HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1917        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 502

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Gerard Cassidy

_________________

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 reimbursement for the costs of providing competent interpreter services.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Gerard Cassidy

9th Plymouth

1/19/2017

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1917        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 502

By Mr. Cassidy of Brockton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 502) of Gerard Cassidy and others relative to the reimbursement of interpreter services incurred by certain hospitals.  Financial Services.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act requiring reimbursement for the costs of providing competent interpreter services.

 

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 13F of Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding at the end of the first paragraph the following sentence:

Provided however, the costs of providing competent interpreter services through sign and spoken languages by facilities licensed under section 19 of chapter 19 of the general laws or Section 51 of Chapter 111 of the general laws, shall be recognized and separately reimbursed by the division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third party contractors under contract to a division managed care organization or primary care clinician program.

Section 2: Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, “Carriers” and “Behavioral Health Managers” as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 176O and their contractors, shall recognize and separately reimburse facilities licensed under section 19 of Chapter 19 of the general laws or Section 51 of Chapter 111 of the general laws for the costs of providing competent interpreter services through sign and spoken languages.