SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2101        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 97

 

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

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

 

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/1/2023

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Norfolk

2/2/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/12/2023

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

2/17/2023

F. Jay Barrows

1st Bristol

2/17/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/17/2023

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/17/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

3/3/2023

John J. Cronin

Worcester and Middlesex

4/12/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

4/27/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

5/9/2023

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

5/22/2023

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

6/29/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

7/8/2023

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

10/23/2023

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol

11/8/2023

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

11/14/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2101        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 97

By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 97) of John F. Keenan, Michael O. Moore, Michael D. Brady, James B. Eldridge and other members of the General Court for legislation to ensure equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 115 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

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 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 79 the following section:-

Section 80. 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.