HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 977        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 836

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Ruth B. Balser

_________________

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 requiring mental health parity for disability policies.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

Brian A. Joyce

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

1/16/2013

Martin J. Walsh

13th Suffolk

1/15/2013

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

1/30/2013

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

1/31/2013

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

2/1/2013

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/31/2013

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

 

Brian R. Mannal

2nd Barnstable

1/31/2013

Leonard Mirra

2nd Essex

1/31/2013

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/31/2013

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

1/29/2013

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

2/1/2013

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

2/1/2013

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/29/2013

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

 

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

 

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

 

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

 

Jeffrey Sánchez

15th Suffolk

 

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

 

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 977        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 836

By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 836) of Ruth B. Balser and others relative to the effect of certain behavioral health disorders on certain disability insurance policies.  Financial Services.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1174 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies.

 

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 108 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following:-

"13. No individual policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."

SECTION 2.  Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

"(Q) No certificate of coverage under a group policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."

SECTION 3.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit periodic medical exams or other procedures reasonably calculated to determine whether or not a disability exists, or continues to exist; provided said examinations, procedures or protocols are comparable and no more frequent or onerous that those required for disabilities caused by physical disorders.