Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1331 Compare Versions

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

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