HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3274        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1102

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Cindy F. Friedman

_________________

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 establish health equity for pregnant persons.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

1/17/2019

Cindy F. Friedman

Fourth Middlesex

1/17/2019

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

1/31/2019

David Biele

4th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

1/28/2019

Peter Capano

11th Essex

1/28/2019

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

1/31/2019

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

1/25/2019

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/30/2019

Daniel R. Cullinane

12th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

1/31/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/28/2019

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

2/1/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

2/1/2019

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

1/25/2019

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/27/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/25/2019

Richard M. Haggerty

30th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

1/28/2019

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

1/31/2019

Daniel J. Hunt

13th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/28/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/25/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/23/2019

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/24/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

1/29/2019

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/29/2019

Paul W. Mark

2nd Berkshire

2/1/2019

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

1/29/2019

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

1/29/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/18/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

1/21/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/30/2019

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/28/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/25/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/24/2019

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

1/29/2019

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

1/30/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3274        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1102

By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton and Senator Friedman, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1102) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa, Cindy F. Friedman and others relative to health insurance benefits for pregnant persons.  Financial Services.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to establish health equity for pregnant persons.

 

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 17C of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “coverage for”, in line 3, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 2. Said section 17C of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentences:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

The commission shall ensure plan compliance with this chapter.

SECTION 3. Section 10A of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “coverage for”, in line 1, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 4. Said section 10A of said chapter 118E, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentences:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny or restrict the division’s authority to ensure its contracted health 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 are in compliance with this chapter.

SECTION 5. Section 47F of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “for the expense of”, in line 20, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 6. Said section 47F of said chapter 175, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following paragraphs:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

A policy of accident and sickness insurance that is purchased by an employer that is a church or qualified church-controlled organization, as defined in section 47W of this chapter, shall be exempt from covering abortion and abortion-related care at the request of the employer. An employer that invokes the exemption under this section shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan and such notice shall list the health care methods and services for which the employer will not provide coverage for religious reasons.

SECTION 7. Section 8H of Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “expense for”, in line 8, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 8. Said section 8H of said chapter 176A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 9 and 10, the words “to the same extent that benefits are provided for medical conditions not related to pregnancy”.

SECTION 9. Said section 8H of said chapter 176A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following paragraphs:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

A policy of accident and sickness insurance that is purchased by an employer that is a church or qualified church-controlled organization, as defined in section 8W of this chapter, shall be exempt from covering abortion and abortion-related care at the request of the employer. An employer that invokes the exemption under this subsection shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan and such notice shall list the health care methods and services for which the employer will not provide coverage for religious reasons.

SECTION 10. Section 4H of chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “expense for”, in lines 7 and 8, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 11. Said section 4H of said chapter 176B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 8 to 10, inclusive, the words “to the same extent that benefits are provided for medical conditions not related to pregnancy”.

SECTION 12. Said section 4H of said chapter 176B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following paragraphs:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

A policy of accident and sickness insurance that is purchased by an employer that is a church or qualified church-controlled organization, as defined in section 4W of this chapter, shall be exempt from covering abortion and abortion-related care at the request of the employer. An employer that invokes the exemption under this subsection shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan and such notice shall list the health care methods and services for which the employer will not provide coverage for religious reasons.

SECTION 13. Section 4I of chapter 176G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “coverage for”, in lines 1 and 2, the following words:- abortion and abortion-related care,.

SECTION 14. Said section 4I of said chapter 176G, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraphs:-

Coverage provided under this section shall not be subject to any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement. Coverage offered under this section shall not impose unreasonable restrictions or delays in the coverage.

Benefits for an enrollee under this section shall be the same for the enrollee’s covered spouse and covered dependents.

A health maintenance contract that is purchased by an employer that is a church or qualified church-controlled organization, as defined in section 40 of this chapter, shall be exempt from covering abortion and abortion-related care at the request of the employer. An employer that invokes the exemption under this subsection shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan and such notice shall list the health care methods and services for which the employer will not provide coverage for religious reasons.

SECTION 15. Sections 1 to 14, inclusive, shall apply to all policies, contracts and certificates of health insurance subject to chapters 32A, 118E, 175, 176A, 176B and 176G of the General Laws that are delivered, issued or renewed 6 months from the effective date of this act.