SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1404        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 539

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Richard T. Moore

_________________

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 MassHealth to provide an explanation of benefits to beneficiaries.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Richard T. Moore

Worcester and Norfolk

John V. Fernandes

10th Worcester

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1404        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 539

By Mr. Richard T. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 539) of Richard T. Moore, John V. Fernandes, James B. Eldridge and Mark C. Montigny for legislation to require MassHealth to provide an explanation of benefits to beneficiaries.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2119 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act requiring MassHealth to provide an explanation of benefits to beneficiaries.

 

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 8 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subparagraph b½ and inserting in place thereof the following 2 subparagraphs:-

b½. “Explanation of benefits”, a form, statement, or document sent to an insurance enrollee explaining what medical treatment or services were provided, amounts to be billed to the insurer and the enrollee, and payments made on each claim.

b¾. “Institution”, a licensed hospital, nursing home or public medical institution that meets the requirements of the secretary.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 118E is hereby amended by inserting after said section 62 the following section:-

Section 63. The division shall provide an explanation of benefits in an electronic format to any person who receives medical or dental care under this chapter. Each explanation of benefits shall include a statement requesting that the recipient of Medicaid benefits review the explanation of benefits and notify the MassHealth fraud hotline or the attorney general’s Medicaid fraud tip line of any discrepancy in payment for services that may not have been provided. The statement shall provide the phone numbers for the MassHealth fraud hotline and the attorney general’s Medicaid fraud tip line and state that the recipient of Medicaid benefits who has reported an adjudicated claim of fraud shall be granted a cash award. The division shall establish by regulation the amount of award that a recipient of benefits under this chapter shall receive for an adjudicated claim.