Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section forty-seven M of chapter one hundred and seventy-five of the General Laws, inserted by section one of chapter three hundred and thirty-two of the acts of nineteen hundred and three, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 175 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 47P, inserted by section 142 of chapter 60 of the acts of 1994, the following section:-

Section 47Q. All individual or group accident and health insurance policies and health service contracts delivered, issued or renewed by an insurer or nonprofit health service corporation which provide benefits to individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth or to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth shall provide benefits for services rendered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner designated as such certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to the provisions of section eighty B of chapter one hundred and twelve; provided, however, that the following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified registered nurse anesthetist's license or the nurse practitioner's authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing; and (2) the policy or contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a provider of health care licensed by the commonwealth.

SECTION 3. Section eight O of chapter one hundred and seventy-six A of the General Laws, inserted by section two of chapter three hundred and thirty-two of the acts of nineteen hundred and ninety-three, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. Said chapter 176A is hereby amended by inserting after section 8 O, inserted by section 144 of chapter 60 of the acts of 1994, the following section:-

Section 8P. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth for services rendered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner designated as such certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to the provisions of section eighty B of chapter one hundred and twelve; provided, however, that the following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified registered nurse anesthetist's license or nurse practitioner's authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing; and (2) the policy or contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a provider of health care licensed by the commonwealth.

SECTION 5. Section four M of chapter one hundred and seventy-six B of the General Laws, inserted by section three of chapter three hundred and thirty-two of the acts of nineteen hundred and ninety-three, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 6. Said chapter 176B is hereby further amended by inserting after section 4P, inserted by section 146 of chapter 60 of the acts of 1994, the following section:-

Section 4Q. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth for services rendered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner designated as such a certified registered nurse anesthetist's license or nurse practitioner by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to the provisions of section eighty B of chapter one hundred and twelve; provided, however, that the following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified registered nurse anesthetist's license or nurse practitioner's authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing; and (2) the policy or contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a provider of health care licensed by the commonwealth.

SECTION 7. The first paragraph of section 4 of chapter 176G of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence, added by section 4 of chapter 332 of the acts of 1993, and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- Such health maintenance contract shall also provide coverage for services rendered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner, as set forth in section forty-seven Q of chapter one hundred and seventy-five, subject to the terms of a negotiated agreement between the health maintenance organization and the provider of health care services.