HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2970        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1155

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

_________________

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 parity of treatment with substance abuse.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

16th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Timothy R. Whelan

1st Barnstable

1/28/2019

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/28/2019

Daniel J. Hunt

13th Suffolk

1/28/2019

Christopher Hendricks

11th Bristol

1/29/2019

Rady Mom

18th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/29/2019

John Barrett, III

1st Berkshire

1/30/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/30/2019

Edward J. Kennedy

First Middlesex

1/31/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

1/31/2019

David M. Nangle

17th Middlesex

2/1/2019

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2970        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1155

By Mr. Golden of Lowell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1155) of Thomas A. Golden, Jr. and others for legislation to provide insurance coverage for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, within the Division of Medical Assistance.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2214 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to parity of treatment with substance abuse.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 118E of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after section 10G, the following section:-

Section. 10H. Required Care for Behavioral Health.

A group health insurance policy providing coverage for hospital or medical expenses shall provide coverage for expenses arising from treatment for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental or nervous conditions at the same level as, and subject to limitations no more restrictive than, those imposed on coverage or reimbursement of expenses arising from treatment for other medical conditions.

The coverage may not be made subject to treatment limitations, limits on total payments for treatment, limits on duration of treatment or financial requirements unless similar limitations or requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. The coverage of eligible expenses may be limited to treatment that is medically necessary as determined under the policy for other medical conditions.

Nothing in this section requires coverage for:

(A)Educational or correctional services or sheltered living provided by a school or halfway house;

(B)A long-term residential mental health program that lasts longer than 45 days;

(C)Psychoanalysis or psychotherapy received as part of an educational or training program, regardless of diagnosis or symptoms that may be present;

(D)A court-ordered sex offender treatment program.