HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1966 FILED ON: 1/19/2017
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 485
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Ruth B. Balser
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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 requiring mental health parity for disability policies.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Ruth B. Balser | 12th Middlesex | 1/19/2017 |
John J. Lawn, Jr. | 10th Middlesex |
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Carmine L. Gentile | 13th Middlesex |
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Joseph D. McKenna | 18th Worcester |
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Angelo M. Scaccia | 14th Suffolk |
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Steven Ultrino | 33rd Middlesex |
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James J. O'Day | 14th Worcester | 1/23/2017 |
David M. Rogers | 24th Middlesex |
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Denise Provost | 27th Middlesex |
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Kenneth I. Gordon | 21st Middlesex |
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Thomas M. McGee | Third Essex |
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Jason M. Lewis | Fifth Middlesex |
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Thomas P. Walsh | 12th Essex |
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Frank I. Smizik | 15th Norfolk |
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Daniel Cahill | 10th Essex |
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Jay R. Kaufman | 15th Middlesex |
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Paul McMurtry | 11th Norfolk |
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Solomon Goldstein-Rose | 3rd Hampshire |
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Kay Khan | 11th Middlesex |
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Jonathan Hecht | 29th Middlesex |
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Diana DiZoglio | 14th Essex |
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Mathew Muratore | 1st Plymouth |
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Colleen M. Garry | 36th Middlesex |
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Michelle M. DuBois | 10th Plymouth |
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Bud Williams | 11th Hampden |
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Michael S. Day | 31st Middlesex |
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Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex |
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Linda Dean Campbell | 15th Essex |
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James J. Dwyer | 30th Middlesex |
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Elizabeth A. Malia | 11th Suffolk |
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Christine P. Barber | 34th Middlesex |
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Paul R. Heroux | 2nd Bristol |
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Anne M. Gobi | Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex |
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Stephan Hay | 3rd Worcester |
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Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. | 12th Hampden |
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Mike Connolly | 26th Middlesex |
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Barbara A. L'Italien | Second Essex and Middlesex |
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Jack Lewis | 7th Middlesex |
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Adrian Madaro | 1st Suffolk |
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Bruce E. Tarr | First Essex and Middlesex |
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Joan B. Lovely | Second Essex |
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Tricia Farley-Bouvier | 3rd Berkshire |
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Aaron Vega | 5th Hampden |
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David Paul Linsky | 5th Middlesex |
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Brian Murray | 10th Worcester |
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José F. Tosado | 9th Hampden |
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Mary S. Keefe | 15th Worcester |
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Sean Garballey | 23rd Middlesex |
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Carlos González | 10th Hampden |
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Denise C. Garlick | 13th Norfolk |
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Natalie Higgins | 4th Worcester |
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Thomas M. Stanley | 9th Middlesex |
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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1966 FILED ON: 1/19/2017
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 485
By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 485) of Ruth B. Balser and others for legislation to prohibit benefit limits and exclusions for behavioral health disorders on certain disability insurance policies. Financial Services. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 786 OF 2015-2016.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)
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An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies.
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 108 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following:-
"13. No individual policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."
SECTION 2. Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-
"(Q) No certificate of coverage under a group policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."
SECTION 3. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit periodic medical exams or other procedures reasonably calculated to determine whether or not a disability exists, or continues to exist; provided said examinations, procedures or protocols are comparable and no more frequent or onerous that those required for disabilities caused by physical disorders.