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
635executive office of health and human services shall establish a task force to address barriers and
636impediments to the practice of telehealth across state lines. The task force shall consist of: the
637secretary of the executive office of health and human services or a designee who shall serve as
638chair; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; the commissioner of
639the department of mental health or a designee; the executive director of the board of registration
640in medicine or a designee; a representative of the bureau of health professions licensure at the
641department of public health; a representative from the health policy commission; a representative
642from the Massachusetts Medical Society; a representative from the Massachusetts Health and 31 of 35
643Hospital Association; and a representative from the Massachusetts League of Community Health
644Centers.
645 b) The task force shall conduct an analysis and issue a report evaluating the
646commonwealth’s options to facilitate appropriate interstate medical practice and the practice of
647telemedicine including consideration of the recommendations from the Federation of State
648Medical Boards Workgroup on telemedicine, the Telehealth Act developed by the Uniform Law
649Commission, model legislation developed by the American Medical Association, the interstate
650medical licensure compact, and/or other licensure reciprocity agreements, including the medical
651licensure reciprocity agreement between the states of Maryland and Virginia and the District of
652Columbia. The analysis and report shall include but not be limited to: (i) an analysis of physician
653job vacancies in the commonwealth broken down by practice specialization and projected
654vacancies based on the demographics of the commonwealth’s physician workforce and medical
655school graduate retention rates; (ii) an analysis of other states’ entry into the interstate medical
656licensure compact and any impact on quality of care resulting from entry; (iii) an analysis of the
657ability of physicians to provide follow-up care across state lines, including via telehealth; (iv) an
658analysis of registration models for providers who may provide care for patients via telehealth
659with the provider located in one state and the patient located in another state, provided that said
660analysis would include delineation of provider responsibilities for registration and reporting to
661state professional licensure boards; (v) an analysis of impacts to health care quality, cost and
662access resulting from other states’ entry into a medical licensure compact, as well as anticipated
663impacts to health care quality, cost and access associated with entry into an interstate medical
664licensure compact; (vi) evaluations of barriers and solutions regarding prescribing across state
665lines; (vii) evaluations of the feasibility of a regional reciprocity agreement allowing 32 of 35
666telemedicine across state lines both for existing patient provider relationships and/or the
667establishment of new relationships; (viii) evaluations of the feasibility of the establishment of
668interstate proxy credentialing; (ix) recommendations to support the continuity of care for
669patients utilizing telehealth across state lines including but not limited to recommendations to
670support the continuity of care for people aged 25 and under when providing telehealth across
671state lines; (x) consideration of the recommendations from the Federation of State Medical
672Boards Workgroup on telemedicine, the Telehealth Act developed by the Uniform Law
673Commission, model legislation developed by the American Medical Association, the interstate
674medical licensure compact, and/or other reciprocity agreements including the medical licensure
675reciprocity agreement between the states of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia.
676 (c) The task force shall submit its recommendations to the governor and the clerks of the
677house of representatives and the senate not later than October 1, 2025.
678 SECTION 35. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
679executive office of health and human services shall establish a task force to address barriers and
680impediments to the practice of telehealth by health professionals across state lines including
681advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, behavioral and allied health
682professions, and other health professions licensed or certified by the Department of Public
683Health. The task force shall consist of: the secretary of the executive office of health and human
684services or a designee who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the department of public
685health or a designee; the commissioner of the department of mental health or a designee; the
686executive director of the board of registration in nursing or a designee; a representative of the
687bureau of health professions licensure at the department of public health; and 12 persons to be
688appointed by the secretary of the executive office of health and human services representing 33 of 35
689organizations that represent advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, hospitals,
690patients, social workers, behavioral health professions, allied health professions, telehealth and
691other healthcare professionals licensed or certified by the Department of Public Health.
692 (b) The task force shall: i) investigate interstate license reciprocity models with other
693nearby states for advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, behavioral health,
694social workers, allied health and other health professionals licensed or certified by the
695Department of Public Health to ensure that there is sufficient access for professionals throughout
696the region and ensure that continuity of care for patients is achieved for patients that access
697services in state’s throughout the region; ii) consider recommendations to support the continuity
698of care for patients utilizing telehealth across state lines including but not limited to
699recommendations to support the continuity of care for children and adolescents when providing
700telehealth across state lines; and iii) examine registration models for providers who may provide
701care for patients via telehealth with the provider located in one state and the patient located in
702another state. Such examination would include delineation of provider responsibilities for
703registration and reporting to state professional licensure boards.
704 (c) The task force shall submit its recommendations to the governor and the clerks of the
705house of representatives and the senate not later than February 1, 2026.
706 SECTION 36. There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations
707on ways to address the inequity of health outcomes and digital access through the recruitment
708and implementation of digital health navigators.
709 The commission shall consist of: the chairs of the joint committee on economic
710development and emerging technologies and the joint committee on public health who shall 34 of 35
711serve as co-chairs; 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member
712appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 member appointed by the
713senate president; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; the secretary of
714technology services and security or a designee; the chief information technology accessibility
715officer or a designee; the executive director of Mass Digital or a designee; 1 member who shall
716be a representative of the interoperable communications bureau within the executive office of
717technology services and security; 1 member who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts
718Broadband Institute;1 member who shall be a representative of the Department of Public Health;
7191 member who shall be a representative of the Executive Office of Aging and Independence; 3
720members appointed by the governor who shall be digital health navigators from diverse
721geographic backgrounds in Massachusetts; and 9 additional representatives, including, but not
722limited to, representatives from organizations advocating for digital equity in the western region
723of the commonwealth, behavioral health organizations, human service providers, community
724health workers, municipalities, hospitals and health systems, physician practices, community
725health centers, workforce boards, and patients who have utilized digital health navigation
726services.
727 The commission shall consider:
728 (i) defining how statewide residents’ needs can be met by digital health navigation
729services within the broader goal of digital equity;
730 (ii) defining the scope, social determinants of health and quality of life outcomes, and
731methods for funding digital health navigators including private and public contracting and state
732grantmaking; 35 of 35
733 (iii) qualifications and standards of digital health navigator services, including a process
734for a statewide credentialing program for digital health navigators;
735 (iv) conduct data collection of current regional initiatives across the state to understand
736opportunities, implementation design, and statewide efficiencies;
737 (v) any other considerations determined to be relevant by the commission. The
738commission shall file a report and recommendations, including any legislation necessary to
739implement its recommendations, with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate
740not later than June 30, 2026.
741 SECTION 37. Sections 77 and 79 of Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2020 are hereby
742repealed.