SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1256        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 871

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to Require Equitable Payment from the Commonwealth..

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 16 of chapter 6A, as appearing in the 2006 Official edition of the General Laws, is amended by adding, at the end of the thereof, after the word, “programs.” the following:--

And provided further that the secretary of the executive office of health and human services shall ensure that network hospitals are compensated at their full negotiated rate for behavioral health services provided to MassHealth patients who are also clients of agencies within the executive office of health and human services  and for whom no appropriate alternative placement is available.  Provided however, such compensation shall only be provided if the hospital can document that it has engaged in good faith efforts to place said clients in any appropriate alternative setting.