HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1737 FILED ON: 1/17/2013
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 989
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Theodore C. Speliotis
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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 relative to Lyme Disease treatment coverage.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Theodore C. Speliotis | 13th Essex | 1/17/2013 |
David Paul Linsky | 5th Middlesex |
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Daniel A. Wolf | Cape and Islands |
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Timothy R. Madden | Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket |
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Sarah K. Peake | 4th Barnstable |
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William Smitty Pignatelli | 4th Berkshire |
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Bradford Hill | 4th Essex |
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Anne M. Gobi | 5th Worcester |
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Brian R. Mannal | 2nd Barnstable |
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Todd M. Smola | 1st Hampden |
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Ruth B. Balser | 12th Middlesex |
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Kay Khan | 11th Middlesex |
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Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. | 12th Hampden |
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Josh S. Cutler | 6th Plymouth |
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Cleon H. Turner | 1st Barnstable |
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Eileen M. Donoghue | First Middlesex |
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William N. Brownsberger | Second Suffolk and Middlesex |
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Chris Walsh | 6th Middlesex |
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David M. Rogers | 24th Middlesex |
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Mary S. Keefe | 15th Worcester |
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John V. Fernandes | 10th Worcester |
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Christopher M. Markey | 9th Bristol |
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John J. Lawn, Jr. | 10th Middlesex |
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Jonathan D. Zlotnik | 2nd Worcester |
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Denise C. Garlick | 13th Norfolk |
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Stephen L. DiNatale | 3rd Worcester |
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Paul K. Frost | 7th Worcester |
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Thomas M. McGee | Third Essex |
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Ellen Story | 3rd Hampshire |
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Michael J. Rodrigues | First Bristol and Plymouth |
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James E. Timilty | Bristol and Norfolk |
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Robert F. Fennell | 10th Essex |
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Sheila C. Harrington | 1st Middlesex |
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Tom Sannicandro | 7th Middlesex |
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Thomas M. Stanley | 9th Middlesex |
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Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex |
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Sean Garballey | 23rd Middlesex |
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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1737 FILED ON: 1/17/2013
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 989
By Mr. Speliotis of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 989) of Theodore C. Speliotis and others relative to Lyme Disease treatment coverage. Financial Services. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 329 OF 2011-2012.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen
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An Act relative to Lyme Disease treatment coverage.
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. Chapter 111, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after section 218, the following new sections:
SECTION 219. Every individual or group hospital or medical expense insurance policy or individual or group hospital or medical services plan contract delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2010, shall provide for Lyme disease treatment.
SECTION 220. Every individual or group hospital or medical expense insurance policy or individual or group hospital or medical services plan contract delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2010, shall provide coverage for diagnostic testing and long-term antibiotic treatment of chronic Lyme disease when determined to be medically necessary and ordered by a physician after making a thorough evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results and response to treatment. Treatment otherwise eligible for benefits pursuant to this section shall not be denied solely because such treatment may be characterized as unproven, experimental, or investigational in nature. Provided, however, this section shall not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for:
Hospital confinement indemnity;
Disability income;
Accident only;
Long-term care;
Medicare supplement;
Limited benefit health;
Specified disease indemnity;
Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and
Other limited benefit policies.
Section 221. Subscribers to any health maintenance organization plan shall be afforded coverage under that plan on or after January 1, 2010 for diagnostic testing and long term antibiotic treatment of chronic Lyme disease when determined to be medically necessary and ordered by a physician after making a thorough evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results and response to treatment. Treatment otherwise eligible for benefits pursuant to this section shall not be denied solely because such treatment may be characterized as unproven, experimental, or investigational in nature.