HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3499        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1382

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

John J. Lawn, Jr.

_________________

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 promote continuity of health coverage for children.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

John J. Lawn, Jr.

10th Middlesex

1/17/2025

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/31/2025

Greg Schwartz

12th Middlesex

7/10/2025

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

7/17/2025


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3499        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1382

By Representative Lawn of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1382) of John J. Lawn, Jr., and Sean Garballey for legislation to promote continuity of health coverage for children eligible for MassHealth.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1214 OF 2023-2024.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

 

An Act to promote continuity of health coverage for children.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 9A of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

(17)(a) Residents of the commonwealth under age 19 who are enrolled in MassHealth shall qualify for at least 12 months of continuous eligibility.

(b) Continuous eligibility established under clause (a) shall not apply in the following circumstances: (i) the child turns 19, except when MassHealth provides continuous eligibility to residents over age 19; (ii) the child ceases to be a state resident; (iii) the child or the child’s representative requests voluntary disenrollment; (iv) eligibility is determined to have been erroneously granted because of agency error or fraud, abuse, or perjury attributed to the child or the child’s representative; or (v) the child is deceased.

(c) The executive office of health and human services shall maximize federal financial participation for the coverage and benefits under this subsection; provided, however, that coverage and benefits provided under this subsection shall not only be contingent upon the availability of federal financial participation.