HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2402        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2459

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Denise C. Garlick

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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 ensuring universal access to urgent and retail care.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2402        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2459

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act ensuring universal access to urgent and retail care.

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 51 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the eighth paragraph the following paragraph:--

No original license for an urgent care clinic, as defined by section 52, or for a limited services clinic, as defined by section 52, shall be issued nor shall a license be renewed hereunder unless the urgent care clinic or limited services clinic accepts patients that are enrollees of the Medicaid program established in chapter 118E and enrollees of any carrier or other entity that contracts with the office of Medicaid to pay for or arrange the purchase of health care services on behalf of individuals enrolled in health coverage programs under Titles XIX or XXI of the Social Security Act, including prepaid health plans subject to section 28 of chapter 47 of the acts of 1997.

SECTION 2.  The definition of “Clinic” in section 52 of said chapter 111, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “rehabilitation,” in both instances in which it appears, the following words:-

urgent care, limited services,

SECTION 3. Said definition of “Clinic” in said section 52, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the words:-

a medical office building, or one or more practitioners engaged in a solo or group practice, whether conducted for profit or not for profit, and however organized, so long as such practice is wholly owned and controlled by one or more of the practitioners so associated, or, in the case of a not for profit organization, its only members are one or more of the practitioners so associated or

SECTION 4.  Said section 52, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following two definitions:-

“Urgent care”, a model of episodic care delivery that is primarily the immediate diagnosis, treatment, management or monitoring of acute and chronic disease, generally provided on a walk-in basis, and not intended as the patient’s primary care provider.

“Urgent care clinic”, a clinic that provides urgent care as defined by this section.