HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1540        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 184

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Christine P. Barber

_________________

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 equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

2/9/2021

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

2/24/2021

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/24/2021

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

2/25/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/26/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/26/2021

Gerard J. Cassidy

9th Plymouth

3/22/2021

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

3/25/2021

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

4/1/2021

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

4/1/2021

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

4/1/2021

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

4/2/2021

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

4/8/2021

Norman J. Orrall

12th Bristol

4/29/2021

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

4/29/2021

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

4/29/2021

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

6/23/2021

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

9/8/2021

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

10/21/2021

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

11/1/2021

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

12/13/2021

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

12/13/2021

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/13/2022

Patricia A. Duffy

5th Hampden

1/18/2022

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/24/2022

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/28/2022

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

1/31/2022


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1540        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 184

By Ms. Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 184) of Christine P. Barber and others relative to ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism.

 

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 General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 62 the following section:-

Section 63. The Division shall cover the cost of habilitative and rehabilitative medically necessary treatments for individuals aged 21 and older who are receiving coverage under this chapter and who have been diagnosed with any of the following disorders as defined in the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): developmental disability, an intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disorder. The diagnoses must be made by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary. Treatments shall include, but shall not be limited to, applied behavior analysis provided or supervised by a licensed behavior analyst that is necessary to develop, maintain or restore, to the maximum extent practicable, the functioning of an individual. In addition, the Division shall cover the cost of both dedicated and non-dedicated augmentative and alternative communication devices, including, but not limited to, medically necessary tablets.