SENATE DOCKET, NO. 577        FILED ON: 2/2/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 776

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

John F. Keenan

_________________

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 to require equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

2/24/2021


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 577        FILED ON: 2/2/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 776

By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 776) of John F. Keenan and Elizabeth A. Malia for legislation to provide equitable access to behavorial health for MassHealth consumers.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 691 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to require equitable access to behavioral health services for MassHealth consumers.

 

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 12 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the ninth paragraph the following paragraphs:-

The Division shall certify and ensure that all contracted accountable care organizations, contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, and behavioral health management firms and third party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan provide equal access to behavioral health services, benefits, and medications of comparable quality in providing medical assistance to recipients.

The Division shall obtain the approval of the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for all behavioral health services, benefits, and medications, including but not limited to policies, protocols, standards, contract specifications, utilization review and utilization management criteria and outcome measurements, used by all contracted accountable care organizations, contracted 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.