SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1629        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 611

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Barbara A. L'Italien

_________________

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 to provide equal access to medical treatments essential for people with autism.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

Brian A. Joyce

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

Paul W. Mark

2nd Berkshire

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

Walter F. Timilty

7th Norfolk

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

Robert L. Hedlund

Plymouth and Norfolk

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

Joseph D. McKenna

18th Worcester

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

Mark J. Cusack

5th Norfolk

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1629        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 611

By Mrs. L'Italien, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 611) of Barbara L'Italien, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Michelle M. DuBois, Marjorie C. Decker and other members of the General Court for legislation to provide equal access to medical treatments essential for people with autism.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to provide equal access to medical treatments essential for people with autism.

 

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

Chapter 118E of General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 62 the following section:-

Section 63- The Division shall cover the cost of habilitative or rehabilitative medically necessary treatments for individuals aged 22 and older who have been diagnosed with one  of the Autism Spectrum Disorders by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary. Treatments include, but are not limited to, Applied Behavior Analysis supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) that is necessary to develop, maintain or restore, to the maximum extent practicable, the functioning of an individual. In addition, the Division shall cover the cost of both dedicated and non-dedicated augmentative and alternative communication devices, including, but not limited to, medically necessary tablets.