SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1376        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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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 relative to access to care for serious mental illness.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1376        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to access to care for serious mental illness.

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. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47PP the following new section:-

Section 47QQ.

(a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step therapy protocol.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

"Serious mental illness" a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

SECTION 2. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8QQ the following new section:-

Section 8RR.

(a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step therapy protocol.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

"Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

SECTION 3. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4QQ the following new section:-

Section 4RR.

(a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step therapy protocol.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

"Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

SECTION 4. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4I the following new section:-

Section 4J.

(a) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan, or certificate of insurance issued, delivered, or renewed within the commonwealth, which is considered creditable coverage under section 1 of chapter 118M, shall provide coverage for medications used to prevent, assess, or treat serious mental illness without requiring prior authorization or the initiation or completion of a step therapy protocol.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

"Serious mental illness" means a mental disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, that results in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.