HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1037        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 908

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Ruth B. Balser

_________________

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 requiring mental health parity for disability policies.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/14/2019

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

1/31/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/23/2019

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

1/25/2019

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

1/27/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/28/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

1/28/2019

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/28/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/28/2019

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/29/2019

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

1/29/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/29/2019

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

1/29/2019

Diana DiZoglio

First Essex

1/29/2019

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

1/29/2019

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

1/29/2019

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

1/30/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/30/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/30/2019

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

1/30/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/30/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/31/2019

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

1/31/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

2/1/2019

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

2/1/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

2/1/2019

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

2/1/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

2/1/2019

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

2/1/2019

Christopher Hendricks

11th Bristol

2/1/2019

David Biele

4th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1037        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 908

By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 908) of Ruth B. Balser and others for legislation to prohibit benefit limits and exclusions for behavioral health disorders on certain disability insurance policies.  Financial Services.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 485 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies.

 

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 108 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following:-

"13. No individual policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."

SECTION 2.  Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

"(Q) No certificate of coverage under a group policy of short-term or long-term disability insurance providing income replacement benefits that is issued or renewed in the Commonwealth shall impose benefit limitations or exclusions upon claimants affected by behavioral health disorders, where such limitations or exclusions are not imposed equally upon claimants affected by physical disorders."

SECTION 3.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit periodic medical exams or other procedures reasonably calculated to determine whether or not a disability exists, or continues to exist; provided said examinations, procedures or protocols are comparable and no more frequent or onerous that those required for disabilities caused by physical disorders.