SECTION 1.  Chapter 118E of the general laws is hereby amended by adding the following new section:

Section 78.

(a) Definition: “Dementia Care Coordination”, a proactive care consultation service.

(b) To ensure that members of Senior Care Options (SCOs) plans receive cost effective, quality dementia care, MassHealth shall require that all Massachusetts Senior Care Options plans provide Dementia Care Coordination (DCC) to SCO members that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. 

Upon a referral from a clinician, a patient with dementia and their care consultant will receive an outgoing call from a trained clinician, who shall provide care consultation services to the family, resulting in an individualized family care plan and a companion summary to the referring clinician for inclusion in the permanent medical record.

The Care Plan shall provide guidance in dementia caregiving strategies, including symptom management strategies, communication techniques, legal and financial issues, safety recommendations, and referrals to appropriate community support services.

(c) In order to meet the requirements of this Section, SCO plans may contract with community partners, or directly provide DCC services to their members.