HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2191        FILED ON: 2/16/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1196

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa and 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 ensuring access to full spectrum pregnancy care.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/16/2021

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

2/17/2021

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/18/2021

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/22/2021

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

2/23/2021

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/23/2021

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

2/24/2021

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

2/25/2021

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/25/2021

Steven C. Owens

29th Middlesex

2/25/2021

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/25/2021

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/25/2021

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

2/25/2021

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

2/26/2021

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

2/26/2021

Brandy Fluker Oakley

12th Suffolk

2/26/2021

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

2/26/2021

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

2/26/2021

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

2/26/2021

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

2/26/2021

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

2/26/2021

Paul W. Mark

2nd Berkshire

2/26/2021

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/26/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/26/2021

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/26/2021

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

3/2/2021

Patricia A. Duffy

5th Hampden

3/3/2021

Michael P. Kushmerek

3rd Worcester

3/3/2021

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

3/3/2021

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

3/8/2021

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

3/5/2021

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

3/8/2021

Peter Capano

11th Essex

3/8/2021

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

3/15/2021

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

3/15/2021

Kate Lipper-Garabedian

32nd Middlesex

3/31/2021

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

4/1/2021

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

4/5/2021

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

4/8/2021

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

4/21/2021

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

5/5/2021

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

6/10/2021

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

7/1/2021

Meghan Kilcoyne

12th Worcester

9/2/2021

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

9/7/2021

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

9/13/2021

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

12/15/2021

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

12/17/2021

Jacob R. Oliveira

7th Hampden

1/15/2022


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2191        FILED ON: 2/16/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1196

By Representatives Sabadosa of Northampton and Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1196) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa, Ruth B. Balser and others relative to insurance coverage for abortion and abortion-related care.  Financial Services.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act ensuring access to full spectrum pregnancy care.

 

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 2018 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 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.

The commission shall ensure plan compliance with this chapter.

SECTION 3. Section 10A of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 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 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.

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 2018 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 2018 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 2018 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 2018 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.