SENATE DOCKET, NO. 747        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 624

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

_________________

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 require equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Jennifer L. Flanagan

Worcester and Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 747        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 624

By Ms. Flanagan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 624) of Jennifer L. Flanagan and James B. Eldridge for legislation to provide equitable access to behavorial health for MassHealth consumers.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 585 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to require equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers.

 

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 12 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the ninth paragraph the following:-

The Division shall certify and ensure that all contracted accountable care organizations, contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, and behavioral health management firms and third party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan provide comparable access to behavioral health services, benefits, and medications in providing medical assistance to recipients.

The Division shall obtain the approval of the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for all behavioral health services, benefits, and medications, including but not limited to policies, protocols, standards, contract specifications, utilization review and utilization management criteria and outcome measurements, used by all contracted accountable care organizations, contracted insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan.