SENATE DOCKET, NO. 911        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 540

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John F. Keenan

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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 access to health insurance for human service providers and their employees.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 911        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 540

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to access to health insurance for human service providers and their employees.

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. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 27 the following section:-

Section 28. The commission, in consultation with the executive office of health and human services, shall develop a process by which persons employed by private human service providers that deliver human and social services under a purchase-of-service contract with the executive office of health and human services or the executive office of elder affairs; persons employed by private human service providers that deliver human and social services under a purchase-of-service contract with the department of housing and community development who formerly held a purchase-of-service contract with the executive office of health and human services; and persons employed by private center-based early education providers that either deliver services under a purchase-of-service contract with or have vouchers from the department of early education and care shall be eligible through their employer to purchase health insurance through the commission. The commission shall either allow purchase through its current contracted products or may purchase a specific product or products for said employees. The commission may mandate that a third-party administrator be retained to manage this program.

The commission shall work with the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Inc. to identify and secure relevant data that is required to determine the population to be covered in order to comply with this section.

Nothing in this section shall dictate the employer’s contribution to the employee health care premium. One hundred percent of the premium must be paid by the employer to the commission two months in advance initially and every two months in advance subsequently.

Further provided, nothing in this section shall allow persons employed by private human service providers that deliver human and social services under a purchase-of-service contract with the executive office of health and human services or the executive office of elder affairs; persons employed by private human service providers that deliver human and social services under a purchase-of-service contract  with the department of housing and community development who formerly held a purchase-of-service contract with the executive office of health and human services; and persons employed by private center-based early education providers that either deliver services under a purchase-of-service contract with or have vouchers from the department of early education and care to be eligible for a state retirement pension, state retiree health insurance, or other post-employment benefits unless they have creditable state service. Time spent in the employ of private human service providers shall not be counted toward creditable state service.

SECTION 2. The commission shall promulgate regulations in conjunction with the executive office of health and human services relative to the products available, payment schedules, termination factors, third-party administrator, or other matters to implement this program no later than January 1, 2018.