SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or specific law to the contrary, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or a designee, shall establish and implement five regional pilot programs to examine alternative models for transport of behavioral health patients that are geographically dispersed across the state. The programs shall be designed to promote the use of non-emergency medical transport for transporting individuals in need of behavioral health intervention. In designing the pilot, the executive office of health and human services shall consult with existing hospital-based providers of alternative behavioral health treatment. MassHealth and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms, and third-party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall provide reimbursement for non-emergency medical transport for behavioral health patients provided by pilot participants.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health policy commission, in collaboration with the center for health information and analysis and the executive office of health and human services, shall collect data and study the effectiveness of the pilot, including differences in transfer times for behavioral health patients, non-stigmatized  treatment of behavioral health patients, and cost-effectiveness and appropriate use of resources of this alternative method of transportation as compared to traditional non-emergency medical transport by ambulance. Such an analysis shall examine MassHealth reimbursement of these services under the pilot program and make recommendations on setting reimbursement for these services in the Medicaid and commercial markets.