HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4341

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 31, 2025.

The committee on Financial Services, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1289) of Bridget Plouffe relative to the reimbursement of interpreter services incurred by certain hospitals, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4341) ought to pass.

For the committee,

JAMES M. MURPHY.

        FILED ON: 7/25/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4341

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act requiring reimbursement for the costs of providing competent interpreter services.

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

Section 13F of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end of the first paragraph the following sentence:

Provided however, the costs of providing competent interpreter services through sign and spoken languages by facilities licensed under section 19 of chapter 19 of the General Laws or section 51 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, shall be recognized and separately reimbursed by the division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third party contractors under contract to a division managed care organization or primary care clinician program.

Section 2: Chapter 176O of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 31. “Carriers” and “Behavioral Health Managers” as defined in section 1 of chapter 176O and their contractors, shall recognize and separately reimburse facilities licensed under section 19 of chapter 19 of the General Laws or section 51 of chapter 111 of the General Laws for the costs of providing competent interpreter services through sign and spoken languages.