1 | 1 | | |
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2 | 2 | | |
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3 | 3 | | EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. |
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4 | 4 | | [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. |
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5 | 5 | | *hb1331* |
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6 | 6 | | |
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7 | 7 | | HOUSE BILL 1331 |
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8 | 8 | | J5 4lr2664 |
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9 | 9 | | |
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10 | 10 | | By: Delegate Taveras |
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11 | 11 | | Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2024 |
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12 | 12 | | Assigned to: Health and Government Operations |
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13 | 13 | | |
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14 | 14 | | A BILL ENTITLED |
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15 | 15 | | |
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16 | 16 | | AN ACT concerning 1 |
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17 | 17 | | |
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18 | 18 | | Health Insurance – Massage Therapy – Required Coverage and Prohibited Cost 2 |
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19 | 19 | | Sharing 3 |
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20 | 20 | | |
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21 | 21 | | FOR the purpose of requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health 4 |
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22 | 22 | | maintenance organizations to provide coverage for massage therapy; prohibiting the 5 |
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23 | 23 | | insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations from 6 |
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24 | 24 | | imposing a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible requirement on coverage for 7 |
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25 | 25 | | massage therapy; and generally relating to health insurance and massage therapy. 8 |
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26 | 26 | | |
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27 | 27 | | BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9 |
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28 | 28 | | Article – Health Occupations 10 |
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29 | 29 | | Section 6–101(a) and (f) 11 |
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30 | 30 | | Annotated Code of Maryland 12 |
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31 | 31 | | (2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 13 |
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32 | 32 | | |
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33 | 33 | | BY adding to 14 |
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34 | 34 | | Article – Insurance 15 |
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35 | 35 | | Section 15–861 16 |
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36 | 36 | | Annotated Code of Maryland 17 |
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37 | 37 | | (2017 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 18 |
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38 | 38 | | |
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39 | 39 | | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19 |
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40 | 40 | | That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20 |
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41 | 41 | | |
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42 | 42 | | Article – Health Occupations 21 |
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43 | 43 | | |
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44 | 44 | | 6–101. 22 |
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45 | 45 | | |
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46 | 46 | | (a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 23 |
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47 | 47 | | 2 HOUSE BILL 1331 |
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48 | 48 | | |
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49 | 49 | | |
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50 | 50 | | (f) (1) “Massage therapy” means the use of manual techniques on soft tissues 1 |
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51 | 51 | | of the human body including stroking, kneading, tapping, stretching, compression, 2 |
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52 | 52 | | vibration, and friction, with or without the aid of heat limited to hot packs and heating 3 |
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53 | 53 | | pads, cold water, or nonlegend topical applications, for the purpose of improving circulation, 4 |
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54 | 54 | | enhancing muscle relaxation, relieving muscular pain, reducing stress, or promoting health 5 |
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55 | 55 | | and well–being. 6 |
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56 | 56 | | |
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57 | 57 | | (2) “Massage therapy” includes hands–on application, consisting of 7 |
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58 | 58 | | pressure or movement on an individual, to specifically affect the electromagnetic energy or 8 |
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59 | 59 | | energetic field of the human body if this practice includes use of the manual techniques set 9 |
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60 | 60 | | forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection. 10 |
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61 | 61 | | |
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62 | 62 | | (3) “Massage therapy” does not include: 11 |
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63 | 63 | | |
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64 | 64 | | (i) The diagnosis of illness, disease, or injury; 12 |
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65 | 65 | | |
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66 | 66 | | (ii) The adjustment, manipulation, or mobilization of any of the 13 |
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67 | 67 | | articulations of the osseous structures of the human body or spine; or 14 |
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68 | 68 | | |
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69 | 69 | | (iii) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the laying 15 |
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70 | 70 | | on of hands, consisting of pressure or movement on an individual who is fully clothed, 16 |
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71 | 71 | | except for footwear, to specifically affect the electromagnetic energy or energetic field of the 17 |
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72 | 72 | | human body. 18 |
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73 | 73 | | |
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74 | 74 | | (4) The provisions of paragraph (3) of this subsection do not preclude the 19 |
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75 | 75 | | application of the modalities described in paragraph (1) of this subsection to an individual 20 |
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76 | 76 | | who has an injury. 21 |
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77 | 77 | | |
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78 | 78 | | Article – Insurance 22 |
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79 | 79 | | |
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80 | 80 | | 15–861. 23 |
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81 | 81 | | |
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82 | 82 | | (A) IN THIS SECTION, “MASSAGE THERAPY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 24 |
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83 | 83 | | 6–101 OF THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE. 25 |
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84 | 84 | | |
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85 | 85 | | (B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 26 |
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86 | 86 | | |
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87 | 87 | | (1) INSURERS AND NONPROF IT HEALTH SERVICE PL ANS THAT 27 |
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88 | 88 | | PROVIDE HOSPITAL , MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GR OUPS 28 |
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89 | 89 | | ON AN EXPENSE–INCURRED BASIS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE POL ICIES OR 29 |
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90 | 90 | | CONTRACTS THAT ARE I SSUED OR DELIVERED I N THE STATE; AND 30 |
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91 | 91 | | |
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92 | 92 | | (2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE O RGANIZATIONS THAT PR OVIDE 31 |
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93 | 93 | | HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GR OUPS UNDER 32 |
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94 | 94 | | CONTRACTS THAT AR E ISSUED OR DELIVERE D IN THE STATE. 33 |
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95 | 95 | | HOUSE BILL 1331 3 |
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96 | 96 | | |
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97 | 97 | | |
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98 | 98 | | (C) (1) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION: 1 |
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99 | 99 | | |
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100 | 100 | | (I) SHALL PROVIDE COVERA GE FOR MASSAGE THERAPY ; AND 2 |
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101 | 101 | | |
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102 | 102 | | (II) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , MAY 3 |
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103 | 103 | | NOT IMPOSE A COPAYME NT, COINSURANCE , OR DEDUCTIBLE REQUIR EMENT ON 4 |
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104 | 104 | | COVERAGE FOR MASSAGE THERAPY . 5 |
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105 | 105 | | |
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106 | 106 | | (2) IF AN INSURED OR ENRO LLEE IS COVERED UNDE R A 6 |
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107 | 107 | | HIGH–DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PL AN, AS DEFINED IN 26 U.S.C. § 223, AN ENTITY 7 |
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108 | 108 | | SUBJECT TO THIS SECT ION MAY SUBJECT MASSAGE THER APY TO THE DEDUCTIBL E 8 |
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109 | 109 | | REQUIREMENT OF THE H IGH–DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PL AN. 9 |
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110 | 110 | | |
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111 | 111 | | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall apply to all 10 |
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112 | 112 | | policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or 11 |
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113 | 113 | | after January 1, 2025. 12 |
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114 | 114 | | |
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115 | 115 | | SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13 |
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116 | 116 | | January 1, 2025. 14 |
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