SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1008        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mark C. Montigny

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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 improving Hepatitis C screening.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1008        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1423 OF 2023-2024.]

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 improving Hepatitis C screening.

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 4M½ of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(b) Every person over the age of 18 who receives health care services from a primary care provider shall be offered a hepatitis C screening test or a hepatitis C diagnostic test unless the provider believes that: (i) the person is being treated for a life threatening emergency; (ii) the person has previously been offered or has received a hepatitis screening test; or (iii) the person lacks capacity to consent to a hepatitis C screening test.

SECTION 2. Said section 4M½ is hereby further amended by adding the following subsection:-

(c) The department shall promulgate, and from time to time revise, regulations establishing the hepatitis C screening or hepatitis C diagnostic test requirements under subsection (b), including but not limited to the frequency with which a primary care provider must offer a hepatitis C screening test or hepatitis C diagnostic test.

SECTION 3.  The department shall promulgate regulations required under section 2 not later than 180 days following the effective date of this act.