HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2816        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1028

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Kay Khan

_________________

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 increase access to nurse-midwifery services.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2816        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1028

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 552 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act to increase access to nurse-midwifery 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 47E of Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:

The reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with this section.

SECTION 2. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding section 38:

Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide, as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth for services rendered by a certified nurse midwife designated as such certified nurse midwife by the board of registration in nursing pursuant to the provisions of section eighty C of chapter one hundred and twelve; provided, however, that the following conditions are met: (1) the service rendered is within the scope of the certified nurse midwife’s authorization to practice by the board of registration in nursing;  (2) the policy or contract currently provides benefits for identical services rendered by a provider of health care licensed by the commonwealth: and (3) the reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served. An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with this section.

SECTION 3. Section 4G of Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:

The reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served.  An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with this section.

SECTION 4. Section 4 of Chapter 176 G is of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following subsection:

(h) services rendered by a certified nurse midwife pursuant to section eighty C of chapter one hundred and twelve, subject to the terms of a negotiated agreement between the health maintenance organization and the provider of health care services. The reimbursement for the services provided shall be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a licensed physician performing the service in the area served.  An insurer may not reduce the reimbursement paid to a licensed physician in order to comply with this section.