HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3400        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3470

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Daniel J. Hunt

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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 patient cost share disclosure and transparency.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3400        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3470

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to patient cost share disclosure and transparency.

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

Chapter 176O of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 28.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a health care provider licensed to practice in the commonwealth shall, prior to performing any non-emergency medical procedure or writing any prescription for which the complete costs will not be covered by a patient’s insurance, ensure that an estimate of the amount of costs to be passed on to the patient are provided to the patient in writing.  The estimate shall be no more than 15 per cent greater or lesser than the final billable costs to the patient and shall include, but shall not be limited to, a disclosure of all contracted fees, predetermined fees and co-pay amounts.

The department of public health, in consultation with the commonwealth health insurance connector, shall issue regulations to implement this section.