Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-342
EHS 342
Spouses as Caregivers
Messrs. Tarr, Timilty, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting a new section at the end thereof:-
SECTION__. The Secretary of Health and Human Services in conjunction with the Secretary of Elder Affairs shall file an application to seek a waiver with the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to amend the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ 1915(c) elderly waiver, provided that such amendment must be revenue neutral, and that any program of home and community based services in which family members are permitted to serve as paid caregivers, funded pursuant to Section 9 of Chapter 118E shall include spouses within the definition of a family member.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-343
EHS 343
Leominster Veterans Center
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended to the Leominster Veterans Center in the City of Leominster for the purpose of updating the Center for handicap accessibility;” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$99,715,735” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$99,745,735”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-344
EHS 344
New England Veterans Liberty House
Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0012, by inserting after the word "veterans" the following: "provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for New England Veterans Liberty House"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-345
EHS 345
Salvation Army Bridging the Gap Between Youth and Community Services
Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, by inserting after the word "Inc" the following: "provided further that not less than $15,000 shall be expended to the Salvation Army Bridging the Gap Between Youth and Community Services program in Lawrence"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-348
EHS 348
Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project
Ms. L'Italien and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting after the word "Laws" the following: "provided further, that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for the Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project toward resources, community outreach and programs in Methuen, Lawrence, Haverhill and North Andover"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-349-R1
Redraft EHS 349
The Psychological Center
Ms. L'Italien and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after the word "Laws" the following: "providing further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to The Psychological Center in Lawrence"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-350
EHS 350
An amendment relative to Into Action Recovery, Inc in Tewksbury
Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting after the word "Laws" the following: "provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended for the purchase and renovation of an opiate recovery treatment facility of Into Action Recover, Inc"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-351-R1
Redraft EHS 351
Mass in Motion
Mr. Lewis, Ms. Lovely, Mr. Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Rush, Eldridge and Montigny, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Humason and McGee, Ms. Donoghue, Mr. Rodrigues, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Lesser, Tarr, Downing and Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after “prevention” the following text:- “provided that funding shall be expended for Mass in Motion community grants in an amount not less than expended in fiscal year 2016, contingent upon receipt of matching federal prevention block grant funds.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-352
EHS 352
Foreign trained medical professionals
Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after Section X, the following new Section:-
SECTION X. (a) There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations regarding the licensing of foreign-trained medical professionals with the goal of expanding and improving medical services in rural and underserved areas.
(b) The commission shall consist of the following 17 members: 1 member appointed by the governor from the governor’s advisory council for refugees and immigrants; the secretary of the executive office of health and human services, or a designee; the commissioner of public health, or a designee; the senate president, or a designee; the speaker of the house, or a designee; the minority leader of the senate, or a designee; the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health; 1 member of the board of registration of medicine; 1 member of the board of dentistry; 1 member of the board of registration in pharmacy; 1 member of the board of nursing; 1 member of the division of health professional licensure;1 member of the board of registration of psychology; 1 member of the board of allied health professionals and 1 representative of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
(c) The commission shall examine, report and make recommendation on topics including but not limited to: (1) implement strategies to integrate foreign-trained medical professionals into rural and underserved areas that are in need of medical services, (2) identify state and national licensing regulations that may pose unnecessary barriers to practice for foreign-trained medical professionals, (3) develop recommendations for corresponding changes to state licensing requirements (4) identify opportunities to advocate for corresponding changes to national licensing requirements, and (5) other matters pertaining to licensing foreign- trained medical professionals. The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public to gather information. The commission shall review and identify best practices learned from similar efforts in other states. The report may include guidelines for full licensure and conditional licensing of foreign-trained medical professionals.
(d) The commission shall file a report containing its recommendations, including legislation and regulations necessary to carry out its recommendations to the joint committee on public health and with the clerks of the house and senate no later than July 1, 2017.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-353-R1
Redraft EHS 353
Services for at-risk elders
Messrs. Lewis and Eldridge, Ms. Creem and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1700, by striking out the figure “$186,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$286,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-354
EHS 354
Office of health equity
Messrs. Lewis and Barrett moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding the following words:- “provided further, that funds may be expended for the operation of the office of health equity within the executive office of health and human services."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-354.1
Further EHS 354.1
Office of Health Equity
Messrs. Barrett and Lewis moved that the amendment be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding to the end thereof the following:- "which office shall coordinate all activities of the commonwealth to reduce or eliminate health and healthcare disparities based on racial or ethnic grouping, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, or mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics subject to discrimination or exclusion"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-355
EHS 355
Unaccompanied youth homeless funding
Messrs. Lewis, Brady and Eldridge, Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Messrs. Joyce and Brownsberger, Ms. Gobi, Ms. Lovely and Mr. Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0007, by striking out the figure “$2,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$4,000,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-356
EHS 356
Waiver of medical marijuana registration fee for veterans
Messrs. Lewis and deMacedo moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section X, the following new section:-
Section X. Section 13 of chapter 369 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
“The fee for the registration card shall automatically be waived for a qualifying patient who is a veteran, as appearing in clause Forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-357-R1
Redraft EHS 357
Community first choice
Mr. Lewis, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0328, by striking out, in lines 21 and 22, the words “and (vii) the Medicaid electronic health record incentive program” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “(vii) the Medicaid electronic health record incentive program; and (viii) the 1915(k) community first choice state plan option authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1396n(k)”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-358
EHS 358
Smoking prevention and cessation programs
Mr. Lewis and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0300, by striking out the figure "$3,866,096" and inserting in place thereof the figure "$5,000,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-359
EHS 359
Malden high school Starr Center
Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0250, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that no less than $100,000 shall be expended for the purpose of establishing and supporting a school-based health center at Malden High School in the City of Malden"; and by striking out the figure “$11,932,830” and inserting in place thereof the figure:- “12,032,830”,
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-360
EHS 360
Narcan purchasing order for the town of Wakefield
Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following:- "provided further that $25,000 shall be made available for the purchasing of Narcan for the police and fire personnel in the Town of Wakefield"; and in said line item, by striking out the figure "$122,813,988" and inserting in place thereof the figure:- "$122,838,988"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-361-R1
Redraft EHS 361
Veterans Substance Abuse Treatment
Mr. Moore, Ms. Chandler, Messrs. Rush and Eldridge and Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting after the word “Hopkinton “ the following:- “provided further, that not less than $50,000 be expended for the establishment of a substance abuse treatment clinic in Shrewsbury for veterans operated by Veterans Inc., to be staffed by licensed mental health providers”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-362
EHS 362
Worcester Children's Advocacy Center
Mr. Moore and Ms. Chandler moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by inserting after the words “Plymouth County Children's Advocacy Center;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the Children's Advocacy Center of Worcester County; and in said item, by striking out the figures "$282,877,851" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$282,977,851".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-363
EHS 363
Melrose substance abuse coordinator
Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following:- "provided further that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the City of Melrose for the purpose of funding the substance abuse coalition and hiring a coordinator"; and in said line item by striking out the figure "$122,813,988" and inserting in place thereof the figure:- "$122,913,988"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-365
EHS 365
Aging Services Access Points
Messrs. Moore and Humason, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge, Joyce and Lewis, Ms. Lovely, Mr. Brady, Ms. O'Connor Ives and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1633, by inserting after the words “elder affairs” the following: “provided further, that all monies appropriated in this item shall be expended for contracts with Aging Services Access points; provided further that such expenditures shall be submitted to the house and senate committees on ways and means"; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$51,482,919” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$53,234,137”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-366
EHS 366
Distressed Hospital Trust Fund
Mr. Moore and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ____, the following new section:-
“SECTION ____. Subsection (d) of section 2GGGG of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a qualified acute hospital shall not include: (1) any hospital that is a teaching hospital; or (2) any hospital whose relative prices are above the statewide median relative price, as determined by the center for health information analysis”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-367
EHS 367
DYS Teachers
Messrs. Moore and Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4200-0500, by striking out the figure "$3,154,187" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$6,900,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-368
EHS 368
Addicts health opportunity prevention and education programs
Messrs. Lewis and Brownsberger, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Ross, Moore and Humason, Ms. Creem and Mr. Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section X, the following new section:- section X. Section 215 of chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby repealed.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-369-R1
Redraft EHS 369
Health Safety Net
Messrs. Lewis, Keenan, Moore and Brady, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Donnelly, Eldridge, Rush, Barrett, Montigny, Humason, Timilty, McGee, Boncore, Lesser and deMacedo moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, through April 1, 2017, the health safety net office shall maintain eligibility criteria for the health safety net at the level in effect as of March 1, 2016. The health safety net office shall continue to provide services to persons whose income is below: (i) 400 per cent of the federal poverty level and who are otherwise eligible for reimbursement and who shall continue to be reimbursable pursuant to this section; and (ii) 200 per cent of the federal poverty level and who are otherwise eligible for reimbursement and who shall continue to be reimbursable pursuant to this section without a cost sharing burden to the patient. A hospital or community health center providing a service otherwise eligible for reimbursement by the health safety net shall be reimbursed if the service is provided up to 6 months before the date on which the application for reimbursement is submitted to the health safety net office.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-370
EHS 370
Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Medicaid Funding
Messrs. Welch, Rush, Brady, Humason, Lewis, Lesser, Eldridge, Joyce and Brownsberger and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0700, by adding at the end thereof the following: "provided further, that MassHealth shall provide an additional increase to reimbursement rates for any acute care hospital that has greater than 63 per cent of its gross patient service revenue from governmental payers and free care as determined by the executive office of health and human services in the amount of 10 per cent added to its adjudicated payment amount per discharge, or APAD, and 5 per cent added to its outpatient payment amount per episode or PAPE, or of reimbursement provided under any subsequent outpatient payment methodologies; provided further, MassHealth shall provide a supplemental payment of at least $12,307,769 for inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental health services provided by any acute care hospital that that has greater than 63 per cent of its gross patient service revenue from governmental payers and free care as determined by the executive office of health and human service, provided, however, that such add on amounts shall be prioritized for services provided to children and adolescents;"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-371-R1
Redraft EHS 371
Mitigation Opportunities for Acute Hospitals Negatively Affected by the Increased Hospital Assessment
Messrs. Welch, Humason, Donnelly, deMacedo and Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, in line 103 by inserting after the words “June 30, 2017;” the following:“provided further, the executive office of health and human services shall pursue and make available opportunities to mitigate financial losses for acute hospitals that are negatively affected by the increase in the hospital assessment pursuant to sections 64 and 67 of chapter 118E of the general laws.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-372-R1
Redraft EHS 372
Timely Access to Emergency Medication for Companion Animals
Messrs. Welch, Moore, Ross, Brady and Timilty, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Humason and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after section 35 the following section:-
“SECTION 35A. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 58A the following section:-
Section 58A½. (a) For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
“Companion animal”, a domesticated animal including, but not limited to, fowl, birds, fish or reptiles; provided, however, that “companion animal” shall not include animals intended for consumption or whose products are intended for consumption by humans or other animals.
“Compounded drug”, a drug formulation distributed from a pharmacy that has been prepared, mixed or assembled for use on or for a companion animal to meet the unique medical need of a companion animal as determined by the prescribing veterinarian including, but not limited to, the removal of a dye for medical reasons, a change in strength, the addition of a flavor or a change in dosage, form or delivery mechanism.
(b) A veterinarian may dispense a compounded drug to a companion animal if: (i) the companion animal is a patient within a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship, as defined in the principles of veterinary medical ethics established by the American Veterinary Medical Association; (ii) the quantity dispensed does not exceed a 120 hour supply; (iii) the compounded drug is for the treatment of an emergency condition; and (iv) timely access to a compounding pharmacy is not available, as determined by the prescribing veterinarian.
(c) Pharmacists shall label all compounded products for companion animals distributed to a veterinarian for further distribution or sale and include: (i) the name and strength of the compounded medication or list of the active ingredients and strengths; (ii) the facility’s control number; (iii) an appropriate beyond-use date as determined by the pharmacist in compliance with the United States Pharmacopeia and the National Formulary standards for pharmacy compounding; (iv) the name and address of the pharmacy; and (v) the quantity.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-373
EHS 373
Board of registration in nursing
Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0721, by striking out the figures "918,628", and inserting in place thereof the following figures:- "1,048,629".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-374-R1
Redraft EHS 374
Caring Health Center
Messrs. Welch and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $50,000 be expended for the Caring Health Center’s Richard E. Neal Complex to transform the Wellness Center into a Patient Centered Medical Home for the medically underserved".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-375-R1
Redraft EHS 375
South End Community Center
Mr. Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0005, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for the South End Community Center's Youth Corp program in Springfield".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-376-R1
Redraft EHS 376
Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services
Messrs. Welch and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0005, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services, Inc. to provide comprehensive youth development and violence prevention services to at-risk youth".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-377-R1
Redraft EHS 377
AWAKE Violence Intervention Program
Messrs. Welch and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0005, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $10,000 shall be expended for Springfield Partners, Inc. for the AWAKE program in Springfield, to provide comprehensive youth gang violence prevention intervention services to at-risk youth".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-378
EHS 378
Medical Adherence
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section __, the following new section:-
SECTION ___. Section 1 of chapter 94C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in the definition of “administer”, clause (c) and inserting in place thereof the following clauses:-
(c) a registered pharmacist at the direction of a prescribing practitioner in the course of the practitioner’s professional practice with respect to prescriptions for mental health and substance abuse only; or
(d) an ultimate user or research subject at the direction of a practitioner in the course of his professional practice.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-379
EHS 379
MGH Addiction Psychiatry training (Home Base)
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Rush moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, By inserting after item 1410-0075 the following item:
“xxxx-xxxx For the administration and operation of a medical and clinical fellowship program conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital’s Home Base Program; provided that this program will provide fellowships for mental health providers throughout Massachusetts to improve their ability to care for veterans with mental health and substance use disorders related to the Invisible Wounds of War…….. $1,000,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-380-R1
Redraft EHS 380
Extended Release Naltrexone
Ms. Flanagan and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding the following words:- “; and provided further, that not less than $1,180,000 shall be expended for the extended release naltrexone pilot program pursuant to section 158 of chapter 46 of the acts of 2015”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-381
EHS 381
Foster Care Parent Outreach
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Lovely, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Messrs. Tarr and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, By inserting after item 4800-xxxx the following item:
“XXXX-XXXX For the support of a foster care campaign to recruit new foster parents; provided, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on children and families on the results of this campaign not later than March 15, 2017…$250,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-382
EHS 382
Massachusetts Patient Access and Safety Commission
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
"SECTION ___. There shall be a special commission to study the practice by health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers of switching, for non-medical reasons, individuals with complex or chronic diseases from safe and effective prescription medications to other medications. The commission shall investigate and study several areas including, but not limited to, the following: (i) the frequency by which patients are switched from prescription medications to other medications for non-medical reasons and without the consent or notification of the patients’ prescribing physicians; (ii) the frequency of a health provider prescribing an alternative drug in response to changes in health plan policies mid-year for non-medical reasons; (iii) evaluating the role of financial incentives to pharmacists and prescribers in prescription drug switching decisions, including but not limited to payment, fee, incentive or other contractual reward for choosing a drug alternative; (iv) determining the total cost to the commonwealth when individuals are switched from prescription drugs that have been safe and effective, including but not limited to increased use of services, emergency rooms visits, inpatient hospital stays and outpatient office visits; and (v) identifying the patient populations most impacted by and vulnerable to being switched from prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. The commission shall file a report on its findings and any accompanying recommendations to the joint committee on health care financing, the joint committee on financial services and the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before January 1, 2018.
The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the secretary of health and human services, who shall serve as chair; the executive director of the health policy commission; the executive director of the center for health information and analysis; 2 individuals with disabilities, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and one of whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 2 individuals who are public policy or advocacy representatives for patient organizations with rare, complex or chronic diseases, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and one of whom shall be appointed by the senate president and; 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be an individual who is an actively practicing physician with expertise in the use and prescribing of complex specialty medications including biologics in the treatment of chronic autoimmune diseases and 1 individual who is an actively practicing physician with expertise in treating conditions for which treatment disruptions are likely to result in excess morbidity, disability, or demand of health care resources such as hospitalization, emergency or urgent care visits. The commission may hold public meetings to solicit public input from interested parties in a manner and frequency to be determined by the chair.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-383
EHS 383
Opioid Workforce Training
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge, Moore, Brady and Lewis, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Donoghue, Ms. Gobi, Mr. O'Connor and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 4512-xxxx the following item:
“xxxx-xxxx For a health care workforce training pilot program to train selected hospitals or health center workers in better serving patients seeking substance use prevention and treatment services; and provided further that the Department of Public Health shall develop rules and regulations necessary to create and implement this health care workforce training pilot program, including but not limited to oversight of an application process for employers that have established and participated in a cooperative employee labor/management process, including but not limited to those established with labor organizations…… $500,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-384-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 384
DCF Child Welfare Trial Attorneys
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Joyce, Tarr and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0015, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by adding the following words:- "; and provided further, that the department shall expend not less than $400,000 for the hiring of additional new trial attorneys handling child welfare cases"; and
in said section 2, in said item 4800-0015, by striking out the figure "$95,214,734" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-"$95,614,734".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-385
EHS 385
DMH Hospital Operations
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5095-0015, by striking out the figure “$204,798,658” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “205,798,658”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-386
EHS 386
DTA Caseworker Reserve
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore and Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4400-1100, by striking out the figures “$70,791,291” and inserting in the place thereof the figures “$72,296,441”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-387
EHS 387
Geriatric Mental Health Services
Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Brownsberger, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5046-0000, by adding at the end thereof the following: provided that not less than $200,000 shall be expended on a Department of Mental Health and the Executive office of Elder Affairs elder mental health interagency service agreement for adult home and community-based behavioral health services to adults over the age of 60;” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$378,654,252” and inserting in place thereof the figures “378,854,252”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-388
EHS 388
DMH Rental Subsidies
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Rush and Donnelly, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Lewis and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-9033, by striking out the figure “$5,548,125” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “6,548,125”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-389
EHS 389
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge, Joyce and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 3000-5090 the following item:
3000-6075 For early childhood mental health consultation services in early education and care programs in the commonwealth; provided, that preference shall be given to those services designed to limit the number of expulsions and suspensions from the programs; and provided further, that eligible recipients for such grants shall include community partnership councils, municipal school districts, regional school districts, educational collaboratives, head start programs, licensed childcare providers, child care resource and referral centers and other qualified entities..........................$750,000
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-390
EHS 390
Early Childhood Mental Health Partnership
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Joyce and Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5042-5000, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for a partnership with DEEC to improve early childhood mental health and by striking out the figure “$88,155,618” and inserting in place thereof the figures “88,205,618”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-391
EHS 391
Disabilities Commission Expansion
Mr. Brownsberger and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended … by inserting, after section __, the following new section:-
“Section __. Section 8J of chapter 40 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by striking out, in line 22, the word "nine" and inserting in place thereof the following word:- “thirteen””
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-392
EHS 392
Mitigate Adverse Effects of the Assessment
Mr. Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 38 the following new section:-
“SECTION 38A: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of the executive office of health and human services shall provide annual grants, in such amounts as are determined below, to eligible centers to mitigate the impact on such centers resulting from the increase in the total acute hospital assessment amount provided for by SECTION 37 of this Act and until SECTION 80 of this Act shall become effective. Eligible centers for purposes of this SECTION are comprehensive cancer centers, as defined in section 1 of chapter 6D of the General Laws, that, as a result of implementation of said SECTION 37, experience a negative health safety net impact of greater than $7.5 million. For purposes of this SECTION a negative health safety net impact means the additional amount each year by which such center’s liability to the health safety net trust fund under section 65 of chapter 118E over such center’s reimbursement from the health safety net trust fund under section 69 of chapter 118E increased as a result of implementation of said SECTION 37. Each annual grant provided by the secretary shall be in an amount of no less than 60% of the negative health safety net impact and shall be provided to each such center to support the costs of its specialized services not otherwise paid by the Medicaid office, for its community benefits, and for purposes of its developing care management models for its patients that support the commonwealth’s policies of promoting alternative payment methodologies. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and except to the extent not prohibited by federal law, the secretary is directed to fund such annual grants from such sources as the secretary shall determine, but not from the Health Safety Net Trust Fund or from the Distressed Hospital Trust Fund, and not from amounts credited to the MassHealth Delivery System Reform Trust Fund, established by section 2SSSS of chapter 29, as added by SECTION 25 of this Act, except for amounts in excess of the $250,000,000 that the secretary is required to expend annually under said section 2SSSS, either directly or under subcontracts with managed care organizations, for MassHealth services provided by qualifying acute care hospital providers.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-393
EHS 393
Residential Care Facilities
Messrs. Brownsberger and Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Lewis and Humason, Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Lesser and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4408-1000, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that rates of reimbursement for residential care facilities be increased by no less than $3,200,000 to reflect allowable costs using a base year of no older than 2 years and that no rates will decrease; provided further that not less than $3,720,000 shall be appropriated specifically for repairs and capital expense for physical plant improvements for residential care facilities to be spent within the fiscal year and documented on cost reports or the unused balance of these restricted funds be returned to the Commonwealth” and in said item, by striking out the figures “79,957,842” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$86,877,842”;
and further in item 4405-2000, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that rates of reimbursement for residential care facilities be increased by no less than $1,680,000 to reflect allowable costs using a base year of no older than 2 years and that no rates will decrease; provided further that not less than $1,400,000 shall be appropriated specifically for repairs and capital expense for physical plant improvements for residential care facilities to be spent within the fiscal year and documented on cost reports or the unused balance of these restricted funds be returned to the Commonwealth” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$224,856,806” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$227,936,806”;
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-394-R1
Redraft EHS 394
Brookline Alzheimer's Caregivers Respite Program
Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1630, by adding at the end thereof the following: “; provided further, that no less than $10,000 shall be allocated for the operation of the Brookline Senior Center Alzheimer's Caregiver Respite Program”; and in said item by striking out the figures "$158,143,536" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$$158,153,536"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-395
EHS 395
Macular Degeneration
Ms. Creem, Ms. Lovely and Mr. McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “; provided that $100,000 shall be expended for macular degeneration research into prevention and treatment at The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Inc”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$3,599,010” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,699,010”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-396-R1
Redraft EHS 396
Review of Specialty Drug Dispensing and Patient Safety
Messrs. Keenan and Lewis, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge and deMacedo, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Gobi and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 77 the following new section:-
SECTION 77A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there is hereby established a task force to study and analyze health insurance payer practices that require certain categories of drugs, including those that are administered by injection or infusion, to be dispensed by a third-party specialty pharmacy directly to a patient or to a health care provider with the designation that such drugs be used for a specific patient and not for the general use of the provider. The task force shall conduct an investigation and study of such practice including the extent to which it affects health care quality, patient safety, and health care cost containment goals, and whether such practice should be regulated or restricted.
The task force shall consist of the following 11 members: the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or designee, who shall chair the task force; the commissioner of public health or designee; the commissioner of insurance or designee; the executive director of the health policy commission or designee; the executive director of the group insurance commission or designee; the president of Massachusetts Hospital Association; the executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals; a representative of the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists; a representative of the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals; the president of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; and the president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., or designee.
The task force shall prepare a report of its findings, including recommended legislation. The task force shall file the report with the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on health care financing and the joint committee on public health no later than July 1, 2017.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-397
EHS 397
Gold Star Annuity
Messrs. Keenan and Timilty and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-
SECTION _. Section 6B of Chapter 115 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 edition, is hereby amended in lines 19, 28 and 35 by striking out the figure “$2,000” and inserting in place thereof the figure “$2,500”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-398-R1
Redraft EHS 398
Home Health Care Pilot Program
Mr. Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by adding at the end thereof the following:
“provided further, that the executive office of health and human services shall expend not less than $50,000 to develop a pilot program in Norfolk County for the purpose of incentivizing independent home health care nurses to work with patients with rare diseases and disorders, including but not limited to, Rett Syndrome and mitochondrial diseases; provided further, that in the development of this the program, the executive office shall review the reimbursement rates for independent home care nurses and consider restructuring the rate system so that independent home care nurses who agree to treat patients with more severe needs are compensated at a higher rate”;
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-399-R1
Redraft EHS 399
Children's Advocacy Center of Bristol County
Messrs. Timilty, Rodrigues, Montigny and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by striking out the words “provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County, Inc.;” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “provided further, that not less than $400,000 shall be expended for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County, Inc.;”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-400
EHS 400
State Public Health Laboratory
Messrs. Keenan, Brownsberger, Brady, Lewis, Rush, Joyce, Moore, Eldridge and McGee and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4516-1000, by striking out the figure "$12,282,648" and inserting in place thereof the figure "$13,469,435"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-401
EHS 401
DCF Out Of State
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new section:-
“SECTION __. Section 1 of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 34, after the word “therein.”, the following new sentence: - In the circumstance that a child the under care of the department is a resident of a state other than Massachusetts, the department shall utilize appropriate resources to return the child back to his state of residency.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-403
EHS 403
Maynard & Acton Shuttle Enhancement
Mr. Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following "; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the towns of Maynard and Acton for the senior van program"; and in said item by striking out the figure "$14,100,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$14,150,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-404
EHS 404
Municipal Naloxone Bulk Purchase Program
Mr. Lesser, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Gobi and Ms. Donoghue moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0930, by striking out the figure "100,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “150,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-405
EHS 405
Definitive Drug Testing
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
“SECTION ___. The office of Medicaid is directed to amend its coverage policies for clinical urine drug testing, coverage and reimbursement to align with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines and allow for reimbursement for definitive testing (also includes quantitative and confirmatory testing) sent directly to licensed clinical laboratories without prior presumptive testing being performed.
To ensure appropriate and responsible use, medical necessity documentation and utilization frequency guidelines, as outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), shall be implemented by the office of Medicaid.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary an independent clinical laboratory that is the out-of-state and accredited by the College of American Pathologists shall be deemed eligible and qualified to participate as a MassHealth provider and eligible for payment.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-406
EHS 406
Naloxone in Schools Grant Program
Mr. Lesser, Ms. Gobi and Ms. Donoghue moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0204, by striking it in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:
“4512-0204 For the purchase, administration and training of first-responder and bystander naloxone distribution programs; provided, that funds shall be expended to maintain funding for first responder naloxone grants and bystander distribution in communities with high incidence of overdose; provided further, that funds shall be expended to establish a grant program for school districts to provide school nurses with naloxone in communities with high incidence of overdose; provided further, that the commissioner of public health may transfer funds between this item and item 4512-0200, as necessary, under an allocation plan which shall detail the distribution of the funds to be transferred and which the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means 30 days before any such transfer; and provided further, that not later than October 3, 2016, the department of public health shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on: (i) the communities included in the program expansion; (ii) the number of participants for each community; and (iii) the amount of naloxone purchased and distributed, delineated by community………………………$1,000,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-407
EHS 407
Arlington Youth Counseling Center
Mr. Donnelly moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5042-5000, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided that the department shall expend not less than $150,000 for the Arlington Youth Counseling Center”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$88,155,618” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$88,305,618”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-408
EHS 408
Specialty Courts MassHealth Liaison
Mr. Donnelly moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding at the end thereof the following:- "provided further that $50,000 shall be expended for the direct payroll costs of a MassHealth liaison to the Trial Court responsible for the administration of health insurance benefits for participants in the specialty courts. MassHealth shall establish a direct phone number for court employees serving participants of special courts to use in contacting MassHealth regarding enrollment and other benefits issues for participants and MassHealth shall notify within 30 days of passage of this act the Specialty Court Administrator for the Trial Courts with the direct contact number and other pertinent information"; and in said item, by striking out the figures "$99,715,735" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$99,765,735"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-409
EHS 409
Expanding the Mandated Reporter Definition
Messrs. Tarr, Ross and Humason and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new section:-
“SECTION __. Section 21 of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking, in line 74, the words “or (vi) the child advocate” and inserting in place thereof the following:- “(vi) any public or private school employee; (vii) any person who cares for or works with a child in any public or private child care facility; (viii) all employees of the commonwealth; (viii) all volunteers who regularly work with children as part of a team or organization such as volunteer youth sports coaches, church volunteers, park and recreation, library, scouting, boys or girls clubs, Young Men’s Christian Association, and any other person in the commonwealth who works in a youth organization or has contact with children; (ix) persons contracted for landscaping by a public or private school; or (x) the child advocate. No person under the age of 18 shall be classified as a mandated reporter.
Section __. Section 51A of said chapter 119 is hereby amended by adding, after subsection (k), the following new subsection:-
(l) All designated mandated reporters in the commonwealth shall be required to take child sexual abuse training as determined by the office of the child advocate and the interagency child welfare task force established by section 215 of chapter 6.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-410
EHS 410
MassHealth ICB Grants
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0050, by striking out the figure “5,486,523,203” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $5,496,523,203
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-411
EHS 411
Transfers Between Health Funds
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 72 by inserting in the first sentence after the word “transfer” the following words:- “up to”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-412-R1
Redraft EHS 412
Assisted Outpatient Treatment Pilot
Mr. Donnelly moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5046-0000, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by adding at the end thereof the following:-
"provided further that the department shall expend not less than $250,000 to continue the assisted outpatient treatment pilot program at Elliot Community Human Services to treat residents who suffer from serious and persistent mental illness and experience repeated interaction with law enforcement or have a high rate of recurring hospitalization due to their mental illness, either through a voluntary agreement with the resident, or by court order mandating that the resident receive the treatment described in this program. The department, in conjunction with Elliot Community Human Services, shall produce an Assisted Outpatient Treatment Pilot Analysis Report that includes baseline and current metrics related to clients served including, but not limited to: (i) behavioral and physical medical diagnosis; (ii) status of activities of daily living, including food, shelter, and employment; (iii) psychiatric hospitalizations; (iv) treatment history; and (v) insurance status; provided that the report shall define the factors that proved successful in treating pilot participants including practices used and type of staff functions necessary for success in treating pilot participants; provided further that the report shall identify issues and practices that present barriers to successful treatment; and provided further that the report shall include a cost analysis of treatment. The report shall also include a plan for creating a sustainable program based on information from the analysis report and shall include a proposal for a sustainable course of funding to implement the program."
and in said item, by striking out the figures "$378,654,252" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$378,904,252"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-413-R1
Redraft EHS 413
MetroWest Free Medical Program
Mr. Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding the following: “; provided further, that no less than $100,000 be expended for the MetroWest Free Medical Program”; and in said item by striking out the figure "$99,715,735" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$99,815,735”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-414
EHS 414
Nursing Home Residents Protection
Messrs. Montigny, Brady, Tarr, Moore, Eldridge, McGee and Brownsberger, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Rodrigues, Pacheco and Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0600, provided further, that MassHealth shall reimburse nursing home facilities for up to and including 20 medical leave of absence days and shall reimburse the facilities for up to and including 10 nonmedical leave of absence days; provided further, that medical leave of absence days shall include an observation stay in a hospital in excess of 24 hours; provided further, that not later than January 1, 2017, MassHealth shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means the following for the fiscal year 2016: (i) the number of nursing facility clients on a leave of absence, delineated by the nursing facility, by medical leave of absence days and medical leave of absence days that exceeded 10 days per hospital stay, nonmedical leave of absence days and the total number of days on leave of absence unduplicated member count; (ii) licensed beds monthly capacity levels per nursing home and the monthly total number of empty beds per nursing facility, total number of all nursing home residents and total MassHealth nursing home residents; (iii) 6 separate MassHealth payment rates and the average payment amount rate per nursing facility client resident; (iv) actual number of nursing home residents for each of the 6 payment categories in clause (iii); (v) the aggregate payment amount per nursing facility by month; and (vi) all reports shall delineate by nursing home, including grand totals where appropriate; and provided further, that no nursing home may reassign a patient's bed during a leave of absence eligible for reimbursement under this item.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-416
EHS 416
Fraudulent use of a medical marijuana registration card
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new section:-
"SECTION __. Section 32E of chapter 94C of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding, after the word “as established herein.” in line 45, the following section:
(e) The fraudulent use of a medical marijuana registration card or cultivation registration shall be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in the house of correction, or a fine up to $500, but if such fraudulent use is for the distribution, sale, or trafficking of marijuana for non-medical use for profit it shall be a felony punishable by up to 5 years in state prison or up to two and one half years in the house of correction and a fine of up to $10,000."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-417
EHS 417
Health Care Cost Transparency Compliance
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after Section __, the following new section:
Section__. Section 1. Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby amended in section 15 by adding the following new section:
"Section 5A. The commission shall develop and promulgate regulations to facilitate the expeditious and effective compliance with the provisions of this act, which shall include but not be limited to: (i) prototype forms for the request by consumers and provision by providers of pricing information in easily understood language; (ii) protocols for the training of personnel in the proper and effective response to requests for pricing information by consumers by health care providers; (iii) one or more tools for analyzing the effectiveness of a provider's response to a request for pricing information by a consumer.
Section 2. Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby amended in section 36 by adding the following new section:-
Section 27A. Each carrier, as defined herein, shall submit annually to the division of insurance a report regarding its compliance with the provision of this act relative to the transparency, availability, and accessibility of information pertaining to pricing and available procedures and its efforts to achieve such compliance. If, based on said report, the division determines that the carrier is making inadequate progress toward such compliance, then it shall conduct an audit of the carrier’s efforts to achieve compliance. Subsequent to that audit, the carrier shall develop and submit a remediation plan that shall be submitted to the division of its approval.
Section 3. The Board of Registration in Medicine and the Board of Registration in Dentistry shall promulgate additional requirements for the issuance or renewal of professional licenses which include standards to ensure, as a condition of licensure or re-licensure, compliance with the transparency provisions of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, and reasonable sanctions and/or remedies, including remediation plans, for the failure to so comply.
Section 4. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Group Insurance Commission shall require, in any future contracts, one or more provisions requiring timely and effective compliance with the transparency provisions of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012.
Section 5. Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby amended in section 36 by adding at the end thereof:-
A carrier or third party administrator shall notify consumers of their right to request and obtain pricing and cost estimate information in clear language and in an open and conspicuous manner, including but not limited to: (i) signage and other physical displays; (ii) notice prominently placed on website and other electronic communication; and (iii) notification on forms and documents, provided that all such notifications shall provide all relevant mechanisms such as telephone numbers, websites, and e-mail addresses for making such requests."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-419
EHS 419
Community Health Center Technical Assistance Funding
Mr. Brownsberger and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by adding at the end thereof the following: "; provided further that not less than $250,000 shall be expended on a statewide program of technical assistance to community health centers to be provided by a state primary care association qualified under Section 330(f)(1) of the United States Public Health Service Act at 42 USC 254c(f)(1)”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-420
EHS 420
Quincy Dementia Friendly Community
Mr. Keenan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting at the end thereof the following:-
"; provided further, that not less than $20,000 shall be granted to Quincy’s Council on Aging to enable the agency to create a dementia-capable system of home and community-based services and supports"; and in said item, by striking out the figure “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$14,120,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-421
EHS 421
The Women's Center
Mr. Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1130, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for The Women’s Center in New Bedford to provide domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, education, and counseling programs;"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-422-R1
Redraft EHS 422
Veterans' Outreach Centers
Messrs. Rush, Downing and Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Lesser, Humason and O'Connor and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0012, by adding the following words:- “; and provided further, that the department shall make a payment equal to the fiscal year 2016 amount for each veterans’ outreach center funded by this item in fiscal year 2016”; and in said section 2, in said item 1410-0012, by striking out the figure "$3,247,641" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$3,357,641".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-423
EHS 423
Healthy Incentives Program
Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Eldridge, Moore, Brady, Rodrigues and Wolf moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4400-1001, by adding the following:- “; and provided, that $1,003,334 shall be expended to the FINI Expendable Trust for the purpose of project costs for the Healthy Incentives Program”; and in said item by striking out the figures “$3,375,571” and inserting in place thereof the figures:- “$4,378,905”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-424-R1
Redraft EHS 424
Veterans' Homelessness Service Centers
Messrs. Rush, Montigny, Downing, Moore, Humason and O'Connor and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0250, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by adding the following words:- “;provided, that the department shall make a payment equal to the fiscal year 2016 amount for each veterans’ homelessness service center funded by this item in fiscal year 2016”; and in said section 2, in said item 1410-0250, by striking out the figure "$2,891,629" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$3,141,629".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-425
EHS 425
DVS Operational Funding
Mr. Rush, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. O'Connor and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0010, by striking out the figures "$3,372,497" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$3,522,497"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-426-R1
Redraft EHS 426
HomeBASE Expansion and Renewal
Ms. Chang-Diaz, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Eldridge, Ms. Forry, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. Brady, Moore and Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-0108, in Section 2, in item 7004-0108, in Section 2, in line item 7004-0101 by striking the words, "and provided further, that as a one-year pilot program, the department may expend not more than $300,000 under item 7004-0108 on families residing in time-limited temporary emergency shelters and residential treatment programs under items 4512-0200, 4513-1130 and 4800-0038 if such families otherwise meet all eligibility requirements applicable to emergency shelter under item 7004-0101"
and further amend by inserting in 7004-0108 after the words, "shall not become ineligible for assistance due to exceeding the income limit for a period of 6 months from the date that the 50 percent level was exceeded;" the following words:- "provided further, that the department may authorize families to receive further allotments of assistance in subsequent 12-month periods in order to prevent the families from becoming homeless again"
and further amend by inserting in 7004-0108 after the words, "nothing in this item shall give rise to or shall be construed as giving rise to any enforceable right or entitlement to services in excess of the amounts appropriated herein; and provided further," the following words:-"that as a one-year pilot program for FY 2017, the department may expend up to $300,000 under item 7004-0108 on families including a child under the age of 21 or a pregnant woman who meet income eligibility requirements for emergency shelter under 7004-0101 or this item but who are residing in time-limited temporary emergency shelters and residential treatment programs under items 4512-0200, 4513-1130, and 4800-0038"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-427-R1
Redraft EHS 427
Lyme Disease Coverage
Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Eldridge, Keenan, Moore, Rodrigues and Timilty, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Lewis, Ross and Fattman, Ms. Chandler, Mr. Joyce, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Brownsberger and Pacheco, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Brady, Humason and Wolf, Ms. Donoghue, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Creem, Messrs. McGee, Lesser and Rush moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 42 the following 8 sections:-
“SECTION 42A. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47GG the following section:-
Section 47HH. (a) For the purposes of this section, the terms “Lyme disease” and “long-term antibiotic therapy” shall mean “Lyme disease” and “long-term antibiotic therapy” as defined in section 12DD of chapter 112.
(b) A policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or renewed within the commonwealth that provides medical expense coverage shall provide coverage for long-term antibiotic therapy for a patient with Lyme disease if it is: (i) medically necessary; and (ii) ordered by a licensed health care provider after recording an evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results or response to treatment in the patient’s electronic health record. An experimental drug shall be covered as a long-term antibiotic therapy if it is approved for any indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration; provided, further, that a drug, including experimental drugs, shall be covered for an off-label use in the treatment of Lyme disease if the drug has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
SECTION 42B. Section 47HH of said chapter 175 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 42C. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8II the following section:-
Section 8JJ. A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall provide coverage for long-term antibiotic therapy for a patient with Lyme disease if it is: (i) medically necessary; and (ii) ordered by a licensed health care provider after recording an evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results or response to treatment in the patient’s electronic health record. An experimental drug shall be covered as a long-term antibiotic therapy if it is approved for any indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration; provided, further, that a drug, including experimental drugs, shall be covered for an off-label use in the treatment of Lyme disease if the drug has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
SECTION 42D. Section 8JJ of said chapter 176A is hereby repealed.
SECTION 42E. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4II the following section:-
Section 4JJ. A subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall provide coverage for long-term antibiotic therapy for a patient with Lyme disease if it is: (i) medically necessary; and (ii) ordered by a licensed health care provider after recording an evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results or response to treatment in the patient’s electronic health record. An experimental drug shall be covered as a long-term antibiotic therapy if it is approved for any indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration; provided, further, that a drug, including experimental drugs, shall be covered for an off-label use in the treatment of Lyme disease if the drug has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
SECTION 42F. Section 4JJ of said chapter 176B is hereby repealed.
SECTION 42G. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4AA the following section:-
Section 4BB. An individual or group health maintenance contract shall provide coverage for long-term antibiotic therapy for a patient with Lyme disease if it is: (i) medically necessary; and (ii) ordered by a licensed health care provider after recording an evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results or response to treatment in the patient’s electronic health record. An experimental drug shall be covered as a long-term antibiotic therapy if it is approved for any indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration; provided, further, that a drug, including experimental drugs, shall be covered for an off-label use in the treatment of Lyme disease if the drug has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
SECTION 42H. Section 4BB of said chapter 176G is hereby repealed.”; and
by inserting after section 79 the following section:-
“SECTION 79A. Sections 42B, 42D, 42F and 42H shall take effect on July 1, 2021.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-429-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 429
Nursing Home Quality Jobs Initiative
Messrs. Wolf, Eldridge and Moore, Ms. Chandler, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Lewis, Humason, Downing, Rush, Donnelly, Timilty and McGee, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. Brownsberger, Boncore, Rodrigues and O'Connor, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Brady and Fattman, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Creem, Mr. Tarr, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Montigny and Pacheco and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0640, by striking out the words "may, at the secretary's discretion," and inserting in place thereof the following word:- "shall"; and in said item by adding at the end thereof the following: "provided further, that not less than $20,500,000 shall be expended to fund a rate-add on for wages, benefits, and related employee costs of direct care staff of nursing homes, including certified nurse aides, housekeeping, laundry and dietary staff; provided further, MassHealth shall adopt all additional regulations and procedures to carry out this section; provided further, that no later than January 30, 2017, MassHealth shall report to the house and senate ways and means committees an analysis of the impact on the wages for direct care workers at the nursing homes receiving said funds;"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-430
EHS 430
Veteran Mediation Services
Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0012, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that $199,000 be expended for veteran mediation services to be administered by Quabbin Mediation”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$3,247,641” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,446,641”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-431
EHS 431
Hospital Closures and Health Planning
Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Keenan and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section XX, the following new sections:-
SECTION XX. Section 16T of Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following:-
(a) There shall be a health planning council within the executive office of health and human services whose purpose shall be to develop and periodically update a state health plan as described in this section. The council shall consist of the secretary of health and human services or a designee who shall serve as chair, the commissioner of public health or a designee, the director of the office of Medicaid or a designee, the commissioner of mental health or a designee, the secretary of elder affairs or a designee, the executive director of the center for health information and analysis or a designee, the executive director of the health policy commission or a designee and 3 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a health economist; 1 of whom shall have experience in health policy and planning and 1 of whom shall have experience in health care market planning and service line analysis.
The council shall assemble an advisory committee of not more than 13 members who shall reflect a broad distribution of diverse perspectives on the health care system, including health care providers and provider organizations, community health centers, academic institutions, health care workforce development expertise, third-party payers, both public and private, consumer representatives and labor organizations representing health care workers. The advisory committee shall review drafts and provide recommendations to the council for the development and each periodic update of the plan.
The council chair shall establish processes to ensure public access to the most current version of the state health plan, and to allow interested persons to submit testimony toward the development and updating of the plan, which process shall include public hearings in geographically diverse areas, and a website to allow members of the public to submit comments electronically and review comments submitted by others.
The state health plan shall identify needs of the commonwealth in health care services, providers, programs and facilities; the resources available to meet those needs; and the priorities for addressing those needs. To assess and report on such needs, the council shall establish not fewer than fifteen health planning regions to reflect variance in the service needs and resource capacities across the different geographies of the Commonwealth. The assessments, findings and recommendations of the council shall be presented according to said planning regions, taking into consideration each region’s chronic disease data, health outcomes data, population characteristics, transportation resources and travel considerations.
SECTION XX. Said section 16T, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in subsection (b), by inserting after the words “primary care resources” in line 50 the following:-
“; community-based health care resources”
SECTION XX. Said section 16T, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in subsection (b), by striking the first sentence of the fourth paragraph, in lines 58 through 62, and inserting in place thereof the following:-
“The plan shall also make recommendations for the appropriate supply and distribution of resources, programs, capacities, technologies and services identified in the second paragraph of this subsection on a state-wide and regional basis, based on an assessment of regional needs and resource capacity for the subsequent 5 years and options for implementing such recommendations, to include the identification of shortage and excess resources in each region and recommended statutory or regulatory mechanisms to incentivize a rebalancing of said shortage and excess resources.”
SECTION XX. Said section 16T, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in subsection (c), by inserting after the word “need” in line 76 the following:-
“pursuant to section 25C of chapter 111 and for making assessments and determinations on the impact of service discontinuations and closures pursuant to section 51G of chapter 111”
SECTION XX. Said section 16T, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new subsection:-
(g) The secretary of human services shall work in conjunction with the agencies and organizations having membership on the council, as defined in the first paragraph of subsection (a), to establish agreements and mechanisms for appropriate sharing of data between agencies as required for the council to fulfill its responsibilities, provided that no such agreement or mechanism shall conflict with state and federal laws and rules for medical privacy.
SECTION XX. Section 13 of Chapter 6D of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new subsection:-
(l) Upon receiving notice from the department of public health of a proposed hospital closure or discontinuation of an essential health service, pursuant to section 51G of chapter 111, the commission shall conduct a review equivalent to that required by this section for a material change, and shall report the findings of such review to the commissioner of public health. The executive director of the commission, and the commissioner of public health, shall enter into a mutual agreement to share documentation provided by the hospital relative to the proposed closure or discontinuation, in order to reduce duplicative reporting requirements by the hospital.
SECTION XX. Section 8 of Chapter 12C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 official edition, is hereby amended in subsection (c) by striking the last sentence of the second paragraph, in lines 50 through 55, and inserting in place thereof the following:-
“The center shall also identify hospitals that the center considers to be in financial distress, including any hospitals at risk of closing or discontinuing essential health services, as defined by the department of public health under section 51G of chapter 111, as a result of financial distress, and shall report a list of such at-risk hospitals, which shall not be subject to disclosure under chapter 66, to the secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of public health, and the executive director of the health policy commission no less frequently than once every 120 days.”
And is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “subsection.” in line 58 the following:-
“Compliance with said reporting requirements shall also be considered a condition of licensure pursuant to section 51 of chapter 111.”
SECTION XX. Section 11 of Chapter 12C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the section in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:-
Section XX. The center shall ensure the timely reporting of information required under sections 8, 9 and 10. The center shall notify public and private healthcare payers, including third-party administrators, providers and provider organizations of any applicable reporting deadlines and shall promulgate regulations to establish administrative sanctions against private health care payers, third-party administrators, providers, and provider organizations, including, but not limited to, administrative fines, for any violations of sections 8, 9 and 10. Amounts collected under this section shall be deposited in the Healthcare Payment Reform Fund, established under section 100 of 194 of the acts of 2011.
The center or its designated representative may petition the superior court seeking injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of sections 8, 9, and 10. If the superior court upon summary hearing determines that an entity subject to the requirements of this chapter has, without justifiable cause, refused to furnish information required by sections 8, 9, and 10 or any regulation promulgated by the center thereunder, it shall issue an order directing the payer, third-party administrator, provider, or provider organization to furnish the information within 5 business days; and any failure to obey any such order may be penalized by the court as contempt thereof.
The center may refer delinquent entities to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, with recommendations that the Executive Office of Health and Human Services impose any penalty authorized under chapters 111 and 118E of the General Laws or other applicable regulations.
SECTION XX. Section 51 of Chapter 111, as amended by chapter 402 of the Acts of 2014, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following new paragraph:-
“Each hospital licensee shall comply with the uniform reporting requirements to the center for health information and analysis, as established pursuant to chapter 12C.
SECTION XX. Section 51G of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking subsection (4) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(4) (a) Any hospital shall give notice to the department 90 days prior to the discontinuance of any essential health service provided therein. The department shall by regulation define “essential health service” for the purposes of this section, and may establish distinct definitions for each health planning region as defined pursuant to section 16T of chapter 6A. The hospital proposing the discontinuance shall provide, with their initial notice to the department, evidence of having given public notice and notice to municipal officials and of having allowed reasonable opportunity for official and for public comment from each municipality to which it provides the service as a health care resource, as determined pursuant to section 16T of chapter 6A of the General Laws. Any information given without meeting the requirements of this paragraph shall not constitute notice to the department for the purpose of establishing the earliest date on which the hospital discontinue the essential health service. The department shall forward any notice received under this section to the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and to the Health Policy Commission.
(b) Any hospital shall give notice to the department 120 days prior the closure of the hospital. The hospital undergoing the closure shall provide, with their initial notice to the department, evidence of having given public notice and notice to municipal officials and of having allowed reasonable opportunity for official and for public comment from each municipality to which it provides the service as a health care resource, as determined pursuant to section 16T of chapter 6A of the General Laws. Any information given without meeting the requirements of this paragraph shall not constitute notice to the department for the purpose of establishing the earliest date on which the hospital may close. The department shall forward any notice received under this section to the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and to the Health Policy Commission.
(c) The department shall, in the event that a hospital intends to close or proposes to discontinue an essential health service or services, determine whether any closed or discontinued services are necessary for preserving access and health status in the hospital’s service area, require hospitals to submit a plan for assuring access to such necessary services following the hospital’s closure or discontinuation of the service, and assure continuing access to such services in the event that the department determines that their closure will significantly reduce access to necessary services. If the hospital’s plan for assuring continued access to a necessary service relies upon the availability of similar services at another hospital or health facility with which it does not share common ownership, the department shall require the hospital to submit with said plan a statement from each other hospital or health facility listed in the plan, affirming their capacity to provide continued access as described in the plan. The department shall conduct a public hearing prior to a determination on the closure of said essential services or of the hospital.
(d) The department, in conducting any assessment and prior to making any determination pursuant to paragraph (c), shall refer to the state health plan and regional considerations established pursuant to section 16T of chapter 6A, and shall also request and consider information presented by the Health Policy Commission pursuant to section 13 of chapter 6D.
(e) If a hospital closes or discontinues an essential health service without a plan approved by the department pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, that hospital shall not be eligible to have an application approved pursuant to section 25C for a period of two years from the date the service is discontinued, or until the essential health service is restored, or until such time as the department is satisfied that a plan is in place that, at the time of the discontinuance, would have met the requirements of paragraph (b). If a closed hospital is part of a network of hospitals under common ownership, the same restrictions shall apply against every hospital remaining in operation by the hospital network. The commissioner may waive a restriction established pursuant to this subsection, if the application of such restriction causes an imminent hazard to the public health.
(f) If a hospital executes a plan to discontinue an essential health service, said plan not having been approved by the department pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, that hospital shall not be eligible to receive funding under sections 2PPP or 2GGGG of Chapter 29, or under section 2G of Chapter 111, for a period of two years from the date the service is discontinued, or until the essential health service is restored, or until such time as the department is satisfied that a plan is in place that, at the time of the discontinuance, would have met the requirements of paragraph (b). If a closed hospital is part of a network of hospitals under common ownership, the same restrictions shall apply against every hospital remaining in operation by the hospital network. The commissioner may waive a restriction established pursuant to this subsection, if the application of such restriction causes an imminent hazard to the public health.
(g) No original license shall be granted to establish or maintain an acute-care hospital, as defined by section 25B, unless the applicant submits a plan, to be approved by the department, for the provision of community benefits, including the identification and provision of essential health services. In approving the plan, the department may take into account the applicant’s existing commitment to primary and preventive health care services and community contributions as well as the primary and preventive health care services and community contributions of the predecessor hospital. The department may waive this requirement, in whole or in part, at the request of the applicant which has provided or at the time the application is filed, is providing, substantial primary and preventive health care services and community contributions in its service area.
SECTION XX. Section 56 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second sentence the following new sentence:-
Whoever, being licensed under section 51, discontinues an essential health service or closes a hospital under said license and in violation of section 51G shall, for a first offense, be punished by a fine of not more than $150,000 and for a subsequent offense by a fine of not more than $300,000 or by imprisonment for not more than two years or both. Any licensee under section 51 that closes a hospital under said license and in violation of section 51G shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500,000 or by imprisonment for not more than two years or both, provided that if a closed hospital is part of a network of hospitals under common ownership the penalties herein described shall be levied against the authority, entity or corporation having control of the hospital network.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-432
EHS 432
AED Trust Fund
Mr. Fattman, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Montigny, Tarr and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 1599-7104 the following item: “xxxx-xxxx For a reserve for 1-time grants for the purchase of automated external defibrillators; provided, that applicants may include municipalities and school districts, including regional school districts, for use in schools, senior centers and senior housing complexes; provided further, that grants shall be made available in the form of 50 per cent matching grants to be administered by the executive office of public safety and security; provided further, that grants may include matching funds for training in the use of the equipment and cardiopulmonary resuscitations; provided further, that local matching funds may be provided through the municipality or school district by local appropriation or through donations from nonprofit organizations or individual, corporate or foundation gifts; and provided further, that nothing in this item shall limit the ability of the executive office of public safety and security to obtain the equipment through a bulk purchase arrangement to maximize the number of grants that may be made with these funds……$500,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-433-R1
Redraft EHS 433
Regulating sex offender registration in the 21st century
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new sections:-
SECTION __. Section 178C of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Agency”, the following new definition:- “Electronic alias, address and domain”, any electronic mail, website registrations, messaging and chat service aliases, websites and domains either personally owned and operated or otherwise owned and operated by a third party with the purpose of displaying, soliciting or otherwise posting information, entries and aliases associated with either web-based applications and databases, or aliases used and/or stored on personal computers that may be transmitted for use during any communication.
SECTION __. Section 178D of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended in subparagraph (a) by inserting after the words “aliases used,” in line 11 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains
SECTION __. Section 178D of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the second paragraph by inserting after clause (i) in line 37 the following new clause:- ( _ ) the offender’s electronic aliases, addresses and domains;
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “the sex offender’s name,” in line 28 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “failure to do so” in line 56 the following:- , to give notice of a change of electronic alias, address or domain, or the addition of an electronic alias, address or domain and the penalties for failure to do so
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (b) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 66 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (c) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 99-100 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (g) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 149 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (h) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 166-167 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (l) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 212-123 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (o) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 246 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (q) by inserting after the words “the student’s name,” in line 272 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains;
SECTION __. Section 178F of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the first paragraph by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 6-7 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178F of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the first paragraph by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 17 the following:- all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,
SECTION __. Section 178H of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (a) by inserting after clause (iii) in line 3 the following new clause:- ( _ ) fails to give notice of a change of electronic alias, address or domain, or the addition of an electronic alias, address or domain;
SECTION __. Section 178J of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in clause (1) of paragraph (b) by inserting after the words “specific individual by name” in line 26 the following:- , electronic alias, address or domain
SECTION __. Section 178J of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (c) by inserting after clause (1) the following new clause:- ( _ ) all electronic aliases, addresses and domains;
SECTION __. Section 178K of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in subparagraph (c) of paragraph (2) by inserting after clause (i) in line 148 the following new clause:- ( _ ) all electronic aliases, addresses and domains;
SECTION_. Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing is hereby further amended by inserting after section 178Q the following new section:-
“Section 178R. For any offender that received a final classification of level 3, the hearing officer that made such determination may also make a recommendation, in their written decision that the board classify such offender as a sexually violent predator as defined under section 178C of chapter 6 and 830 CMR 1.31. The board must also consider and make written findings.
The board shall annually report on the number of offenders classified as a sexually violent predator
SECTION_. Notwithstanding any general or special law the sex offender registry board shall submit to the clerks of the house and senate, the joint committee on public safety, the joint committee on the judiciary the number of offenders classified as a sexually violent predator since 2003.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-434
EHS 434
Community Health Center Workforce Development and Loan Forgiveness
Ms. Chang-Diaz, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Keenan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 4000-0051 the following item:-
"4000-0265 For a primary care workforce development and loan forgiveness grant program at community health centers, for the purpose of enhancing recruitment and retention of primary care physicians and other clinicians at community health centers throughout the Commonwealth; provided, that the grant shall be administered by the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers in consultation with the secretary of the executive office of health and human services and relevant member agencies; provided further, that the funds shall be matched by other public and private funds; and provided further, that the League shall work with said secretary and said agencies to maximize all sources of public and private funds...............$1,500,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-435
EHS 435
Naloxone Availability Special Commission
Messrs. Fattman, O'Connor, Tarr, Lesser and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section __, the following new section:-
“SECTION __. Notwithstanding any special or general law there shall be a special commission to study the alternatives and develop recommendations to broaden the availability of naloxone without prescription, including but not limited to recommendations on the standing order process, the collaborative practice agreement process, and/or legislative recommendations.
The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services or their designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the division of insurance or their designee; three members to be appointed by the governor, which shall include: one person who is a prescribing physician, one person who is a stakeholder within a retail pharmacy company, and one member of the general citizenry impacted by the opiate epidemic; two members of the House of Representatives, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; two members of the Senate, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; the director of the board of pharmacy or their designee; the director of the bureau of substance abuse services or their designee; provided, however, that the first meeting of the commission shall take place not later than September 1, 2016.
The special commission shall submit its recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation, to the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse not later than December 31, 2016."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-436
EHS 436
Emergency Services Programs and Community
Messrs. Eldridge, Moore, Donnelly and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5047-0001, by striking the figure “$24,101,834” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$24, 351,834”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-437-R1
Redraft EHS 437
Clarifying TAFDC Job Search Requirements
Messrs. Donnelly, Barrett and Wolf, Ms. Creem, Messrs. Eldridge and Lewis, Ms. Forry, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Brownsberger, McGee, Brady, Moore and Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 35 the following 2 sections:-
"SECTION 35A. Section 13 of chapter 118 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 7 and 8, the words “not be disqualified from receiving temporary assistance during the cash assistance eligibility determination process” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- have 60 days to complete and provide evidence of the job search required by subsection (b).
SECTION 35B. Said section 13 of said chapter 118 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 18 and 19, the words “prior to the applicant’s case approval” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- to the department consistent with the requirements in subsection (a).”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-438
EHS 438
Juvenile Court Clinics
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. Brownsberger and Rodrigues and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5055-0000, By adding at the end thereof the following: “provided that funds may be expended for juvenile court clinics.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-439
EHS 439
Greater Milford Area Regional Substance Abuse and Intervention Program
Mr. Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided that $84,000 be expended for the Milford Police Department and the Juvenile Advocacy Group to maintain a regional substance abuse outreach and intervention program in the Greater Milford area;” and in said item by striking out the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$122,897,988”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-440
EHS 440
Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project
Ms. O'Connor Ives and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for the Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project toward resources, community outreach and programs in Methuen, Lawrence, Haverhill and North Andover” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$122,833,988”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-442
EHS 442
Vietnam Veterans of America
Mr. Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0010, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the Vietnam Veterans of America Massachusetts State Council to provide assistance for veterans in filing claims to receive medical and financial benefits".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-443-R1
Redraft EHS 443
FIT Body & Soul
Messrs. Welch and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended for the COGIC Family Services FIT Body and Soul program in Springfield".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-444
EHS 444
Transitional Services for Homeless Veterans
Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0250, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that not less than $30,000 shall be expended for transitional services at Our Neighbor’s Table in the city of Amesbury” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$2,891,629” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$2,921,629”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-445
EHS 445
College Bound Dorchester
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding the following: “provided further, that funds may be expended on programs that received funding in fiscal year 2013; and provided further, an amount not less than fiscal year 2013 shall be expended on children’s advocacy centers.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-446
EHS 446
Behavioral Health Promotion and Upstream Prevention Commission
Mr. Keenan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Joyce, Lewis and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-
SECTION _. There is hereby established a special commission on behavioral health promotion and upstream prevention to investigate evidence-based practices, programs and systems to prevent behavioral health disorders and promote behavioral health across the commonwealth. The commission shall: (1) consider recommendations from state and federal reports, guides and action plans to promote behavioral health; (2) identify sustainable, cost-beneficial and evidence-based privately or publicly funded programs or practices, implemented inside or outside of the commonwealth, which are designed to promote behavioral health, prevent disorders, and support early detection and intervention of behavioral health disorders; (3) assess approaches to improve the commonwealth’s system of behavioral health promotion and prevention, including, but not limited to: (i) programs and practices that could be implemented over the next decade to promote behavioral health, (ii) the creation of a single state behavioral health agency, and (iii) ways to increase collaboration at the state and local levels between community coalitions and public health, mental health, healthcare, education, social services and public safety organizations; (4) assess innovative approaches for funding promotion and prevention programs; (5) recommend strategies, including legislative action, to shift healthcare spending over the long term from acute and inpatient behavioral health care to promotion and upstream prevention, without diminishing treatment or recovery services for those in need; (6) recommend evidence-based, primary and secondary-level programs or practices that are community, family or school-based, including whole school approaches, that reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for behavioral health disorders and foster social and emotional health; and (7) recommend measurable statewide behavioral health goals consistent with the goals identified in clauses (1) to (6), inclusive, for preventing behavioral health disorders over the next decade.
The commission shall consist of 24 members or their designees: 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and shall serve as co-chair, and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president and shall serve as co-chair, and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; the chief justice of Massachusetts trial court; the commissioner of mental health; the commissioner of public health; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education; the commissioner of the division of insurance; the secretary of public safety and security; the executive director of the health policy commission; the executive director of the center for health information and analysis; the executive director of the Massachusetts community health information profile; the executive director of the mental health legal advisors committee; the executive director of the Massachusetts public health association; the executive director of the Massachusetts organization for addiction recovery; the president of the Massachusetts association for behavioral health; the president of the Massachusetts chapter of the national association for social workers; and 6 members who shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative from the health insurance industry, 1 of whom shall be an expert in mental and behavioral health promotion, 1 of whom shall be an expert in school-based public health, 1 of whom shall be an expert in community-based public health, 1 of whom shall be an expert in planning and environmental health, and 1 of whom shall be a representative from the social and emotional learning alliance for Massachusetts.
The commission may hold public meetings and fact-finding hearings as it considers necessary; provided, however, that the commission shall conduct at least 3 public hearings to receive testimony from members of the public. The commission shall file the report of its investigation and study with the clerks for the house of representatives and the senate, no later than 24 months after the date of the first meeting of the commission; provided, however, that the commission may, at the discretion of the chairs, make a draft report available to the public for comment before filing the final version.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-447
EHS 447
Rebates for Health Care Services
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new section:-
SECTION __. Chapter 175H of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (b) (2) the following new subsection:--
(3) This section shall not apply to a discount, rebate or other payment by a pharmaceutical manufacturing company to a patient or other person on the patient’s behalf (other than the prescriber of the drug or biologic), for health care items or services related to the patient’s use of a drug or biologic of the manufacturer, where such items or services are required under a Food and Drug Administration Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy or are for the purpose of monitoring or facilitating the use of the drug or biologic in a manner consistent with the provisions set forth in the drug or biologic’s approved labeling.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-448
EHS 448
Mattapan Intergrative Care Partnership Program
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Mattapan Integrative Care Partnership Pilot program among the Mattapan Community Health Center, Mattahunt Community Center, Mattahunt Elementary School, and the Wheelock College Social Work Department for a behavioral health practice at the Mattapan Community Health Center and support a full time licensed social worker to bring mental health care to the community’s youth and to improve the coordination of care”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$$1,048,773” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$1,098773”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-449
EHS 449
Access to health and human services on the islands
Mr. Wolf moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by inserting after “islands,” the following: “provided further, that the executive office shall contract with Martha's Vineyard Community Services, Inc. for no less than $100,000 to increase access to health and human services on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and such funds shall be used to cover feasible travel costs associated with arranging access to health and human services”; and in said item by striking out the figure “$99,715,735” and inserting in place thereof the figure “$99,815,735”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-450
EHS 450
DPH Pharmacists Study
Messrs. Rodrigues and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting at the end thereof the following section:-
SECTION__. The department of public health shall conduct a study relative to permitting pharmacists in the commonwealth to fill prescriptions for schedule II narcotics written by mid-level practitioners in contiguous states. The study shall examine the educational requirements for licensing such mid-level practitioners by the contiguous states and whether such standards are equivalent to those in the commonwealth for the licensing of similar professions. The department shall report the results of the study to the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before December 31, 2016.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-451
EHS 451
Cranberry Health Research Center
Mr. Rodrigues moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, by inserting at the end thereof the following:-
“; provided, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, $100,000 shall be appropriated to the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth to be expended for the operation of the Cranberry Health Research Center at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth”
; and in said item by striking out the figures “$3,599,010” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,699,010”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-452
EHS 452
Gold Star Families Memorial Monument
Messrs. Rodrigues and Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-1616, by inserting at the end thereof the following:
"; provided further that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for the purchase and installation of the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Fall River."
; and in said item by striking out the figures “$185,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$205,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-453
EHS 453
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention
Mr. Rodrigues moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1130, by inserting at the end thereof the following;
“; provided further, that no less than $75,000 be allocated for the Katie Brown Educational Program for a pilot instructional initiative, the Train the Trainer program, to train educators and increase the number of Southeastern Massachusetts students who acquire invaluable knowledge about the prevention of relationship violence”
; and in said item by striking out the figures “$30,647,153” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$30,722,153”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-454
EHS 454
Employment Services Program
Mr. Rodrigues, Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. O'Connor and Timilty, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4401-1000, by inserting after the words “the young parents program” the following: “and the competitive integrated employment services program;”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-455
EHS 455
Haitian American Public Health Initiative
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, by adding the following: “provided that not less than $50,000 be expended to fund the Haitian American Public Health Initiative to provide vital healthcare and education services to families and children in the Haitian community;” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$3,599,010” and inserting in place thereof the following figures “$3,649,010”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-456
EHS 456
Link House
Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended for the Maris Center for Women in the town of Salisbury”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$99,715,735” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$99,915,735”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-457
EHS 457
Commission on the status of grandparents raising grandchildren
Messrs. deMacedo, Montigny, Ross and O'Connor, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 0950-0030, by striking out the figures "$80,000" and inserting in place thereof the figures "100,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-458
EHS 458
Substance Abuse Recovery Programs
Ms. Forry, Messrs. McGee and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, “provided, that programs in substantial regulatory and contractual compliance shall receive not less than the same level of funding in fiscal year 2017 as received in fiscal year 2016".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-459
EHS 459
YWCA
Ms. O'Connor Ives, Messrs. Lewis, Montigny, Welch and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that the department shall award not less than $225,000 to the YWCA organizations, which shall be distributed equally between the YWCA’s member organizations” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$2,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$2,325,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-460
EHS 460
COPD Commission
Ms. O'Connor Ives and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 80, the following new section:-
“SECTION 81. The special commission established in section 206 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012, and extended by section 24A of chapter 118 of the acts of 2013 is hereby revived and continued. The commission shall file a report of its recommendations to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on public heath, the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 31, 2017.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-461
EHS 461
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute and Women Survivors of Homicide
Ms. Forry and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting the following line item:- 4513-1098 For the provision of statewide support services for survivors of homicide victims, including outreach services, burial assistance, grief counseling and other support services; provided, that funds shall be expended as grants in the aggregate amount of $200,000 to the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute Corporation, a community-based support organization dedicated to serving families and communities impacted by violence; and provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Women Survivors of Homicide Movement of Roslindale.............................................................. $300,000
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-462-R1
Redraft EHS 462
Mass Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Humason, Eldridge, Brady, Barrett, Montigny, Joyce and McGee, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. Keenan, Moore, Lewis and Lesser, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Brownsberger and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4125-0100, by striking out the figure “$5,661,403” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,951,403”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-463
EHS 463
Julie's Family Learning Program
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding the following: “provided further, that no less than $150,000 shall be expanded for Julie’s Family Learning Program; “ and in said item by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the following figure: “$283,027,851".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-464
EHS 464
Youth at Risk Grants
Messrs. McGee, Moore, Eldridge, Lewis, Humason and Rodrigues, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Brady, Ms. Lovely, Ms. Donoghue and Mr. Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, by striking out the figure "2,100,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "3,950,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-465
EHS 465
Veterans Outreach Centers
Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0012, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be obligated for a contract with the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center in the city of Haverhill; provided further, not less than $125,000 shall be expended for the Metrowest Outreach Center,”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$3,247,641” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,522,641”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-466
EHS 466
DDS Community Based Employment Pilot Program
Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Brady, Lewis and Joyce and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-2026, by striking out the figure “$3,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$7,645,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-467-R1
Redraft EHS 467
Early Intervention
Ms. Lovely, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore, Brady, Lewis, Barrett and Eldridge, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Timilty, Joyce, McGee, Brownsberger and Keenan and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1020, by striking out the figure “$28,400,167” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$28,700,167”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-468
EHS 468
DDS Day and Employment
Ms. Lovely, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Rodrigues, Barrett, Brownsberger, Eldridge, Moore, Lewis, Humason, Joyce, McGee and Keenan, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Montigny and Brady and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-2025, by striking out the figure “$191,496,335” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$201,996,335”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-469-R1
Redraft EHS 469
Home Care Rate Equalization
Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Moore, Lewis and Humason, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge, Joyce and McGee, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Fattman, Brady and Welch and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1633, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, effective July 1, 2016, and for successive fiscal years, the care management component of the rate for elders who qualify for the enhanced community options program, shall be increased in equal increments over the course of fiscal years 2017 and 2018 to equal the care management component of the rate for the Community Choices program in item 4000-0600, and that the care management rate for the Community Choices program shall not be less than the rate effective on January 1, 2015”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$51,482,919” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$53,948,641”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-469.2-R1
Redraft Further EHS 469.2
Home Care Rates
Ms. Jehlen, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Lovely, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Messrs. Brownsberger and Barrett moved that the amendment be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1630, by striking out the text in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:-
the proposed new text be amended, in section 2, in item 9110-1630, by adding the following words:- “, that the secretary of elder affairs shall develop a pilot program to provide home care services to certain persons whose annual income exceeds, by 15 per cent or less, the income eligibility limit as of January 1, 2016; provided further, that such persons may include those who: (i) are unable to afford sufficient unsubsidized home care for their needs; (ii) pose a risk of higher-cost state-provided care in a nursing facility should they be ineligible for home care; or (iii) lose home care eligibility as a result of a spouse’s death; provided further, that an amount not to exceed $1,075,000 shall be used for the pilot program which shall be allocated between items 9110-1630 and 9110-1633; provided further, the secretary shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than February 1, 2018 on: (a) caseload and expenditures made from the pilot program; (b) projected cost effectiveness from the piloted population including, but not limited to, estimated savings from reduced medical costs, avoided nursing facility admissions and cost sharing by recipients; and (c) the estimated fiscal impact and cost benefits of expanding home care to all eligible persons whose annual income exceeds the income eligibility limit in effect on January 1, 2016 by 15 per cent or less; provided further"; and
in said section 2, in said item 9110-1630, by striking out the figure “$158,143,536” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$159,218,536”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-470
EHS 470
Home Health Payment Review
Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Timilty, Moore and Donnelly, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Lewis, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Messrs. Brady and Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that the executive office shall conduct a full review with a public hearing of MassHealth reimbursement rates for home health services pursuant to 114.3 CMR 50.04, including continuous skilled nursing workforce adequacy and access to care.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-471
EHS 471
MassHealth Data Matching
Mr. McGee, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Lewis and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section:-"SECTION XXXX. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after Section 77 the following section:-
Section 78. At the time of initial application for, or renewal of, MassHealth coverage or any other single state application or renewal process described in section 7A of chapter 118E, the department shall provide the MassHealth applicant or recipient with the opportunity to complete a common application for MassHealth and for programs administered by the department of transitional assistance, including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Program for Emergency Aid to Elders, Disabled and Children pursuant to chapter 117A and the Program for Transitional Assistance to Families with Dependent Children pursuant to chapter 118. A MassHealth applicant or recipient who elects to apply for these benefits shall have his or her eligibility information and verifications used to initiate a simultaneous common application and that information shall be transmitted to the department of transitional assistance to initiate the application for benefits. The common application for benefits must be accepted with the voluntary consent of the MassHealth applicant or recipient and shall have no bearing on the MassHealth eligibility of the applicant or recipient. The department of transitional assistance shall promptly inform said applicant of the eligibility requirements and any additional verifications or obligations of the program or programs elected by the applicant. As information is shared between state agencies, protections will be put in place for all applicants and recipients. The department shall create a standard for consumer rights that will include that a recipient must be told if information in her file has been used to deny or reduce benefits, have the right to know what data is being shared/matched and have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. To further protect the recipient, the Commonwealth must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable information, must limit access to data, must request recipient permission to match data and offer a remedy when a mistake has been made based on data matching".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-472
EHS 472
Membership of Home Care Commission
Messrs. Brownsberger and Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended in Section 74 by adding after the word “Council” the following:-
“a representative of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Massachusetts Chapter;”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-473-R1
Redraft EHS 473
MassKids
Ms. Lovely, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Moore, Joyce, Barrett, McGee, Welch, Keenan and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the Massachusetts Citizens for Children”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$282,977,851”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-474-R1
Redraft EHS 474
Oral Health for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Barrett, Moore, Brady and Lewis, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge, Joyce, McGee and Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0500, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $1,745,252 shall be expended for the commonwealth’s comprehensive dental program for adults with developmental disabilities; and provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the promotion of services to all dental providers in the commonwealth and to increase after-hour, weekend and holiday coverage with on-call response and, if necessary, actual clinical evaluation”; and
in said section 2, in said item 4512-0500, by striking out the figure “$1,969,647” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$2,219,647”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-475-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 475
Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center
Ms. Chandler and Mr. Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">By inserting the following item:-
“4000-0014 For the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, Inc. to professionally train community health workers to serve as the patient link to medical and social services for the disenfranchised population throughout the Worcester and MetroWest regions $100,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-476
EHS 476
Postpartum Depression Pilot Program
Ms. Lovely, Messrs. McGee and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after line item 4510-0110 the following item:
“xxxx-xxxx For the department of public health to conduct a postpartum depression pilot program at community health centers in the cities of Holyoke, Lynn and Worcester and the Jamaica Plain section of the city of Boston……………………$200,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-477
EHS 477
Management of the Health Care Connector
Messrs. Tarr and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section ___ the following new section:-
“SECTION __. Section 2 of chapter 176Q of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking subsection (b) in its entirety and replacing it with the following:-
(b) There shall be a board, with duties and powers established by this chapter, which shall govern the connector. The connector board shall consist of 13 members: the secretary for health and human services, or a designee, who shall serve as chairperson; the director of Medicaid or a designee; the commissioner of insurance or a designee; the executive director of the group insurance commission; 6 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a member in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries, 1 of whom shall be a health economist, 1 of whom shall represent the interests of small businesses, 2 of whom shall be from organizations representing employers, and 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters; and 3 members appointed by the attorney general, 1 of whom shall be an employee health benefits plan specialist, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a health consumer organization and 1 of whom shall be a representative of organized labor. No appointee shall be an employee of any licensed carrier authorized to do business in the commonwealth. All appointments shall serve a term of 3 years, but a person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. An appointed member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment. The board shall annually elect 1 of its members to serve as vice-chairperson.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-478
EHS 478
Patient Confidentiality Clarification
Ms. Chandler moved that the proposed new text be amended moves to amend the bill, by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:- “SECTION ___. Section 12G of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 official edition, is hereby amended in line 8 by inserting after the words “eighteen E” the following: “, section 9 of chapter 32,”; and in line 17, by inserting after the word “commonwealth” the following: “, board established under chapter 32,”.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-479-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 479
Dental Hygiene Practitioner
Ms. Chandler, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Humason and Moore, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Lewis and Eldridge, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Rush, McGee and Brownsberger, Ms. Donoghue, Mr. Keenan, Ms. Gobi, Mr. deMacedo, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Messrs. Brady, Boncore and Montigny, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Messrs. Tarr and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 35 the following 4 sections:-
“SECTION 35A. Section 43A of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Appropriate supervision” the following 2 definitions:-
“Board”, the board of registration in dentistry or a committee or subcommittee thereof established in the department of public health pursuant to sections 9 and 19 of chapter 13, chapter 30A and sections 43 to 53, inclusive.
“Collaborative management agreement”, a written agreement between a local, state or federal government agency or institution or a licensed dentist and a dental hygiene practitioner outlining the procedures, services, responsibilities and limitations of the practitioner.
SECTION 35B. Said section 43A of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the definition of “Dental assistant” the following definition:-
“Dental hygiene practitioner”, a dental hygienist who: (i) is a graduate of a dental therapist education program that meets the standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation provided by a post-secondary institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.; successfully completed a dental therapist education program that meets the standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation; or is certified by the federal Indian Health Service pursuant to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.; (ii) has been licensed by the board to practice as a dental hygiene practitioner pursuant to section 51B; and (iii) provides oral health care services, including preventive, oral evaluation and assessment, educational, palliative, therapeutic and restorative services as authorized under said section 51B.
SECTION 35C. Said section 43A of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following definition:-
“Supervising dentist”, a licensed dentist who enters into a collaborative management agreement with a dental hygiene practitioner.
SECTION 35D. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 51A the following section:-
Section 51B. Any licensed dental hygienist of good moral character, who: (i) is a graduate of a dental practitioner education program that meets the standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation provided by a post-secondary institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.; successfully completed a dental therapist education program that that meets the standards of the Commission on Dental Accreditation; or is certified by the federal Indian Health Service pursuant to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.; (ii) passes a comprehensive, competency-based clinical examination that is approved by the board and administered independently of an institution providing registered dental practitioner education; and (iii) obtains a policy of professional liability insurance and shows proof of such insurance as required by rules and regulations, shall be registered as a dental hygiene practitioner and be given a certificate allowing the therapist to practice in this capacity. A dental hygiene practitioner shall have practiced under the direct supervision of a supervising dentist for at least 500 hours or completed 1 year of residency before practicing under general supervision.
The educational curriculum for a dental hygiene practitioner educated in the commonwealth shall include training on serving patients with special needs including, but not limited to, people with developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders, mental illness, cognitive impairment, complex medical problems, significant physical limitations and the vulnerable elderly.
Before performing a procedure or providing a service under this paragraph, a dental hygiene practitioner shall enter into a written collaborative management agreement with a licensed dentist. The agreement shall address: practice settings, any limitation on services established by the supervising dentist, the level of supervision required for various services or treatment settings, patient populations that may be served, practice protocols, record keeping, managing medical emergencies, quality assurance, administering and dispensing medications and supervision of dental assistants and dental hygienists. A dental hygiene practitioner may provide the services authorized in practice settings where the supervising dentist is not on-site and has not previously examined the patient, to the extent authorized by the supervising dentist in the collaborative management agreement and provided the supervising dentist is available for consultation and supervision by telephone or other means of electronic communication.
The collaborative management agreement shall include specific written protocols to govern situations in which the dental hygiene practitioner encounters a patient who requires treatment that exceeds the authorized scope of practice of the dental hygiene practitioner. A collaborative management agreement shall be signed and maintained by the supervising dentist and the dental hygiene practitioner and shall be submitted upon request by the board. The board shall establish appropriate guidelines for a written collaborative management agreement. The agreement may be updated from time to time. A supervising dentist may have a collaborative management agreement with not more than 4 dental hygiene practitioners at the same time.
A dental hygiene practitioner licensed by the board may perform all acts of a public health dental hygienist, all acts provided for in Commission on Dental Accreditation’s dental therapy standards, as well as the following services and procedures pursuant to the written collaborative management agreement without the supervision or direction of a dentist: (A) interpreting radiographs; (B) the placement of space maintainers; (C) pulpotomies on primary teeth; (D) an oral evaluation and assessment of dental disease and the formulation of an individualized treatment plan authorized by the collaborating dentist; and (E) nonsurgical extractions of permanent teeth as limited in this section.
A dental hygiene practitioner shall not perform any service or procedure described in this section except as authorized by the collaborating dentist. A dental hygiene practitioner may perform nonsurgical extractions of periodontally diseased permanent teeth with tooth mobility of +3 to +4 under general supervision if authorized in advance by the collaborating dentist. The dental hygiene practitioner shall not extract a tooth for a patient if the tooth is unerupted, impacted, fractured or needs to be sectioned for removal. The collaborating dentist is responsible for directly providing or arranging for another dentist or specialist to provide any necessary advanced services needed by the patient. A dental hygiene practitioner in accordance with the written collaborative management agreement shall refer patients to another qualified dental or health care professional to receive any needed services that exceed the scope of practice of the dental hygiene practitioner. The collaborating dentist shall ensure that a dentist is available to the dental hygiene practitioner for timely consultation during treatment if needed and shall either provide or arrange with another dentist or specialist to provide the necessary treatment to a patient who requires more treatment than the dental hygiene practitioner is authorized to provide. A dental hygiene practitioner may dispense and administer the following medications within the parameters of the written collaborative management agreement, within the scope of practice of the dental hygiene practitioner and with the authorization of the collaborating dentist: analgesics, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. The authority to dispense and administer shall extend only to the categories of drugs identified in this paragraph and may be further limited by the written collaborative management agreement. The authority to dispense includes the authority to dispense sample drugs within the categories identified in this paragraph if dispensing is permitted by the written collaborative management agreement. A dental hygiene practitioner is prohibited from dispensing or administering a narcotic drug.
Dental hygiene practitioners shall be reimbursed for services covered by Medicaid and other third-party payers. A dental hygiene practitioner shall not operate independently of a dentist, except for a dental hygiene practitioner working for a local, state or federal government agency or institution or practicing in a mobile or portable prevention program licensed or certified by the department of public health as permitted by law.
A licensed dental hygiene practitioner may supervise dental assistants to the extent permitted in the collaborative management agreement and according to section 51 ½.”; and
by inserting after section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. The board of registration in dentistry, in consultation with the executive office of health and human services, shall perform a 5-year evaluation of the impact of dental hygiene practitioners, as established under section 51B of chapter 112 of the General Laws, on patient safety, cost-effectiveness and access to dental services. The board shall ensure effective measurements of the following outcomes and file a report of its findings, which shall include: (i) the number of new patients served; (ii) the reduction in waiting times for needed services; (iii) decreased travel time for patients; (iv) the impact on emergency room usage for dental care; and (v) the costs to the public health care system. The report shall be submitted not later than July 1, 2021 to the joint committee on public heath, the joint committee on health care financing and the senate and house committees on ways and means.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-480
EHS 480
Treehouse Foundation
Ms. Lovely, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended for Treehouse Foundation of Easthampton for planning to replicate the Intergenerational Treehouse Community model in the metrowest region”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$283,177,851”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-481-R1
Redraft EHS 481
YMCAs
Ms. Lovely, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Brady, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Humason and Moore, Ms. Donoghue, Messrs. Brownsberger, Lewis, Rush and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by striking out, in line 8, the figure “$900,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,100,000”; and
in said section 2, in said item 4590-1507, by striking out the figure “$2,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$2,300,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-482
EHS 482
Emergency Department Recovery Coach Pilot Program
Messrs. Lesser and Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $120,000 shall be expended for the Center for Human Development, Inc. to establish a one-year recovery coach pilot program in hospital emergency departments in Western Massachusetts including the hiring of 2 full-time recovery coaches;” and in said item by striking out the figure “122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the following figure “122,933,988”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-483
EHS 483
Mobile Integrated Health Technical Change
Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Brady and Moore and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-
"SECTION XX. Section 2 of chapter 111C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following clause:-
(16) provide for mobile integrated health programs that are also the primary ambulance service for a jurisdiction to avert emergency calls for EMS from emergency departments when care is more appropriate in a non-emergency department setting, provided, however, that: i) the care occurs with qualified medical direction; ii) the mobile integrated health program shall be approved by the department pursuant to chapter 111O; iii) patients averted shall be participants in the mobile integrated health program that is averting the emergency department; and, iv) each mobile integrated health program’s emergency department aversion protocols are approved by the department.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-484-R1
Redraft EHS 484
Physician Assistants Signing Off on Death Certificates
Ms. Chandler moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 27 the following section:-
“SECTION 27A. The fourth paragraph of section 9 of chapter 46 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- A physician assistant may take all action required under this section to furnish for registration a standard certificate of death.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-485-R1
Redraft EHS 485
Square One
Messrs. Welch and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0040, by inserting the following:- "provided, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Square One Daycare, Inc. in Springfield"; and, in said item 4800-0040, by striking out the figure "$46,992,955" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$47,092,955".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-486
EHS 486
CPR Funding
Mr. Rush, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge and Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0250, by adding at the end thereof the following: “For grants of no less than $350,000 to provide enrolled students’ instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), provided the instruction must be based on an instructional program established by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross or another program that is approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and is nationally recognized and uses the most current national evidence−based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines and incorporates psychomotor skills development into the instruction; provided further, that all grant applications submitted to and approved by the department of elementary and secondary education shall include a detailed line-item budget specifying how the funds shall be allocated and expended based on a policy that requires all students to instructed on CPR as a graduation requirement”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$11,932,830” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$12,282,830"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-487-R1
Redraft EHS 487
HIV/AIDS Prevention
Ms. Forry, Mr. Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. McGee, Brownsberger, O'Connor and Lewis and Ms. Chang-Diaz moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0103, by striking out the figure “$33,120,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-“$33,370,000".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-488
EHS 488
Eastern Massachusetts Goal Setting and Relapse Prevention Program
Messrs. Rush and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding the following: “; provided further, that not less than $95,000 shall be expended for the Eastern Massachusetts Goal Setting and Relapse Prevention program in collaboration with the Juvenile Court Department office located in Dedham”; and in said item by striking out the figures “122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$122,908,888”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-489
EHS 489
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) Day
Ms. Chandler and Mr. Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following section:-
"SECTION XX. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 15YYYYY, the following section:- 15ZZZZZ. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting aside June twentieth as Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) Day, to raise public awareness of FSHD and recommend that the day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-491
EHS 491
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program
Messrs. Rush and Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge, McGee and Keenan, Ms. Gobi and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0810, by striking out the figures “$4,630,449” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$4,775,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-492
EHS 492
Self-Esteem Boston
Mr. Rush and Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following: “; provided further that not less than $150,000 shall be expended for Self-Esteem Boston’s direct services programs for women in the Boston region and provider training programs”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$122,963,988”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-493
EHS 493
Foster Care Reimbursement
Mr. Barrett, Ms. Forry, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore and Brady, Ms. Lovely and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by inserting after the word “programs;” in line 13 the following:- “provided further that the daily reimbursement rate for foster care parents shall be increased to an average of $35 per day”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$312,877,851”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-494
EHS 494
First Dose Monitoring
Ms. Chandler moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following section: -
“SECTION ___. Chapter 175H of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (b)2 the following new subsection:- (3) This section shall not apply to a discount, rebate or other payment by a pharmaceutical manufacturing company to a patient or other person on the patient’s behalf (other than the prescriber of the drug or biologic), for health care items or services related to the patient’s use of a drug or biologic of the manufacturer, where such items or services are required under a Food and Drug Administration Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy or are for the purpose of monitoring or facilitating the use of the drug or biologic in a manner consistent with the provisions set forth in the drug or biologic’s approved labeling.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-495
EHS 495
Call 2 Talk
Mr. Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1026, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for Call 2 Talk to provide suicide prevention, intervention and post-intervention services;” ; and
in said section 2, in said item 4513-1026, by striking out the figure “$4,130,748” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$4,180,748”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-496
EHS 496
Veterans First
Messrs. Lesser and Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0012, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended for the Springfield Partners for Community Action's Veterans First Program to provide comprehensive outreach services to veterans in Hampden county;” and in said item by striking out the figure “3,247,641” and inserting in place thereof the following figure “3,547,641”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-497
EHS 497
Good Samaritans
Ms. Forry, Ms. Lovely and Mr. Wolf moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1026, “provided further, that not less than $400,000 shall be expended to Samaritans, Inc. for the purpose of providing suicide prevention services;” and in said item by striking out the figures “$4,130,748” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$4,430,748”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-498-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 498
Allowing for Timely Burial of Remains
Ms. Chandler, Messrs. Humason and Moore and Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after Section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. The department of public health, in consultation with the executive office of public safety and security and the office of the chief medical examiner, shall provide recommendations on the safe handling of the body of a deceased person if it has not been claimed by next of kin in a reasonable period of time. The department shall hold at least 4 public hearings across the commonwealth to understand the regional issues related to this issue. The department shall make recommendations on: (i) ways to encourage timely transfer and burial of remains where the next of kin is not ascertainable; (ii) ways to address costs related to the timely transfer and burial of remains where the next of kin is not ascertainable; and (iii) recommended policies on the reasonable waiting period that must be observed prior to the burial of remains where the next of kin is not ascertainable. The department shall file its recommendations, as well as any recommended legislation, with the joint chairs of the committee on public health and the joint chairs of the committee on public safety and homeland security not later than January 1, 2017.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-499
EHS 499
Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Access
Ms. Flanagan moved that the proposed new text be amended By inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
“Section ___, Section 24A of Chapter 94C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end of subsection (f) the following:
(7) insurers who are proving coverage for prescription medications;”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-500-R1
Redraft EHS 500
Establishing an Interagency Task Force on Newborns with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Substance Exposed Newborns
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Moore and Lewis, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Joyce and McGee and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. There shall be an interagency task force on newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance exposed newborns to develop a unified statewide plan to collect data, develop outcome goals and ensure quality service is delivered to newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance exposed newborns. The statewide plan shall ensure that, to the extent possible, all executive agencies work in coordination to address the needs of newborns, infants and young children impacted by exposure to substances.
The task force shall be comprised of the following members or their designees: the secretary of health and human services, who shall serve as co-chair; the attorney general, who shall serve as co-chair; the commissioner of children and families; the commissioner of mental health; the commissioner of public health; and the executive director of the health policy commission. The task force shall establish an advisory council, appointed by the co-chairs, which may include hospitals, non-profit entities, and community-based organizations with demonstrated expertise in the health, care, and treatment of mothers with substance use disorders, newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance exposed newborns, infants, and children and shall seek input from other experts in the field to develop a unified statewide plan.
The unified statewide plan shall: (i) provide for the coordination of care and services for newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance exposed newborns including, but not limited, to those related to early intervention, substance use disorders and healthcare access issues; (ii) include an inventory of the services and programs available in the commonwealth to serve newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance exposed newborns, ; (iii) identify gaps in available services and programs; and (iv) formulate an interagency plan for addressing those gaps in services and programs.
The task force shall file a report of its findings and the recommended statewide plan, along with any proposed legislation or regulatory amendments to implement the statewide plan, not later than March 1, 2017 with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-501
EHS 501
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Treatment
Ms. Forry, Messrs. Joyce and Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended for the operation of the Behavioral Health and Outpatient Substance Abuse Services to provide counseling and treatment for individuals suffering from behavioral health challenges and/or substance abuse at the Dimock Community Center” and by striking the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures of “$122,963,988”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-502
EHS 502
Rick's Place
Mr. Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for Rick’s Place of Wilbraham to provide counseling services for youth who have experienced the death of a parent in the Pioneer Valley”; and, in said item, by striking out the figure “282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “282,902,851”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-503
EHS 503
Acute Care Pediatrics
Mr. Rush, Ms. Forry, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge, Brady, Brownsberger and Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by adding at the end thereof the following: “; provided further, that in calculating rates of payment for children enrolled in MassHealth receiving inpatient and outpatient services at acute care pediatric hospitals and pediatric specialty units as defined in section 8A of said chapter 118E, the executive office shall make a supplemental payment not less than $14,800,000 to any acute care pediatric hospital and pediatric specialty unit in the commonwealth, above base rates, to compensate for high-complexity pediatric care;”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-505
EHS 505
Report on Biometric Fraud Protection for Public Assistance Programs
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after Section __, the following section:-
“SECTION __. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of transitional assistance, in conjunction with the executive office of health and human services, shall provide a report on current fraud detection measures within the agency and department to reduce fraud in public assistance benefit programs and to study the feasibility of implementing a biometric authentication system. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the cost savings that would result from the elimination of duplicate assistance fraud in public assistance programs and the feasibility of using biometric technology to create a reliable system of identification. The report, along with any legislative recommendations, shall be filed with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate within 90 days of the passage of this act.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-506-R1
Redraft EHS 506
ABLE Accounts
Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting, after section 6, the following 2 sections:-
“SECTION 6A. Section 29 of chapter 15C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “Achieving a better life experience account” or “ABLE account” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-
“Achieving a better life experience account” or “ABLE account”, a savings and qualified expense account as defined in 26 USC 529A, or an account established and maintained by the authority or a designated administrator pursuant to this section and its implementing regulations for the purposes of paying or managing qualified disability expenses.
SECTION 6B. Said section 29 of said chapter 15C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following 2 subsections:- (i) Any provision of this section that the authority determines to be in conflict with a requirement of the federal Internal Revenue Code, as amended, shall be superseded by the requirements of the federal Internal Revenue Code, as amended, to the extent necessary to ensure that a qualified ABLE program meets the requirements for tax-advantaged status under 26 USC 529A or any successor provision, as reflected in regulations promulgated by the authority or in any agreements with the authority applicable to the ABLE program.
(j) Any requirement of this section that the authority determines to be more restrictive than or duplicative of the requirements of said section 26 USC 529A, including without limitation the definition of an individual with a disability, the definition of qualified disability expenses and the requirements for a disability verification, may be modified by the authority by regulation or in any agreements with the authority applicable to the ABLE program.”; and
by inserting after section 50 the following section:-
“SECTION 51A. Subsection (b) of section 33 of chapter 226 of the acts of 2014 is hereby repealed.”; and
by inserting after section 80 the following section:-
"SECTION 80A. Section 29 of chapter 15C of the General Laws and subparagraph (17) of paragraph (a) of Part B of section 3 of chapter 62 of the General Laws shall take effect as of the effective date of this act.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-507-R1
Redraft EHS 507
Maintaining Beds at Tewksbury State Hospital
Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0915, by inserting in line 7, after the number "2B" the following words:-
"provided further that Tewksbury State Hospital shall maintain the same number of beds in Fiscal Year 2017 as was maintained in Fiscal Year 2016"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-508
EHS 508
Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Public Schools
Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore and Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0250, "by inserting the following words:- "; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended for the implementation of a grant program to provide public school systems with portable automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to be installed in public school facilities“; and by striking out the figure "$11,932,830" and inserting in place thereof the following figure "$12,432,830"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-509
EHS 509
Head Injury Treatment Services
Ms. O'Connor Ives, Mr. Moore, Ms. Chandler, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Barrett and McGee and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4120-6000, by adding at the end thereof the following:
"Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) shall establish a regional multi-service center to be located in the northeast section of the Commonwealth, subject to the availability of funds" and further moves to amend the same item by striking out the figures “$16,027,715” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$17,227,715”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-510-R1
Redraft EHS 510
Halifax Council on Aging Building Expansion
Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following: “; and provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the expansion of the council on aging building in the Town of Halifax”, and in said item by striking out the figures “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$14,150,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-511
EHS 511
Suicide Prevention Data Collection
Messrs. Keenan and Joyce, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. O'Connor and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1026, by inserting at the end thereof the following:- "; and provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for suicide data collection under section 232 of chapter 111 of the General Laws"; and in said item by striking the figure "4,130,748" and inserting in place thereof the figure "4,230,748"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-512
EHS 512
Public Health Hospitals
Messrs. Keenan and Joyce, Ms. Gobi and Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0915, by striking out the figure "156,667,054", and inserting in place thereof the figure:- "157,667,054".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-513
EHS 513
Hingham Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Hingham Elder Services at the Hingham Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-514
EHS 514
Hull Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Hull Elder Services at the Hull Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-515
EHS 515
Norwell Senior Center
O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:-
"provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Norwell Council on Aging at the Norwell Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-516-R1
Redraft EHS 516
Marshfield Council on Aging Home
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $7,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Marshfield Council on Aging at the Marshfield Council on Aging Home"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-517
EHS 517
Scituate Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Scituate Council on Aging at the Scituate Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-518
EHS 518
Cohasset Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Cohasset Elder Affairs at the Cohasset Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-519-R1
Redraft EHS 519
Health Purchasing Cooperatives
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section __, the following new sections:-
SECTION_. Section 12 of Chapter 176J of the general laws as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition is hereby amended in line 35 by striking the number "6" and inserting in place thereof the following:- "8"
SECTION_. Said section 12 of chapter 176J of the general laws as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition is hereby amended in line 39 by striking the number "85,000" and inserting in place thereof the following:-"100,000"
SECTION_. Section 13(b) of chapter 176J of the general laws is hereby amended by striking subsection (v) in its entirety.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-520
EHS 520
Limiting Out of Pocket Drug Costs
Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. O'Connor and Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new sections:-
SECTION XX. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47DDthe following section:-
Section 47EE. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance.
“Cost-sharing” means coinsurance, copayments, deductibles, or any other out-of-pocket expense.
“Deductible’’ means the amount of covered expenses which must be accumulated annually before benefits become payable as additional covered expenses incurred.
“Tiered formulary” means a formulary that provides coverage for prescription drugs as part of a health plan for which cost sharing, deductibles or coinsurance obligations are determined by category or tier of prescription drugs, that includes at least two different tiers.
(b) No policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state that provides coverage for prescription drugs may:
(1) Impose any cost-sharing that exceeds one hundred dollars per thirty-day supply for a covered prescription drug; or
(2) Place all drugs in a given class on the highest cost-sharing tier in a tiered formulary.
(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply pre-deductible.
(d) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to a high deductible health plan after the minimum deductible amounts required for such plans, as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 223(c)(2)(A)(1), are met.
(e) A health plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall allow enrollees to request an exception to the formulary. Under such an exception, a non-formulary drug could be deemed covered under the formulary if the prescribing physician determines that the formulary drug for treatment of the same condition either would not be as effective for the individual or would have adverse effects for the individual, or both.
(f) In the event an enrollee is denied an exception as provided by subsection (e) of this section, such denial shall be considered an adverse determination and will be subject to the health plan internal review process set forth in M.G.L. Ch. 176O.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health plan to:
(1) Provide coverage for any additional drugs not otherwise required by law;
(2) Implement specific utilization management techniques, such as prior authorization or step therapy; or
(3) Cease utilization of tiered cost-sharing structures, including those strategies used to incent use of preventive services, disease management, and low-cost treatment options.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8FF the following section:-
Section 8GG. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance.
“Cost-sharing” means coinsurance, copayments, deductibles, or any other out-of-pocket expense.
“Deductible’’ means the amount of covered expenses which must be accumulated annually before benefits become payable as additional covered expenses incurred.
“Tiered formulary” means a formulary that provides coverage for prescription drugs as part of a health plan for which cost sharing, deductibles or coinsurance obligations are determined by category or tier of prescription drugs, that includes at least two different tiers.
(b) No contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state that provides coverage for prescription drugs may:
(1) Impose any cost-sharing that exceeds one hundred dollars per thirty-day supply for a covered prescription drug; or
(2) Place all drugs in a given class on the highest cost-sharing tier in a tiered formulary.
(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply pre-deductible.
(d) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to a high deductible health plan after the minimum deductible amounts required for such plans, as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 223(c)(2)(A)(1), are met.
(e) A health plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall allow enrollees to request an exception to the formulary. Under such an exception, a non-formulary drug could be deemed covered under the formulary if the prescribing physician determines that the formulary drug for treatment of the same condition either would not be as effective for the individual or would have adverse effects for the individual, or both.
(f) In the event an enrollee is denied an exception as provided by subsection (e) of this section, such denial shall be considered an adverse determination and will be subject to the health plan internal review process set forth in M.G.L. Ch. 176O.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health plan to:
(1) Provide coverage for any additional drugs not otherwise required by law;
(2) Implement specific utilization management techniques, such as prior authorization or step therapy; or
(3) Cease utilization of tiered cost-sharing structures, including those strategies used to incent use of preventive services, disease management, and low-cost treatment options.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4FF the following section:-
Section 4GG. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance.
“Cost-sharing” means coinsurance, copayments, deductibles, or any other out-of-pocket expense.
“Deductible’’ means the amount of covered expenses which must be accumulated annually before benefits become payable as additional covered expenses incurred.
“Tiered formulary” means a formulary that provides coverage for prescription drugs as part of a health plan for which cost sharing, deductibles or coinsurance obligations are determined by category or tier of prescription drugs, that includes at least two different tiers.
(b) No subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state that provides coverage for prescription drugs may:
(1) Impose any cost-sharing that exceeds one hundred dollars per thirty-day supply for a covered prescription drug; or
(2) Place all drugs in a given class on the highest cost-sharing tier in a tiered formulary.
(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply pre-deductible.
(d) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to a high deductible health plan after the minimum deductible amounts required for such plans, as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 223(c)(2)(A)(1), are met.
(e) A health plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall allow enrollees to request an exception to the formulary. Under such an exception, a non-formulary drug could be deemed covered under the formulary if the prescribing physician determines that the formulary drug for treatment of the same condition either would not be as effective for the individual or would have adverse effects for the individual, or both.
(f) In the event an enrollee is denied an exception as provided by subsection (e) of this section, such denial shall be considered an adverse determination and will be subject to the health plan internal review process set forth in M.G.L. Ch. 176O.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health plan to:
(1) Provide coverage for any additional drugs not otherwise required by law;
(2) Implement specific utilization management techniques, such as prior authorization or step therapy; or
(3) Cease utilization of tiered cost-sharing structures, including those strategies used to incent use of preventive services, disease management, and low-cost treatment options.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4X the following section:-
Section 4Y. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance.
“Cost-sharing” means coinsurance, copayments, deductibles, or any other out-of-pocket expense.
“Deductible’’ means the amount of covered expenses which must be accumulated annually before benefits become payable as additional covered expenses incurred.
“Tiered formulary” means a formulary that provides coverage for prescription drugs as part of a health plan for which cost sharing, deductibles or coinsurance obligations are determined by category or tier of prescription drugs, that includes at least two different tiers.
(b) No s individual or group health maintenance delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state that provides coverage for prescription drugs may:
(1) Impose any cost-sharing that exceeds one hundred dollars per thirty-day supply for a covered prescription drug; or
(2) Place all drugs in a given class on the highest cost-sharing tier in a tiered formulary.
(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply pre-deductible.
(d) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to a high deductible health plan after the minimum deductible amounts required for such plans, as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 223(c)(2)(A)(1), are met.
(e) A health plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall allow enrollees to request an exception to the formulary. Under such an exception, a non-formulary drug could be deemed covered under the formulary if the prescribing physician determines that the formulary drug for treatment of the same condition either would not be as effective for the individual or would have adverse effects for the individual, or both.
(f) In the event an enrollee is denied an exception as provided by subsection (e) of this section, such denial shall be considered an adverse determination and will be subject to the health plan internal review process set forth in M.G.L. Ch. 176O.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a health plan to:
(1) Provide coverage for any additional drugs not otherwise required by law;
(2) Implement specific utilization management techniques, such as prior authorization or step therapy; or
(3) Cease utilization of tiered cost-sharing structures, including those strategies used to incent use of preventive services, disease management, and low-cost treatment options.
SECTION XX. Sections 1 through 4 of this Act shall not apply to catastrophic plans as defined by M.G.L. Ch. 176J.
SECTION XX. This act shall apply to all policies, contracts and certificates of health insurance subject to section 47EE of chapter 175, section 8GG of chapter 176A, section 4GG of chapter 176B and section 4Y of chapter 176G of the General Laws delivered, issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2016.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-521
EHS 521
Aversive Therapy Regulation Codification
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section XX, the following new section:-
“SECTION XX. Chapter 19B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 19. No program which is operated, funded or licensed by the department of developmental services shall employ the use of Level III Aversive Interventions to reduce or eliminate maladaptive behaviors; provided, however, that individual-specific exceptions allowing the use of Level III Aversive Interventions to reduce or modify behavior may be granted to individuals who, as of September 1, 2011, have an existing court-approved treatment plan which includes the use of Level III Aversive Interventions. Such exception may be granted each year if the exception is contained in an individual’s behavior treatment plan, approved by the court prior to September 1, 2011. Any Level III Aversive Interventions administered under this section shall comply with 115 CMR 5.14 (4)(b)4.”
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2486
Senate, May 24, 2016 – Text of amendment (522) (offered by Senator L'Italien) to the Ways and Means amendment (Senate, No. 4) to the House Bill making appropriations for the fiscal year 2017 for the maintenance of the departments, boards, commissions, institutions and certain activities of the Commonwealth, for interest, sinking fund and serial bond requirements and for certain permanent improvements. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
_______________
by inserting the following new sections:-
SECTION X. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47BB the following section:-
Section 47CC. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Clinical practice guidelines” means a systematically developed statement to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical circumstances.
“Clinical review criteria” means the written screening procedures, decision abstracts, clinical protocols and practice guidelines used by an insurer or health plan to determine the medical necessity and appropriateness of healthcare services.
“Step Therapy Protocol” means a protocol or program that establishes the specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition and medically appropriate for a particular patient are to be prescribed and paid for by a health plan.
“Step Therapy Override Determination” means a determination as to whether step therapy should apply in a particular situation, or whether the step therapy protocol should be overridden in favor of immediate coverage of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s preferred drug. This determination is based on a review of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s request for an override, along with supporting rationale and documentation.
“Utilization review organization” means an entity that conducts utilization review, other than a health carrier performing utilization review for its own health benefit plans.
(b) Any policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or renewed within the commonwealth that provides coverage for prescription drugs and uses step-therapy protocols shall have the following requirements and restrictions.
(1) Clinical review criteria used to establish step therapy protocols shall be based on clinical practice guidelines:
(A) Independently developed by a professional medical society with expertise in the medical condition, or conditions, for which coverage decisions said criteria will be applied; and
(B) That recommend drugs be taken in the specific sequence required by the step therapy protocol.
(2) Exceptions Process. When coverage of medications for the treatment of any medical condition are restricted for use by an insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization via a step therapy protocol, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear and convenient process to request a Step Therapy Exception Determination. An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization may use its existing medical exceptions process to satisfy this requirement. The process shall be disclosed to the patient and health care providers, including documenting and making easily accessible on the insurer’s or health plan’s website.
(3) Exceptions. An exception request shall be expeditiously granted if:
(A) The required drug is contraindicated or will likely cause an adverse reaction by or physical or mental harm to the patient;
(B) The required drug is expected to be ineffective based on the known relevant physical or mental characteristics of the insured and the known characteristics of the drug regimen;
(C) The enrollee has tried the step therapy-required drug while under their current or a previous health plan, or another drug in the same pharmacologic class or with the same mechanism of action and such drugs were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or effectiveness, diminished effect, or an adverse event;
(D) The patient is stable on a drug recommended by their health care provider for the medical condition under consideration, based on, but not limited to, a trial with medication samples or a prescription filled at a pharmacy;
(E) The step therapy-required drug is not in the best interest of the patient, based on medical appropriateness.
(4) Effect of Exception. Upon the granting of an exception request, the insurer, health plan, utilization review organization, or other entity shall authorize dispensation of and coverage for the drug prescribed by the enrollee’s treating health care provider, provided such drug is a covered drug under such policy or contract.
(5) Limitations. This section shall not be construed to prevent:
(A) An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization from requiring an enrollee try an AB-rated generic equivalent prior to providing reimbursement for the equivalent branded drug;
(B) A health care provider from prescribing a drug he or she determines is medically appropriate.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8EE the following section:-
Section 8FF. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Clinical practice guidelines” means a systematically developed statement to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical circumstances.
“Clinical review criteria” means the written screening procedures, decision abstracts, clinical protocols and practice guidelines used by an insurer or health plan to determine the medical necessity and appropriateness of healthcare services.
“Step Therapy Protocol” means a protocol or program that establishes the specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition and medically appropriate for a particular patient are to be prescribed and paid for by a health plan.
“Step Therapy Override Determination” means a determination as to whether step therapy should apply in a particular situation, or whether the step therapy protocol should be overridden in favor of immediate coverage of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s preferred drug. This determination is based on a review of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s request for an override, along with supporting rationale and documentation.
“Utilization review organization” means an entity that conducts utilization review, other than a health carrier performing utilization review for its own health benefit plans.
(b) Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan which is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth that provides coverage for prescription drugs and uses step-therapy protocols shall have the following requirements and restrictions.
(1) Clinical review criteria used to establish step therapy protocols shall be based on clinical practice guidelines:
(A) Independently developed by a professional medical society with expertise in the medical condition, or conditions, for which coverage decisions said criteria will be applied; and
(B) That recommend drugs be taken in the specific sequence required by the step therapy protocol.
(2) Exceptions Process. When coverage of medications for the treatment of any medical condition are restricted for use by an insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization via a step therapy protocol, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear and convenient process to request a Step Therapy Exception Determination. An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization may use its existing medical exceptions process to satisfy this requirement. The process shall be disclosed to the patient and health care providers, including documenting and making easily accessible on the insurer’s or health plan’s website.
(3) Exceptions. An exception request shall be expeditiously granted if:
(A) The required drug is contraindicated or will likely cause an adverse reaction by or physical or mental harm to the patient;
(B) The required drug is expected to be ineffective based on the known relevant physical or mental characteristics of the insured and the known characteristics of the drug regimen;
(C) The enrollee has tried the step therapy-required drug while under their current or a previous health plan, or another drug in the same pharmacologic class or with the same mechanism of action and such drugs were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or effectiveness, diminished effect, or an adverse event;
(D) The patient is stable on a drug recommended by their health care provider for the medical condition under consideration, based on, but not limited to, a trial with medication samples or a prescription filled at a pharmacy;
(E) The step therapy-required drug is not in the best interest of the patient, based on medical appropriateness.
(4) Effect of Exception. Upon the granting of an exception request, the insurer, health plan, utilization review organization, or other entity shall authorize dispensation of and coverage for the drug prescribed by the enrollee’s treating health care provider, provided such drug is a covered drug under such policy or contract.
(5) Limitations. This section shall not be construed to prevent:
(A) An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization from requiring an enrollee try an AB-rated generic equivalent prior to providing reimbursement for the equivalent branded drug;
(B) A health care provider from prescribing a drug he or she determines is medically appropriate.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4EE the following section:-
Section 4FF. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Clinical practice guidelines” means a systematically developed statement to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical circumstances.
“Clinical review criteria” means the written screening procedures, decision abstracts, clinical protocols and practice guidelines used by an insurer or health plan to determine the medical necessity and appropriateness of healthcare services.
“Step Therapy Protocol” means a protocol or program that establishes the specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition and medically appropriate for a particular patient are to be prescribed and paid for by a health plan.
“Step Therapy Override Determination” means a determination as to whether step therapy should apply in a particular situation, or whether the step therapy protocol should be overridden in favor of immediate coverage of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s preferred drug. This determination is based on a review of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s request for an override, along with supporting rationale and documentation.
“Utilization review organization” means an entity that conducts utilization review, other than a health carrier performing utilization review for its own health benefit plans.
(b) Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth that provides coverage for prescription drugs and uses step-therapy protocols shall have the following requirements and restrictions.
(1) Clinical review criteria used to establish step therapy protocols shall be based on clinical practice guidelines:
(A) Independently developed by a professional medical society with expertise in the medical condition, or conditions, for which coverage decisions said criteria will be applied; and
(B) That recommend drugs be taken in the specific sequence required by the step therapy protocol.
(2) Exceptions Process. When coverage of medications for the treatment of any medical condition are restricted for use by an insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization via a step therapy protocol, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear and convenient process to request a Step Therapy Exception Determination. An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization may use its existing medical exceptions process to satisfy this requirement. The process shall be disclosed to the patient and health care providers, including documenting and making easily accessible on the insurer’s or health plan’s website.
(3) Exceptions. An exception request shall be expeditiously granted if:
(A) The required drug is contraindicated or will likely cause an adverse reaction by or physical or mental harm to the patient;
(B) The required drug is expected to be ineffective based on the known relevant physical or mental characteristics of the insured and the known characteristics of the drug regimen;
(C) The enrollee has tried the step therapy-required drug while under their current or a previous health plan, or another drug in the same pharmacologic class or with the same mechanism of action and such drugs were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or effectiveness, diminished effect, or an adverse event;
(D) The patient is stable on a drug recommended by their health care provider for the medical condition under consideration, based on, but not limited to, a trial with medication samples or a prescription filled at a pharmacy;
(E) The step therapy-required drug is not in the best interest of the patient, based on medical appropriateness.
(4) Effect of Exception. Upon the granting of an exception request, the insurer, health plan, utilization review organization, or other entity shall authorize dispensation of and coverage for the drug prescribed by the enrollee’s treating health care provider, provided such drug is a covered drug under such policy or contract.
(5) Limitations. This section shall not be construed to prevent:
(A) An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization from requiring an enrollee try an AB-rated generic equivalent prior to providing reimbursement for the equivalent branded drug;
(B) A health care provider from prescribing a drug he or she determines is medically appropriate.
SECTION XX. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4W the following section:-
Section 4X. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
“Clinical practice guidelines” means a systematically developed statement to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical circumstances.
“Clinical review criteria” means the written screening procedures, decision abstracts, clinical protocols and practice guidelines used by an insurer or health plan to determine the medical necessity and appropriateness of healthcare services.
“Step Therapy Protocol” means a protocol or program that establishes the specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition and medically appropriate for a particular patient are to be prescribed and paid for by a health plan.
“Step Therapy Override Determination” means a determination as to whether step therapy should apply in a particular situation, or whether the step therapy protocol should be overridden in favor of immediate coverage of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s preferred drug. This determination is based on a review of the patient’s and/or prescriber’s request for an override, along with supporting rationale and documentation.
“Utilization review organization” means an entity that conducts utilization review, other than a health carrier performing utilization review for its own health benefit plans.
(b) Any individual or group health maintenance that provides coverage for prescription drugs and uses step-therapy protocols shall have the following requirements and restrictions.
(1) Clinical review criteria used to establish step therapy protocols shall be based on clinical practice guidelines:
(A) Independently developed by a professional medical society with expertise in the medical condition, or conditions, for which coverage decisions said criteria will be applied; and
(B) That recommend drugs be taken in the specific sequence required by the step therapy protocol.
(2) Exceptions Process. When coverage of medications for the treatment of any medical condition are restricted for use by an insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization via a step therapy protocol, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear and convenient process to request a Step Therapy Exception Determination. An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization may use its existing medical exceptions process to satisfy this requirement. The process shall be disclosed to the patient and health care providers, including documenting and making easily accessible on the insurer’s or health plan’s website.
(3) Exceptions. An exception request shall be expeditiously granted if:
(A) The required drug is contraindicated or will likely cause an adverse reaction by or physical or mental harm to the patient;
(B) The required drug is expected to be ineffective based on the known relevant physical or mental characteristics of the insured and the known characteristics of the drug regimen;
(C) The enrollee has tried the step therapy-required drug while under their current or a previous health plan, or another drug in the same pharmacologic class or with the same mechanism of action and such drugs were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or effectiveness, diminished effect, or an adverse event;
(D) The patient is stable on a drug recommended by their health care provider for the medical condition under consideration, based on, but not limited to, a trial with medication samples or a prescription filled at a pharmacy;
(E) The step therapy-required drug is not in the best interest of the patient, based on medical appropriateness.
(4) Effect of Exception. Upon the granting of an exception request, the insurer, health plan, utilization review organization, or other entity shall authorize dispensation of and coverage for the drug prescribed by the enrollee’s treating health care provider, provided such drug is a covered drug under such policy or contract.
(5) Limitations. This section shall not be construed to prevent:
(A) An insurer, health plan, or utilization review organization from requiring an enrollee try an AB-rated generic equivalent prior to providing reimbursement for the equivalent branded drug;
(B) A health care provider from prescribing a drug he or she determines is medically appropriate.
SECTION XX. Sections 1 to 5, inclusive, shall apply to all policies, contracts and certificates of health insurance subject to section 17K of chapter 32A, section 47CC of chapter 175, section 8FF of chapter 176A, section 4FF of chapter 176B and section 4X of chapter 176G of the General Laws which are delivered, issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2016.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-523
EHS 523
Living Independently for Equality
Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4120-4000, by inserting after item 4120-4000 the following item: "xxxx-xxxx for Living Independently for Equality, Inc. of Brockton..........$30,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-524
EHS 524
DTA Security
Mr. Fattman, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore and Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4400-1000, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided that no less than $350,000 be expended for the installation and staffing of metal detectors in department branches in the cities of Worcester and Southbridge”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$66,290,033” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$66,640,033”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-525
EHS 525
Duxbury Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:- "provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided through Duxbury Council on Aging at the Duxbury Senior Center"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-526
EHS 526
Duxbury Local Abuse Substance Prevention
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting, after item 4000-0005, the following item:-
"To assist the Duxbury Police Department with substance abuse and opioid prevention efforts including the establishment of a new community wellness coalition.......................................$20,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-527-R3
3rd Redraft EHS 527
Prostate Health Prevention
Ms. Forry and Mr. McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0925, by striking the words “Hispanic, Latino or African- American” and inserting in its place “African-American, Hispanic or Latino”. And by inserting after the words “to a nonprofit” the word “research”; and by inserting after the word “existing” the words “state-funded prostate cancer action council”; And by inserting after the word “costs” the following language, “provided; that no less than $100,000 be provided to the Prostate Health Education Network, Inc. for the purposes of providing education and awareness to the African American community on Prostate Cancer, its prevention, and treatment” and by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in its place “$200,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-528
EHS 528
Homeless Veterans Aid Reimbursement
Messrs. Barrett and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 35 the following section:-
“SECTION 35A. Section 6 of chapter 115 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- Notwithstanding this section, the commonwealth shall make payments to cities and towns equal to 100 per cent of the amount of benefits paid by cities and towns to or on behalf of veterans living in permanent housing located on real property owned by the federal government or institutions or transitional housing as defined in 108 CMR 2.02 if such housing is located on real property owned by the federal government; provided, however, such payments shall be made to the city or town wherein the veteran resides for the first 48 consecutive months of their residence; and provided further, that an applicant for such housing shall not have resided in the city or town for the 6 consecutive months immediately preceding their move into such housing.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-529-R1
Redraft EHS 529
Crossroads Organization
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting, after item 4000-0005, the following item:-
"xxxx-xxxx For year round out-of-school programs through the Crossroads Organization serving at-risk youth in Eastern Massachusetts from Boston to Cape Cod................................$25,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-530
EHS 530
On Common Ground, Inc
Messrs. Ross and Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for On Common Ground, Inc.”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$282,897,851”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-531
EHS 531
Increased Funding for Medicaid Inpatient Behavioral Health Services and Community Based Providers
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, by inserting the following:- “provided further that as an initial step toward achieving parity in reimbursement rates for behavioral health services, EOHHS shall provide no later than October 1, 2016 an additional $7 million increase to reimbursement rates for hospital-based inpatient behavioral health services in addition to other customary payment rate adjustments to hospital reimbursement methodologies; and provided further an additional $7 million shall be used to increase reimbursement rates in addition to other customary payment rate adjustments to cover the cost of primary care and community-based outpatient and diversionary behavioral health services;”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-532-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 532
Funding for Friendship Home of Norwell
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-3000, by adding the following words:- “; provided, that not less than $7,000 shall be expended to Friendship Home, Inc. to improve and extend respite care and support services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families”; and
In said section 2, in said item 5920-3000, by striking out the figure “$62,739,395” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-“$62,746,395”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-533
EHS 533
Payment for Use of Ambulance Services
Messrs. O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following section:-
"SECTION XX.
Chapter 176D of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 3B the following section:-
Section 3C. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
Ambulance service provider, a person or entity licensed by the department of public health under section 6 of chapter 111C to establish or maintain an ambulance service.
Emergency ambulance services, emergency services that an ambulance service provider is authorized to render under its ambulance service license when a condition or situation in which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived by the individual, a bystander or an emergency medical services provider.
Insurance policy and insurance contract, any policy, contract, agreement, plan or certificate of insurance issued, delivered or renewed within the commonwealth that provides coverage for expenses incurred by an insured for transportation services rendered by an ambulance service provider.
Insured, an individual entitled to ambulance services benefits under an insurance policy or insurance contract.
Insurer, a person as defined in section 1 of chapter 176D; any health maintenance organization as defined in section 1 of chapter 176G; a non-profit hospital service corporation organized under chapter 176A; any organization as defined in section 1 of chapter 176I that participates in a preferred provider arrangement also as defined in said section 1 of said chapter 176I; any carrier offering a small group health insurance plan under chapter 176J; any company as defined in section 1 chapter 175; any employee benefit trust; any self-insurance plan, and any company certified under section 34A of chapter 90 and authorized to issue a policy of motor vehicle liability insurance under section 113A of chapter 175 that provides insurance for the expense of medical coverage.
(b) Notwithstanding any general or special provision of law to the contrary, in any instance in which an ambulance service provider provides an emergency ambulance service to an insured but is not an ambulance service provider under contract to the insurer maintaining or providing the insureds insurance policy or insurance contract, the insurer maintaining or providing such insurance policy or insurance contract shall pay the ambulance service provider directly and promptly for the emergency ambulance service rendered to the insured. Such payment shall be made to the ambulance service provider notwithstanding that the insureds insurance policy or insurance contract contains a prohibition against the insured assigning benefits thereunder so long as the insured executes an assignment of benefits to the ambulance service provider and such payment shall be made to the ambulance service provider in the event an insured is either incapable or unable as a practical matter to execute an assignment of benefits under an insurance policy or insurance contract pursuant to which an assignment of benefits is not prohibited, or in connection with an insurance policy or insurance contract that contains a prohibition against any such assignment of benefits. An ambulance service provider shall not be considered to have been paid for an emergency ambulance service rendered to an insured if the insurer makes payment for the emergency ambulance service to the insured. An ambulance service provider shall have a right of action against an insurer that fails to make a payment to it pursuant to this subsection.
(c) Payment to an ambulance service provider under subsection (b) shall be at a rate equal to the rate established by the municipality from where the patient was transported.
(d) An ambulance service provider receiving payment for an ambulance service in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) shall be deemed to have been paid in full for the ambulance service provided to the insured, and shall have no further right or recourse to further bill the insured for said ambulance service with the exception of coinsurance, co-payments or deductibles for which the insured is responsible under the insureds insurance policy or insurance contract.
(e) No term or provision of this section 3C shall be construed as limiting or adversely affecting an insureds right to receive benefits under any insurance policy or insurance contract providing insurance coverage for ambulance services. No term or provision of this section 3C shall create an entitlement on behalf of an insured to coverage for ambulance services if the insureds insurance policy or insurance contract provides no coverage for ambulance services."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-534
EHS 534
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund and Medical Marijuana Clarification
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new sections:
SECTION XX. Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012, is hereby amended by striking out “and thereby make this law revenue neutral.”
SECTION XX. Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
Section XX. Any food or beverage that contains marijuana or marijuana derivatives shall not be exempt from the sales tax under Section 6 of Chapter 64H of the General Laws, and shall be subject to any applicable local option meals excise under Chapter 64L of the General Laws.
SECTION XX. Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
Section XX. Medical marijuana shall not be considered a medicine under section 6(L) of chapter 64H of the General Laws .
SECTION XX. Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
Section XX. Medical marijuana treatment centers shall pay a surcharge of 4% of its gross revenues to the Department of Revenue. The revenue from this surcharge shall be deposited into the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund, created under Section 18(a) of this Chapter.
And by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:
SECTION XX. Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
Section 18(a) There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund to be expended, without further appropriation, by the department of public health. The fund shall consist of revenues collected by the commonwealth including: (1) any revenue collected from dispensary surcharges, meals tax, or sales tax collections from the sale of any product purchased at a medical marijuana dispensary; (2) any revenue from appropriations or other monies authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (3) any fines and penalties allocated to the fund under the General Laws; (4) any funds from public and private sources such as gifts, grants and donations to further community-based prevention activities; (5) any interest earned on such revenues; and (6) any funds provided from other sources.
The commissioner of public health, as trustee, shall administer the fund. The commissioner, in consultation with the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services established, shall make expenditures from the fund consistent with subsections (d) and (e); provided, that not more than 15 per cent of the amounts held in the fund in any 1 year shall be used by the department for the combined cost of program administration, technical assistance to grantees or program evaluation.
(b) Revenues deposited in the fund that are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure in the following fiscal year.
(c) All expenditures from the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund shall support the state’s efforts to prevent and treat substance abuse, as defined by the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.
(d) The commissioner shall annually award not less than 50 per cent of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund through a competitive grant process to municipalities, community-based organizations, health care providers, regional-planning agencies, and health plans that apply for the implementation, evaluation and dissemination of substance abuse prevention and treatment. Substance abuse prevention and treatment shall include, but not be limited to, (1) education; (2) community outreach; (3) direct treatment. To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a recipient shall be: (1) a municipality or group of municipalities working in collaboration; (2) a non-profit community-based organization; (3) a community-based organization working in collaboration with 1 or more municipalities; (4) a health care provider or a health plan working in collaboration with 1 or more municipalities and a community-based organization; or (5) a regional planning agency. Expenditures from the fund for such purposes shall supplement and not replace existing local, state, private or federal public health-related funding; or a community-based organization or group of community-based organizations working in collaboration. The commissioner may expend up to 25 per cent of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund for substance abuse prevention and treatment initiatives through the Department of Public Health.
(e) A grant proposal submitted under subsection (d) shall include, but not be limited to: (1) a plan that defines specific goals for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse; (2) the programs the applicant shall use to meet the goals; (3) a budget necessary to implement the plan, including a detailed description of any funding or in-kind contributions the applicant or applicants will be providing in support of the proposal; (4) any other private funding or private sector participation the applicant anticipates in support of the proposal; (5) a commitment to include women, racial and ethnic minorities and low income individuals; and (6) the anticipated number of individuals that would be affected by implementation of the plan.
Priority may be given to proposals in a geographic region of the state with a higher than average prevalence of substance abuse, as determined by the commissioner of public health, in consultation with the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. If no proposals were offered in areas of the state with particular need, the department shall ask for a specific request for proposal for that specific region. If the commissioner determines that no suitable proposals have been received, such that the specific needs remain unmet, the department may work directly with municipalities or community-based organizations to develop grant proposals.
The department of public health shall, in consultation with the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, develop guidelines for an annual review of the progress being made by each grantee. Each grantee shall participate in any evaluation or accountability process implemented or authorized by the department.
(f) The department of public health shall, annually on or before January 31, report on expenditures from the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Trust Fund. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (1) the revenue credited to the fund; (2) the amount of fund expenditures attributable to the administrative costs of the department of public health; (3) an itemized list of the funds expended through the competitive grant process and a description of the grantee activities; and (4) the results of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities funded through grants.. The report shall be provided to the chairpersons of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on public health and shall be posted on the department of public health’s website.
(g) The department of public health shall, under the advice and guidance of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, annually report on its strategy for administration and allocation of the fund, including relevant evaluation criteria. The report shall set forth the rationale for such strategy, including, but not limited to: (1) a list of the substances most commonly abused in the commonwealth; (2) information regarding the geographic distribution of substance abuse in the commonwealth (3) a list of the most prevalent co-occurring health conditions in the commonwealth, including the co-occurrence of mental illness and substance abuse; and (4) a list of evidence-based or promising community-based programs related to the conditions identified in clauses (1) and (2). The report shall recommend specific areas of focus for allocation of funds. If appropriate, the report shall reference goals and best practices established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(i) The department of public health shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this section.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-535-R1
Redraft EHS 535
Analysis and Reporting on Opiate Overdose Data
Mr. Keenan moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 53 the following 2 sections:-
“SECTION 53A. Section 1 of chapter 55 of the acts of 2015 is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
“Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of health and human services, in collaboration with the department of public health, shall conduct or provide for an examination of the prescribing and treatment history, including court-ordered treatment or treatment within the criminal justice system, of persons in the commonwealth who suffered fatal or non-fatal opiate overdoses in calendar years 2013 to 2015, inclusive. Any report or supplemental reports resulting from this examination shall provide any data in an aggregate and de-identified format.
SECTION 53B. Said section 1 of said chapter 55 is hereby further amended by striking out the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
The report shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means. The secretary of health and human services may publish supplemental reports on the trends identified through its examination; provided, however, that any supplemental report shall be filed not later than July 1, 2017 and shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-536-R1
Redraft EHS 536
EBT Reform
Messrs. Tarr, Timilty and Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in Section 2, in item 4510-0110, by striking out the figure “$18,377,074” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-“$18,407,074”
And further moves to amend the bill by inserting after section__, the following new section__:-
The Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Medical Services, is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the emergency medical service system in the Commonwealth, including but not limited to the functionality, viability and sustainability of regional councils and communications systems, the accessibility, cost and management of training and licensure programs, the ability of current emergency medical response resources and those projected to be available to meet current and projected needs for those resources, and any other factors the commissioner may deem relevant to such review and analysis, which shall itemize and define any and all identified deficiencies, inadequacies, problems and issues requiring remedial or corrective actions.
Said analysis and review, together with legislative, administrative, regulatory and other recommendations necessary to strengthening the emergency medical service system in the commonwealth, shall be reported to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Administration and Finance, the Joint Committee on Public Health and Health Care Financing, and the clerks of the House and Senate, not later than March 31, 2017.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-537
EHS 537
Children's Advocacy Center
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding the following: “provided further that not less than $140,000 shall be expended for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County” and by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$283,017,851”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-538
EHS 538
Rehoboth Senior Center
Mr. Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding at the end thereof the following:-
“provided further that no less than $50,000 shall be expended for the maintenance of the heating system at the Gladys L. Hurrell Senior Center in Rehoboth.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-539
EHS 539
Children’s Integrated Administrative Data Center
Ms. Forry, Ms. Flanagan and Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1790-0100, by inserting after “resources” the following: “provided that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the development of a Children’s Integrated Administrative Data Center”; and in said item by striking out the figures “$3,347,240”, and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,447,240”; and further moves that the bill be amended as follows by inserting after Section XX the following section:
SECTION XX. (a) In order to promote accountability for effective management and stewardship of public funds and to achieve measurable positive outcomes for children, the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology shall convene a task force to advise regarding the establishment and ongoing operations and research of a Massachusetts Children’s Administrative Data Center, herein “Data Center”. This task force shall be chaired jointly by the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology and the Secretary of Health and Human Services or their designees. The task force shall include but is not limited to the following members: the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families or designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services or designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health or designee; the Assistant Secretary for MassHealth or designee; the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education or designee; the Secretary of Administration and Finance or designee; the Child Advocate or designee; the Court Administrator of the Massachusetts Trial Court or designee; a representative from a Massachusetts academic research institution with expertise in the use of administrative data for longitudinal research and evaluation; a representative from Citizens for Juvenile Justice; a representative from the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers; and a representative from provider agencies which offer state-funded services to children.
The Children’s Administrative Data Center would be authorized to enter into agreements with state entities serving children and families in order to secure, match and integrate administrative data from multiple systems. The Data Center would maintain a data “store” or “warehouse” for managing and linking administrative data sets across various state agencies in a form that can be used for research and analysis and, where appropriate, made available to the public in aggregate form. The Data Center may use probabilistic data linking provided such data is not used for the determination of any individual’s qualifications, character, rights, opportunities, or benefits. The Data Center would facilitate research by participating agencies and external researchers regarding the services, programs, or policies that will promote the best long-term outcomes for children who are served by agencies and other state-funded entities in the Commonwealth.
(b) Not later than March 1, 2017, the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology shall submit a report from the Task Force identified in section (a) to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, and the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, which shall include an assessment and recommendations regarding (1) the anticipated research projects which could be conducted about the welfare of children in Massachusetts by the Children’s Administrative Data Center; (2) the agencies which should participate in the initial launch of the Data Center; (3) the entity or type of academic institution most appropriate to serve as the site of the Data Center, including criteria for selecting an appropriate institution, which its criteria should include capacity to maintain research independence and ability to manage confidential data; (4) the oversight and governance of the Data Center including any security measures and procedures needed to guard against the disclosure of personally identifiable information; (5) the minimum requirements for data sharing agreements between participating agencies to ensure compliance with federal and state confidentiality laws; and (6) the anticipated cost of launching and maintaining the Data Center, including the availability of public or private funds to support the work of the Data Center.
(c) Not later than November 1, 2017, subject to appropriations made specifically for the purposes of this section, the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology shall enter into an agreement to create an Children’s Administrative Data Center with an academic institution located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts consistent with the recommendations set forth in the report submitted pursuant to section (b).
(d) Not later than March 1, 2018, and on or before the first day of March of each following year, subject to appropriations, the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology shall submit a report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, and the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, documenting the status of the establishment of the Data Center, the nature of any research which the Data Center is conducting and related findings; and identifying any additional legislative action which may be needed to fully realize the purposes of this section.
(e) Appropriations made to the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology for the purposes of this section shall be used exclusively for expenses incurred for the evaluation, development and creation of the Children’s Administrative Data Center. Authorized expenses of the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology may include staff time to prepare the report; contracts with outside vendors regarding the development and operation of the Data Center; expenses incurred by participating agencies related to the review or production of administrative data; expenses incurred by research organizations in order to establish the Data Center; technical support and training for entities or agencies submitting data to the Data Center; regular or contractual employees necessary for the development or operation of systems to produce administrative data to be used by the Data Center.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-540
EHS 540
Regional EMS Councils
Messrs. Keenan, Joyce, deMacedo, Moore and Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0790, by striking out the figure "$831,959" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$931,959".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-541
EHS 541
Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial
Ms. Forry, Messrs. Montigny, Rush and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-1616, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc. for the programming, design, construction and maintenance of a permanent public space honoring the sacrifice of all of the Commonwealth’s Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes and their families;” and in said item by striking out the figures “$185,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$335,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-542
EHS 542
Grow Associates
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5911-2000, by inserting the following:- “; provided further, that funds may be expended for services to the developmentally disabled provided by Grow Associates, Inc. pursuant to section 2 of chapter 182, of the acts of 2008”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-543
EHS 543
Massachusetts Hospital School Retrofits
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0915, by inserting the following:- “; provided further, that $500,000 shall be expended for deferred maintenance and necessary retrofits to the Massachusetts Hospital School in the town of Canton, including, but not limited to heating and cooling retrofits and improvements and outpatient and inpatient facility restoration and renovation ”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-544
EHS 544
Massachusetts Hospital School Beds
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0915, by adding at the end thereof the following:-
“; provided further, that the Massachusetts Hospital School shall maintain not less than 120 beds for clients in its inpatient setting to the extent feasible within the appropriation”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-545
EHS 545
Massachusetts Hospital School Summer Program
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-0915, by adding the following: “; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended for the Massachusetts Hospital School Summer Program” , and in said item by striking out the figures “$156,667,054” and inserting in place thereof the figure “$156,967,054.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-546
EHS 546
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Brady and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1000, By adding at the end thereof the following: “provided further that not less than $200,000 be expended for a statewide program to improve the care and training for newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome at hospital-based facilities that care for mothers and newborns, including the ten level III neonatal intensive care units in the commonwealth; provided further, that the program shall encourage collaboration between medical providers, community organizations and public health agencies to educate and increase the standardization of practices while developing a robust statewide database to allow for measured improvements in care and outcomes for newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome, including reductions in length of stay and pharmacologic treatment.”; and in said item by striking out the figures $5,539,417” and inserting in place thereof the figures “5,739,417”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-547-R1
Redraft EHS 547
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge and Moore, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Lewis and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5911-1003, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by striking out the words “not less than the amount appropriated in item 5911-1003 of section 2 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012”, in lines 7 and 8, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “not less than $175,000”; and
in said section 2, in said item 5911-1003, by striking out the figure “$69,993,991” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$70,068,991”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-548
EHS 548
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services throught MassHealth and EOHHS
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0500, by striking the figure "$5,486,523,203" and replacing it with the following figure:- "5,496,523,203 ".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-549-R1
Redraft EHS 549
Safeguarding Consumer Parity Rights
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-
SECTION XX. Chapter 256 of the Acts of 2008 by is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following section:-
SECTION 18. A person or entity may, after exhausting internal appeals with the health insurance provider, bring a civil action in Superior Court for a violation of this chapter G.L. c. 175, §47B; G.L. c. 176A, §8A; G.L. c. 176B, §4A; G.L. c. 176G, §4M; or applicable regulations including, but not limited to, 211 CMR 154. If the court finds for the petitioner, the recovery for such actions shall include, but shall not be limited to, treble damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees. In addition, the court shall award such other equitable relief as it deems to be necessary and proper.
Any persons entitled to bring such action may, if the violation of parity has caused similar denial of care to numerous other persons similarly situated and if the court finds in a preliminary hearing that he adequately and fairly represents such other persons, bring the action on behalf of himself and such other similarly injured and situated persons; the court shall require that notice of such action be given to unnamed petitioners in the most effective, practicable manner. Such action shall not be dismissed, settled or compromised without the approval of the court, and notice of any proposed dismissal, settlement or compromise shall be given to all members of the class of petitioners in such a manner as the court directs.
Persons who are covered by health plans through MassHealth, as established in G.L. c.118E, or the Group Insurance Commission, as established under G.L. c.32A and c.32B, may not bring an action under this section.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-550
EHS 550
State Operated Group Homes
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-2010, by striking out the figure "$218,453,948" and inserting in its place the figure "$219,203,948".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-551
EHS 551
South Boston Neighborhood House
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following: “provided further, that no less than $25,000 shall be allocated for the operation of the South Boston Neighborhood House and its Senior Programs;” and in said item by striking out the figures “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures of “$14,125,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-552
EHS 552
Community Health Center Rates
Ms. Forry and Mr. McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended by creating a new section XX:- "In order to promote community health centers as an important component of bending the cost curve and investing in the patient centered medical home model, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall increase community health center rates by October 1, 2016 by eight (8) percent in FY17 and by no less than four (4) percent annually thereafter. The Secretary is required to review the adequacy of health center rates by October 1, 2017.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-554
EHS 554
Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety
Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4100-0060, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “; provided further, that up to $1,563,617 of this appropriation may be expended for the operation of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-555
EHS 555
Pathways to Self Sufficiency
Ms. Flanagan and Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4400-1979, By striking out the figure “1,500,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “15,077,024”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-556
EHS 556
Pilot loan repayment program for direct care human service workers
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Moore and Brady, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Eldridge, Barrett, McGee, Montigny and Pacheco moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
“Section ___. No less than $750,000 shall be expended for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to develop a pilot program for direct care human service workers pursuant to the following language:
“Section 16 of Chapter 6A shall be amended by inserting the following new section, 16A. There shall be a student loan program for credentialed direct care human service workers for the purpose of encouraging individuals to enter and continue to work in human service programs. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall administer the program in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Department of Education.
The term "qualified education loan'' shall mean any indebtedness including interest on such indebtedness incurred to pay tuition or other direct expenses incurred in connection with the pursuit of a certificate, undergraduate or graduate degree by an applicant, but shall not include loans made by any person related to the applicant.
To be eligible for this program a participant must be working a minimum of 35 hours per week as a credentialed direct care human service worker and have an individual income of less than forty-five thousand annually. This program will also help defray costs from previously incurred student loans for graduates holding certificate, undergraduate or graduate degrees once they have maintained twelve consecutive months of employment at a minimum of 35 hours per week.
Eligible participants in this program can be reimbursed up to $1800 per year based on the amount of loan payments made in the previous calendar year, and pending state funding for the program. The commonwealth shall repay the eligible participant's student loan at a rate not to exceed $150 dollars per month for a period not to exceed 48 months. Payments by the commonwealth shall cover loan payments by the eligible participant in the months during which the direct care human service worker provides services in the commonwealth.
A "credentialed direct care human service worker" is defined as a credentialed worker who provides services by supporting individuals and families efforts to function in daily living situations. Human service worker is a generic term for people who hold professional and paraprofessional jobs in settings such as group homes and halfway houses; institutional or residential settings; correctional, mental retardation, and community mental health centers; family, child, and youth service agencies, and programs concerned with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, and aging; in addition such worker shall have passed the course requirements and been issued a credential by the Massachusetts Council of Human Services Providers.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-557
EHS 557
Community Operated DDS Residential Services
Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Eldridge and Rodrigues, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Brownsberger, Moore, Lewis, Humason, Joyce and Keenan and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-2000, By striking out the figure “$1,110,427,449” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “1,116,927,449”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-558
EHS 558
Braintree's Community Partnership on Substance Abuse
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting the following: “; provided further that no less than $150,000 shall be expended to the town of Braintree for Braintree’s Community Partnership on Substance Abuse”; and in said item by striking out the figures “$122,813,938” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$122,963,938”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-559
EHS 559
Regulating Treatment of Persons with Disabilities
Mr. Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section XX, the following new section:-
“SECTION XX. Chapter 19B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 19. (a) For the purpose of this section, “person with a disability” shall mean a person with a permanent or long-term physical or mental impairment that prevents or restricts such individual’s ability to provide for such individual’s own care or protection.
(b) No program, agency or facility funded, operated, licensed or approved by the commonwealth or any subdivision thereof shall administer to a person with a disability any procedure which causes obvious signs of physical pain, including, but not limited to, hitting, pinching or electric shock for the purposes of changing the behavior of such person. No such program shall employ any form of physical contact or punishment on a person with a disability that is otherwise prohibited by law or would be prohibited if used on a person who does not have a disability. No such program shall employ any procedure which denies a person with a disability adequate sleep, food, shelter, bedding or bathroom facilities.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-560
EHS 560
Youth Substance Abuse Prevention
Ms. Forry, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Brownsberger and Rush moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $300,000 be expended to Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs, Inc., to support evidence based programming and impact speaking engagements for high school aged youth and on the subject of substance abuse across the Commonwealth” and by striking the figures “$2,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures of “$2,400,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-561-R1
Redraft EHS 561
Retaining the State Standard for TAFDC Disability
Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Barrett, Ms. Creem, Messrs. Donnelly, Wolf, Eldridge and Lewis, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Moore, Brownsberger, McGee and Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after section 52 the following 2 sections:-
“SECTION 52A. Clause (1) of subsection (e) of said chapter 110 of said chapter 5, as appearing in section 24 of chapter 158 of the acts of 2014, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the words“, in the commissioner’s discretion, a” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- a.
SECTION 52B. Said clause (1) of said subsection (e) of said section 110 of said chapter 5, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “dependency”, in line 9, the following words:- ; provided, however, that the department shall review and update its medical standards as necessary”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-562
EHS 562
Cost Trends Accuracy
Messrs. deMacedo, O'Connor, Fattman, Ross, Humason and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: -
“SECTION XX. Section 16 of Chapter 12C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “durable medical equipment” in line 15 the following:-
, provided, that any detailed cost growth trend in the pharmaceutical sector shall consider the effect of drug rebates and other price concessions in the aggregate without disclosure of any product or manufacturer-specific rebate or price concession information, and without limiting or otherwise affecting the confidential or proprietary nature of any rebate or price concession agreements.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-563-R1
Redraft EHS 563
Alzheimer's Public Awareness Education
Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Barrett, Montigny, O'Connor, Brownsberger and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1111, by adding the following words:- “; provided, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for a grant to a statewide Alzheimer’s disease advocacy and education organization for a public awareness and education campaign as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which shall include a description of the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, access to patient services, importance of early diagnosis and family caregiver education and support”; and
in said section 2, in said item 4513-1111, by striking out the figure “$3,599,010” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-“$3,649,010”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-564
EHS 564
Healthy Relationships Grant Program
Messrs. Ross, Eldridge, Barrett, Timilty, McGee, O'Connor and Moore, Ms. Creem and Mr. Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after item 4513-1130 the following item:-
“4513-1131 For a competitive grant program in public schools from grade 5 to grade 12, inclusive, that shall promote healthy relationships and address teen dating violence; provided, that the department of elementary and secondary education shall continue to develop a grant program for 10 schools on anti-teen dating violence programming to be implemented for the 2017 school year; provided further, that the grant program shall be for schools in which the majority of students are eligible for free or reduced lunches; and provided further, that at least 1 grantee shall be a school located in a municipality with a population less than or equal to 25,000…$150,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-565
EHS 565
Project Right
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Project RIGHT’s substance abuse and trauma prevention initiative in the Grove Hall area of Boston;” and in said item, by striking out the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the following figures “$122,913,988”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-566
EHS 566
Laboure Center Recovering Connections Program
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by inserting at the end thereof the following: “provided, that no less than $75,000 shall be expanded for the operation of the Catholic Charities Labouré Center and its Recovery Connections program”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the following figures “$282,902,851”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-567
EHS 567
Trauma reporting
Messrs. Lewis and deMacedo moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting at the end thereof the following section:--
SECTION XX. Section 11 of Chapter 111C of the general laws, as so appearing in the 2014 edition, is hereby amended by striking and replacing clause (3) of subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following:
(c)(3) require the reporting and analysis of patient, diagnosis, treatment, facility and other reasonably detailed trauma care information by each hospital in the commonwealth; provided, however the department may not require that a hospital report to the department any data under this section that the hospital otherwise reports to the commonwealth or any of its agencies: provided further, the department shall be authorized to access and directly obtain data in a timely manner that is collected by the center for health information and analysis, or its successor agency, that the department determines is necessary for analyzing trauma-related services statewide; and provided further the department shall maintain a de-identified database of all trauma patients treated at hospitals in the commonwealth; which shall be made available, upon request, to a any Massachusetts licensed acute care hospital which submits trauma data to the department or to the center for health information and analysis. This database will contain all data from the trauma registry and other data that is requested from the center for health information and analysis.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-568
EHS 568
Prostate Cancer Research
Messrs. Brownsberger and Brady, Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Eldridge, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Lewis, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore, Rush, Welch, Wolf and deMacedo, Ms. Creem, Messrs. Barrett and McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by striking out item 4590-0925 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-
“4590-0925For the costs of a prostate cancer research program integrated with awareness and education focusing on men with Hispanic, Latino or African-American heritage, family history of the disease and other men at high risk; provided, that the department of public health shall oversee and manage the program and shall grant not less than 85 per cent of the funds from this item to a non-profit research foundation that shall leverage existing state-funded prostate cancer action council partnerships with other state-funded non-profit organizations and current and past federally and state funded prostate cancer programs aimed at saving lives, improving quality of life and reducing health care costs………………………………………………………..…$700,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-569
EHS 569
Employment Support Services for Non-English and Non-Spanish Speaking Immigrants
Ms. Creem, Messrs. Lewis and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4401-1000, by striking out the figure “$794,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,000,000”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$12,488,060” and inserting in place thereof the figures:- “$12, 694,060”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-570-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 570
Family Planning Services
Mr. Wolf, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. McGee, Brownsberger, Lewis and Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1000, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by striking out, in line 2, the figure "$5,411,509" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,611,509”; and
in said section 2, in said item 4513-1000, by striking out the figure "$5,539,417" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,739,417”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-571
EHS 571
SB Youth Ambassadors and Leadership Initiative
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by adding the following: “provided further, that no less than $50,000 shall be expanded for the Youth Ambassador Program and South Boston Leadership Initiative at South Boston Community Health Center,” and in said item, by striking the figures “$1,048,773” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$1,098,773”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-572-R1
Redraft EHS 572
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices
Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Joyce and Barrett moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after section 35 the following section:-
“SECTION 35A. Section 10H of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as inserted by section 25 of chapter 226 of the acts of 2014, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “tablets”, in line 11, the following words:- ; provided, however, that the division shall also provide coverage for augmentative and alternative communication devices not eligible for federal funds if the total cost incurred by the division for a device that is not eligible for federal funds is not more than the commonwealth’s share of a comparable device that is eligible for federal funds.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-573
EHS 573
Drug Story Theater of the South Shore
Messrs. deMacedo and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “;provided, further, that no less than $50,000 be expended for the Drug Story Theater of the South Shore pilot program for substance abuse prevention and education”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$122,813,988” and inserting in place thereof the figures “122,863,988.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-574
EHS 574
South Boston Community Health Center
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by adding the following: “provided further, that no less than $50,000 shall be expanded for the operation and implementation of the South Boston Community Health Center,” and in said item, by striking the figures “$1,048,773” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$1,098,773”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-575
EHS 575
South Boston En Accion
Ms. Forry moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by adding at the end thereof the following: “provided, that no less than $25,000 shall be expanded to South Boston En Acción (SBEA) for leadership development training; ESOL, STEM and basic computer skills instruction; English-Spanish immersion training and Spanish-English immersion training”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$282,877,851” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$282,902,851”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-577
EHS 577
Massachusetts Trauma Registry
Messrs. deMacedo, Lewis, O'Connor and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0710, by adding at the end thereof the following:“; and provided further that not less than $150,000 shall be expended for the hiring of 2 full time data analyst positions to assist with the development of annual statewide and regional reporting from the Massachusetts Trauma Registry, in conjunction with representatives from the American College of Surgeons Massachusetts Chapter and the Massachusetts Hospital Association, with the first report analyzing annual data submitted from 2013 through October 2016, to be issued no later than January 1, 2017”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$10,810,498” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$10,960,498”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-578
EHS 578
Transparency with the Health Connector Board
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section ___ the following new section:-
“SECTION __. Chapter 176Q, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after section 18 the following two new sections:-
176Q:19 Health Connector Transparency
Section 19. The connector shall be subject to the open meeting law as established under G.L.c. 30A, §§18-25 and subject to public records request as established under G.L.c. 66. A public record for purposes of this section shall include but not be limited to board votes, meeting minutes, financial records, contract, and staff salaries. This information shall also be made publicly available on the website of the connector.
176Q:20 Return on Investment
Section 20. The secretary of administration and finance shall on an annual basis review and evaluate the return on investments made by the connector. Said review and evaluation along with any recommendations shall be filed with the clerks of the house and senate, the house and senate committee on ways, and joint committee on health care financing no later than December 31 annually.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-579
EHS 579
Psychotropic Medications
Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section___, the following new section:-
“Section 140 of Chapter 165 of the Massachusetts General Laws as so appearing in the 2014 Official Edition is hereby amended
d) Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) a facility may administer a scheduled psychotropic medications without prior written informed consent in the following instances, (i) in the case of an admission of a resident to a facility from an inpatient hospital in which the resident had been prescribed and was receiving psychotropic medications pursuant to a valid consent, or when a facility is not able to obtain an informed written consent prior to or at the time of admission to the facility, both situations shall be permitted to continue the use of any such prescribed psychotropic medications for up to and including three consecutive calendar days (including the day of admission) to permit such written informed consent to be obtained, and or(ii) when a physician determines that the resident poses an imminent threat of harm to himself or others, and there is no less intrusive alternative to antipsychotic drugs; (iii) when a physician determines that the resident needs to be medicated in order to avoid the immediate, substantial and irreversible deterioration of a serious mental illness, and (iv) in emergency situations, as defined by the Department of Public Health; provided, however, that in either instance, a facility shall obtain written informed consent as soon as practicable, but no later than 3 consecutive calendar days, following administration of a scheduled psychotropic medication. If written informed consent cannot be obtained within the three-day period, a documented gradual dose reduction plan shall be implemented to terminate the psychotropic medication"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-580
EHS 580
BRAVE Veterans Smile Brightly Program
Messrs. Eldridge, Moore and McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0010, by adding the following: "; provided further, that not less than $150,000 be allocated to the BRAVE Veterans Smile Brightly program to provide veteran job applicants with oral treatment to correct and restore deficient oral health prior to job interviews", and in said item by striking out the figure "$3,372,497" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$3,522,497".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-581-R1
Redraft EHS 581
Adult Day Health Payment Rates
Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Creem, Messrs. Moore, Rush and Rodrigues, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Fattman, Lewis, Timilty and McGee, Ms. Donoghue, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Messrs. Brownsberger, Montigny and Brady, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Eldridge, Pacheco and Tarr, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. O'Connor, Downing and Keenan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0600, by inserting the following words:- "and provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of health and human services shall establish payment rates for adult day health programs using as base year costs, for rate determination purposes, the reported costs of the calendar year 2013 adjusted to the current rate year and for reasonableness."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-582-R1
Redraft EHS 582
Healthy Lives Program at Brookline Mental Health Center
Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0300, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by adding at the end thereof the following:- “; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for the Brookline Community Mental Health Center to expand the Healthy Lives program”; and by striking out the figure "$99,715,735" and inserting in place thereof the figure "$99,965,735"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-583-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 583
War Memorials
Mr. Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-1616, by inserting at the end thereof the following:- "provided further that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for construction, upgrades, or repairs for the Agawam War Memorial; provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for construction, upgrades, or repairs for the Southwick War Memorial; provided further, that no less than $5,000 shall be expended for construction, upgrades, or repairs for the Easthampton War Memorial "; and in said item, by striking out the figures "$185,000" and inserting in place there of the figures "$200,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-584
EHS 584
Family Planning Services
Ms. Forry, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Lewis, Brownsberger, Brady and Wolf moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0328, by adding after item (vii) the following:“and (viii) the pursuit of expanded federal reimbursement for comprehensive family planning services”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-585-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 585
Substance Abuse Services Trust Fund
Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Keenan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Rodrigues and Eldridge, Ms. Chandler, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Humason, Brownsberger, Brady, Moore, Lewis and deMacedo, Ms. Forry, Ms. Donoghue, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Lesser and Downing, Ms. Chang-Diaz, Messrs. Montigny, O'Connor, Wolf and Welch and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item XXXX-XXXX, by inserting after item 1595-1069 the following item:-
“1595-4510 For an operating transfer to the Substance Abuse Services Fund established in section 2I of chapter 111 of the General Laws; provided, that the funds in this item shall be expended to increase the number of clients receiving substance abuse treatment through the bureau of substance abuse services; provided further, that in meeting that requirement, the bureau shall utilize a range of treatment settings including, but not limited to: (i) detoxification services; (ii) clinical stabilization services; (iii) residential treatment services; (iv) outpatient treatment services; (v) counseling; (vi) promoting primary care practitioners’ access to available, trained and certified addiction specialists for consultation or referral; and (vii) educating primary care providers, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, about addiction prevention and treatment and to encourage primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to screen for signs of substance abuse; provided further, that in determining the range of services to expand, the bureau shall select a range of treatment settings that prioritizes: (a) treatment methods that are evidence-based and cost effective; (b) ensuring substance abuse treatment access to historically underserved populations; and (c) availability of a continuum of services and care for clients entering substance abuse treatment at any level; and provided further, that the commissioner of public health shall report quarterly to the executive office for administration and finance, the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the house and senate committees on ways and means on: (1) the way funds were spent in the previous quarter, including, but not limited to, an itemized accounting of the goods and services that were procured; (2) an accounting of substance abuse services provided by the fund, broken down by month and type of service, since 2011 through the current quarter; (3) the number of clients served, by month and type of service; (4) the number of new and returning clients, by service; (5) amounts expended by type of service for each month in the prior quarter; and (6) procurement and service goals for the subsequent quarter…$2,000,000”; and
by inserting after section 35 the following section:-
“SECTION 35A. The first paragraph of section 2I of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- The department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify amounts up to $10,000,000 for payment in anticipation of receipts; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made from the fund which shall cause the fund to be in deficit at the close of the fiscal year.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-586
EHS 586
International Institute of New England
Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5046-0000, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “; and provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the International Institute of New England for culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services for immigrants and refugees who have experienced torture and trauma”, and in said item by striking out the figures ʺ$378,654,252” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$378,904,252.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-588
EHS 588
TAFDC Grants
Mr. Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4403-2000, by striking out the following words:-
“provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of transitional assistance shall calculate benefits provided under item 4403-2000, in the same manner as the previous fiscal year; provided further, that the department’s calculation of benefits shall not preclude the department from making eligibility or benefit changes that lead to an increase in eligibility or benefits”; and
by striking out the figures "$198,183,644" and inserting in place thereof the following figures:- "$181,244,244"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-589
EHS 589
South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative
Mr. Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4590-1507, by inserting at the end thereof the following:- "provided further, that $54,000 shall be expended for the South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative"; and further in said item, by striking out the figures "$2,100,000" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$2,154,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-591
EHS 591
Homemaker Salary Reserve
Messrs. Barrett, Rodrigues and Eldridge, Ms. Gobi, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Brady and Moore, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Brownsberger and McGee, Ms. Donoghue, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Lovely and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item XXXX-XXXX, by inserting after item 9110-1633 the following item:
“9110-1635 For an adjustment to increase the approved program rates issued under 101 CMR 417.00 to provide a rate add-on for wages, compensation and/or salary and associated employee-related costs to personnel providing homemaker and personal care homemaker services to elderly clients under items 9110-1500, 9110-1630, and 4000-0600……………………….$5,000,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-593
EHS 593
Removing requirement of notice to DMH of licenses granted to guardians to sell real estate
Messrs. Brownsberger and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new sections:-
SECTION ___. Section 12 of chapter 202 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the words “or of a person who is incapacitated by reason of mental illness.”
SECTION ___. Section 12 of chapter 202 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 5, the words “or, in the case of a person incapacitated by reason of mental illness to the department of mental health.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-594
EHS 594
Detention Diversion Advocacy Program
Mr. Barrett, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge and Moore, Ms. Forry and Mr. Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4200-0200, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided, that the department shall expend not less than $500,000 to expand the Detention Diversion Advocacy Program to be coordinated by the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps to prevent high-risk juveniles presenting before the court from penetrating further into the juvenile justice system”; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$27,133,139” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$27,633,139”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-595-R1
Redraft EHS 595
Development of Intervention Program
Mr. Tarr, Ms. L'Italien and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting in Section 2, in item 2800-0501, by adding the following words:-"; and provided further that no less than $84,500 be expended to reopen and staff Berry Pond in the Harold Parker State Forest", and by striking the figure "$15,261,436" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$15,345,936"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-597-R1
Redraft EHS 597
Creating Home Care Access for the Near Poor
Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Humason, Lewis, Eldridge, Joyce and Montigny, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1630, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after the words “provided to the elderly;” the following words:- “provided further, that the secretary of elder affairs shall manage the funds allocated between items 9110-1630, 9110-1633, and 9110-1500 to provide home care services to certain persons who are eligible for the home care program whose annual income exceeds by fifteen percent or less the current income eligibility limit based on regulations promulgated by the secretary. The secretary shall report to the house and senate committee on ways and means no later than February 1, 2018 on the caseload and expenditures made from this fund."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-598
EHS 598
Autism Insurance Resource Center
Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Chandler, Messrs. Ross and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting the following new line item:- 4000-0302 For continued operation of the Autism Insurance Resource Center which provides information, technical assistance, and support to families of individuals with autism, including individuals who have MassHealth... $106,767
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-599
EHS 599
Franklin Senior Center
Mr. Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following words:- “provided further, that no less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Franklin Senior Center”; and
in said section 2, in said item 9110-9002, by striking out the figure “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$14,150,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-600
EHS 600
DDS Transportation Services
Messrs. Keenan, Lewis and Joyce and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5911-2000, by striking out the figure "$21,651,781” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$22,651,781".
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-601
EHS 601
State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4405-2000, by striking out the figure “$224,856,806” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-
“$227,080,18"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-602
EHS 602
Veterans Who Served in the CCNOAA and United States Public Health Service
Mr. Tarr, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. deMacedo and Humason, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following new section:-
“SECTION XX. Subdivision (1) of section 4 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after clause (r), the following clause:-
(r ½) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a member in service, as defined in section 3, who served in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who has completed 4 or more years of membership service, as defined in section 1, shall receive full credit for the period of such Commissioned Corps service for purposes of retirement; provided, however, that they retire on or after January 1, 1975. Eligibility for the creditable service shall be conditioned upon payment, in 1 sum or in installments upon such terms as the applicable retirement board may provide, into the annuity savings fund of the applicable retirement system, of an amount equal to the contributions such member in service would have otherwise paid into the retirement system plus buyback interest thereon, for the period of Commissioned Corps service based upon the annual salary the member received in the first year of membership service after his or her Commissioned Corps service.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-603
EHS 603
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
Ms. Creem, Messrs. Rush and Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1660, by striking out the figure “$642,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-“$856,000”; and in said item by striking out the figures “$2,059,798” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$2,273,798”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-605
EHS 605
Community Health Centers Technical Assistance
Messrs. Brady and McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0110, by adding at the end thereof the following:Provided further that not less than $250,000 shall be expended on a statewide program of technical assistance to community health centers to be provided by a state primary care association qualified under Section 330(f)(1) of the United States Public Health Service Act at 42 USC 254c(f)(1).”and in said item, by striking out the figures "$1,048,773" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$2,000,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-607
EHS 607
Value of Community Hospitals
Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section: SECTION XX. The health policy commission, in consultation with the state’s community hospitals, shall develop a marketing campaign to show the high value of community hospitals and the cost and quality benefits to patients and employers of seeking care in local settings. The commission shall direct not more than $500,000 from the distressed hospital trust fund, established under section 2GGGG of chapter 29 of the General Laws, to fund the development and implementation of the marketing campaign.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-608-R1
Redraft EHS 608
TAFDC Caretaker Exemption
Mr. Barrett, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Creem, Messrs. Eldridge, Wolf, Donnelly, Brady, Moore and Lewis, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Joyce, Brownsberger and McGee, Ms. Chang-Diaz and Mr. Montigny moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 52 the following section:-
“SECTION 52A. Subsection (e) of said section 110 of said chapter 5 is hereby amended by striking out clause (2), as appearing in section 24 of chapter 158 of the acts of 2014, and inserting in place thereof the following clause:-
(2) recipients who must care for a child, spouse, sibling or half-sibling, parent, grandparent, child’s other parent or parent or grandparent of the recipient’s spouse or child’s other parent with a disability; provided, however, that a recipient who requests an exemption under this clause shall apply for supplemental security income benefits under Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1381-1383f, on behalf of the child, spouse, sibling or half-sibling, parent, grandparent, child’s other parent or parent or grandparent of the recipient’s spouse or child’s other parent with a disability if directed to do so by the department.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-609
EHS 609
Tenancy Preservation Program
Mr. Brady and Ms. L'Italien moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-3045, by striking the figure “$750,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$975,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-610-R1
Redraft EHS 610
Behavioral Health Rate Increases
Mr. Keenan, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge and Joyce, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0500, by inserting at the end thereof the following:- "provided further, that of the amount allocated in this line item, not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for providers in the PCC mental health and substance abuse plan”; and in said item by striking the figure “5,486,523,203” and inserting in place thereof the figure “5,487,523,203”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-611
EHS 611
Haitian Multi-Service Center
Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $50,000 be expended on Catholic Charities’ Haitian Multi-Service Center” and in said item by striking out the figures “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$14,150,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-612-R1
Redraft EHS 612
Home Care Commission
Mr. Brady, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Eldridge and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 74, by inserting after the word “Council”, in line 797, the following words:-“; a registered nurse who is a representative of the Massachusetts Nurses Association”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-613
EHS 613
Office of Oral Health
Mr. Brady moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0500, by adding at the end thereof the following: "provided that $67,000 be expended for the Office of Oral Health to enhance the office's surveillance and reporting capacity" and in said item, by striking out the figures "$1,969,647" and inserting in place thereof the following figures '$2,036,647''.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-614-R1
Redraft EHS 614
Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Services
Ms. Creem, Messrs. Eldridge, Moore, Lewis, Keenan, McGee and Montigny and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1130, by inserting after the word “communities”, in line 7, the following words:- "; provided, that funds shall be expended for the public health model of community engagement”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-615
EHS 615
Infrastructure Capacity Building Grants
Messrs. Brady and Keenan moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4000-0500, in lines 11-13, by striking the words “and provided further, that funds may be expended for infrastructure and capacity building grants to promote delivery system reform, achieve federal financial participation and serve populations in need more efficiently and effectively” and inserting in place thereof the following “and provided further, that $30,000,000 shall be expended from this item, or item 4000-0700 if necessary, to achieve maximum federal financial participation and to enhance the ability of hospitals and community health centers to serve populations in need more efficiently and effectively; provided further, that not less than $10,000,000 of said funds shall be expended from this item or item 4000-0700 shall be expended for community health centers;”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-616-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 616
DCF Family Stabilization and Support Services
Messrs. Barrett and Eldridge, Ms. Creem, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore and Lewis, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Joyce and Brownsberger and Ms. Donoghue moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0015, by inserting after the words “type of service” in line 105 the following words:- “, including, but not limited to, the number of children and breakdown of spending for respite care, intensive in-home services, client financial assistance/flexible funding, community-based after-school social and recreation program services, family navigation services, and parent aide services”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-617
EHS 617
Human Resources Division of Training
Messrs. Brady and McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1750-0100, by adding at the end thereof the following:"provided that $780,000 be expended for employee training and development"; and in said item, by striking out the figures '$2,829,835 and inserting in place thereof the figures"$3,609,835"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-619-R1
Redraft EHS 619
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Messrs. Humason, O'Connor, Tarr, Lesser and Ross and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4125-0122, by striking out the figures "$300,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figures:- "$400,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-620
EHS 620
Community Restoration Center
Mr. Donnelly moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5046-0000, by adding at the end thereof the following:-
"Provided further, that the department shall expend not less than $210,000 to develop a pilot jail diversion program in Middlesex County for persons suffering from mental illness or substance abuse who interact with law enforcement or the court system during a pre-arrest investigation or the pre-adjudication process in order to divert individuals from lockup facilities and emergency rooms to appropriate treatment. The pilot program shall be developed by an advisory committee that shall consist of: the Sheriff of Middlesex County, or a designee; the Middlesex District Attorney, or a designee; a member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness Massachusetts; a representative from each of the Middlesex County police departments that have received critical incident training or established a local jail diversion program; a representative from the department of mental health with knowledge of sequential intercept mapping and forensic services; a representative from the department of public health with knowledge of sequential intercept mapping and forensic services; a representative from a local community provider that delivers behavioral health services; a representative from the Trial Court with specialty court experience; a representative from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security; a representative from the office of the commissioner of probation; a representative from the parole board; and a representative from the Committee for Public Counsel Services. The work of the advisory committee shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an examination of national best practices including, but not limited to, the Bexar County model, which has received national recognition from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for its success in diverting individuals with behavioral health issues away from the criminal justice system and into appropriate treatment; (ii) a review of the current capacity in Middlesex County to provide behavioral health services to individuals suffering from mental illness or substance abuse who interact with law enforcement or the court system; (iii) the development of a jail diversion program focused on providing integrated community-based services from a centralized location; and (iv) an analysis of potential cost savings. The advisory committee shall submit its findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out those recommendations, to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than September 30, 2017"; and in said item by striking out the figures "$378,654,252" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$378,864,252"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-621
EHS 621
Plymouth County Mental Health Referral Service
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5046-0000, by inserting after the date "1, 2017;" the following:-
"provided further, that not less that $250,000 shall be expended to provide William James College's Interface mental health referral service throughout Plymouth County;"
and in said item by striking out the figures "382,645,252" and inserting in place thereof the figures "382,895,252."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-623-R1
Redraft EHS 623
Granby Veterans Memorial
Mr. Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-1616, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $35,000 shall be expended to Friends of Granby Veterans, Inc. to cover the costs associated with the construction and maintenance of a veterans memorial in the town of Granby;” and in said item by striking out the figure “185,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure “220,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-624
EHS 624
Suicide Prevention
Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Eldridge and Joyce and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1026, by striking out the figure “$4,130,748” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “4,630,748”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-625
EHS 625
Recovery Coaching Services
Messrs. O'Connor and deMacedo moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, in line 20, by inserting after the word "program;", the following:-
"provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be disbursed to gosnold treatment centers for a pilot project to provide on-call recovery coaching services for patients presenting with opiate addiction at hospital emergency departments in Plymouth County"
and in said item by striking out the figures "126,588,987" and inserting in place thereof the figures "126,688,987"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-627
EHS 627
Funding technology improvements for MassHealth providers
Messrs. Keenan and Rodrigues moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-
SECTION _. Notwithstanding any General or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts e-Health Institute, created pursuant to section 6D of chapter 40J, shall transfer 90 per cent of the remaining funding from the E-Health Institute Fund, established in section 6E of chapter 40J, to the executive office of health and human services for the purpose of funding health information technology projects by MassHealth provider type organizations that are ineligible for federal incentive payments through the HiTECH Act and are not MassHealth Community Partners. Such projects shall focus on improving interconnectivity with MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations and other MassHealth provider types.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-628-R3
3rd Redraft EHS 628
Orientation and Mobility Services at the Carroll Center
Ms. Creem, Messrs. Eldridge and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4110-1000, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “; provided further, that no less than $175,000 shall be made available to expand the contract for orientation and mobility (O&M) services provided by The Carroll Center for the Blind, Inc."; and in said item by striking out the figures "$4,175,682" and inserting in place thereof the figures "$4,350,682"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-629-R1
Redraft EHS 629
Department of Mental Health
Mr. Pacheco moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5095-0015, by striking out, in lines 22 to 25, inclusive, the words “provided further, that the department shall maintain no fewer than 671 inpatient beds in its system in fiscal year 2017; provided further, that of these 671 beds, 45 beds shall be continuing care inpatient beds on the campus of Taunton State Hospital” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “provided further, that the department shall maintain not less than 676 inpatient beds in its system in fiscal year 2017; provided further, that of these 676 beds, not less than 50 beds shall be continuing care inpatient beds on the campus of Taunton State Hospital”; and
in said section 2, in said item 5095-0015, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that the department shall not take action in fiscal year 2017 to reduce the number of state-operated continuing care inpatient beds or other state-operated programs at the Taunton State Hospital campus or relocate administrative hospital services associated with the operation of the hospital off-campus; provided further, that the department shall not enter into new vendor-operated lease agreements for expansion of existing vendor-operated programs; provided further, that the department shall not enter into new interagency agreements or expansion of existing interagency agreements, programs or facilities until the department, in conjunction with the division of capital asset management and maintenance, has developed a comprehensive long-term use master plan for the campus, not sooner than March 2, 2017, with appropriate community input that is consistent with maintaining publicly-provided mental health services currently delivered on-campus at Taunton State Hospital; provided further, that the plan shall include maintaining existing affiliations with institutions of higher education and possible future relationships with those institutions and others to maintain the sustainability of Taunton State Hospital; provided further, that the plan shall be consistent with maintaining the campus of Taunton State Hospital as a publicly-run mental health facility or prohibit the inclusion of behavioral health programs or publicly-run pilot programs to meet the needs of servicing individuals with mental health, behavioral health and those dual-diagnosed on the campus as part of the comprehensive master plan; and provided further, that the master plan shall be submitted to the executive office for administration and finance, the executive office of health and human services, the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the house and senate committees on ways and means”; and in said section 2, in said item 5095-0015, by striking out the figure “$204,798,658” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$205,398,658”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-630
EHS 630
Ludlow Veterans Memorial
Mr. Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-1616, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided further, that not less than $20,000 shall be expended to cover the costs associated with the construction and maintenance of a veterans memorial in the town of Ludlow;” and in said item by striking out the figure “185,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure “205,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-631-R1
Redraft EHS 631
Stroke Awareness and Treatment
Messrs. Montigny, Moore, Ross, Lewis and O'Connor and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-1121, <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by striking out the figure “$400,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$630,000”; and
by inserting after section 35 the following section:-
“SECTION 35A. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 51J the following 3 sections:-
Section 51K. The department shall identify the hospitals that meet the criteria established in this section to be designated as a comprehensive stroke center, a primary stroke center or an acute stroke capable center. A hospital shall apply to the department for a designation and shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that the hospital meets the applicable criteria for that designation.
The department may recognize as a primary stroke center an accredited acute care hospital that applies for the designation and is certified as a primary stroke center by the American Heart Association, Inc., the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals or another nationally recognized organization that provides primary stroke center certification for stroke care; provided, however, that the applicant shall maintain its certification.
The department may recognize as a comprehensive stroke center an accredited comprehensive stroke center that applies for the designation and is certified by the American Heart Association, Inc., the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals or another nationally recognized organization that provides comprehensive stroke center certification for stroke care; provided, however, that the applicant shall continue to maintain its certification.
The department may recognize as an acute stroke capable center an accredited acute stroke capable center that applies for the designation and is certified by the American Heart Association, Inc., the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals or another nationally recognized organization that provides comprehensive stroke center certification for stroke care; provided, however, that the applicant shall continue to maintain its certification.
Comprehensive stroke centers and primary stroke centers are encouraged to coordinate through agreement with acute stroke capable centers in the commonwealth in order to provide appropriate access to care for acute stroke patients. The coordinating stroke care agreements shall be in writing and include, but not be limited to:
(i) transfer agreements for the transport and acceptance of stroke patients seen by the acute stroke capable center for stroke treatment therapies that the remote treatment stroke center is not capable of providing; and
(ii) communication criteria and protocols with the acute stroke capable centers.
The department may suspend or revoke a hospital's designation as a comprehensive stroke center, primary stroke center or acute stroke capable center after notice and a hearing if the department determines that the hospital is not in compliance with the requirements of this section.
Section 51L. Emergency medical service authorities shall establish pre-hospital care protocols related to the assessment, treatment and transport of stroke patients by licensed emergency medical services providers. The protocols shall include plans for the triage and transport of acute stroke patients to the closest comprehensive stroke center, primary stroke center or, when appropriate, to an acute stroke capable center, within a specified timeframe of the onset of symptoms.
The department shall: (A) send the list of comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers and acute stroke capable centers to the medical director of each licensed emergency medical services provider in the commonwealth; (B) maintain a copy of the list in the office designated with the department to oversee emergency medical services; and (C) post a list of stroke centers to the department’s website not later than June 1 of each year.
The department shall adopt and distribute a nationally recognized standardized stroke triage assessment tool. The department shall post this stroke assessment tool on its website and provide a copy of the assessment tool to each licensed emergency medical services provider not later than July 1, 2017. A licensed emergency medical services provider shall use a stroke-triage assessment tool that is substantially similar to the sample stroke-triage assessment tool provided by the department.
The department shall establish pre-hospital care protocols related to the assessment, treatment and transport of stroke patients by licensed emergency medical services providers. The protocols shall include plans for the triage and transport of an acute stroke patient to the closest comprehensive stroke center, primary stroke center or, when appropriate, to an acute stroke capable center, within a specified timeframe of the onset of symptoms.
The department shall establish, as part of current training requirements, protocols to assure that licensed emergency medical services providers and 911 dispatch personnel receive regular training on the assessment and treatment of a stroke patient.
Section 51M. The department shall establish and implement a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under the statewide system for stroke response and treatment. In implementing this plan, the department shall:
(i) maintain a centralized, statewide stroke database that collects, at a minimum, the 10 stroke consensus metrics developed and approved by the American Heart Association, Inc. and American Stroke Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. The department shall utilize “Get with the Guidelines – Stroke” or another nationally recognized data set platform with confidentiality standards that are as secure as the stroke registry data platform. The department shall coordinate, to the extent possible, with national voluntary health organizations that are involved in stroke quality improvement in order to avoid duplication and redundancy;
(ii) require comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers, acute stroke capable centers and emergency medical services agencies to report data consistent with nationally recognized guidelines on the treatment of individuals with confirmed stroke ;
(iii) encourage the sharing of information and data on the ways to improve the quality of care for stroke patients among health care providers;
(iv) facilitate the communication and analysis of health information and data among health care professionals that are providing care for individuals with stroke;
(v) require the application of evidenced-based treatment guidelines regarding the transitioning of patients to community-based follow-up care in hospital outpatient, physician office and ambulatory clinic settings for ongoing care after hospital discharge following acute treatment for stroke; and
(vi) (A) establish a data oversight process and implement a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement in the quality of care provided under the statewide system for stroke response and treatment that shall:
(1) analyze data generated by the registry on stroke response and treatment;
(2) identify potential interventions to improve stroke care in geographic areas or regions of the commonwealth; and
(3) provide recommendations to the department and the general court for the improvement of stroke care and delivery; and
(B) the data reported under clause (A) shall be made available to the department and to any other government agency or a contractor of a government agency that has responsibility for the management and administration of emergency medical services.”; and
by inserting after section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. An emergency medical services provider shall comply with section 51L of chapter 111 of the General Laws by not later than July 1, 2018.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-632
EHS 632
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
Mr. Boncore moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting after the words “reimbursement for these services;” the following:- “provided further that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for a federally qualified community health center with a 24/7 emergency department licensed as a satellite emergency facility under 105 CMR 130 that has a written affiliation agreement with a mental and behavioral health provider to integrate primary care and mental/behavioral health services for the treatment and prevention of substance abuse, among other health conditions;”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-633
EHS 633
Health Care Mandate Moratorium
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new Section:-
“SECTION XX.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a moratorium on any new mandated health benefit or restriction on managed care shall exist until December 31, 2018.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-634-R1
Redraft EHS 634
Berkshire Youth Development Project
Mr. Downing moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4512-0200, by inserting at the end thereof the following: “; and provided further, that not less than $175,000 shall be expended to the Berkshire County Youth Development Project for youth intervention services”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-635
EHS 635
Children's Autism Medicaid Waiver & Autism Support Centers
Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Lovely, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Moore, Joyce, Timilty, Ross, Brownsberger, Lewis and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5920-3010, by inserting, after the words “early intervention program” on line 9, the following words:- “provided further, that the department shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the waiver program is fully enrolled and eligible children with autism immediately begin to receive services under said waiver;”
and by inserting, after the word “Medicaid Services” on line 12, the following words:- “; provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities on the number of contracted support services provided for families with autistic children under this item and the costs associated with such services not later than January 6, 2017; provided further, that such report shall include, but not be limited to, the services provided by the children's autism spectrum disorder waiver, with information regarding the number of children enrolled in the waiver and receiving services, linguistic and cultural diversity, age, gender and geographic representation of the applicants and the children enrolled in the program and department plans to continue to assess the demand for waiver services, any executive office of health and human services plans to expand the waiver for children on the autism spectrum of all ages in the future and any other information determined relevant by the department; and provided further, that the department shall submit copies of amended waivers to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities upon submission of the amendment.”
and by striking the figure "$ 6,482,207" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "$ 7,482,207"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-636
EHS 636
Increased Bed Capacity
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor, Fattman, Lesser and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section___, the following new section:-
“SECTION _. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of public health shall prepare a report examining overall substance abuse bed capacity across the full continuum of care from both detox and post-detox treatment as well as a plan to ensure access to both short and long term care and all needed case management and medication assisted treatment (MAT) supports.
The department of public health shall submit the report and plan to the clerks of the house and senate and the joint committee on public health no later than December 31, 2016.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-637
EHS 637
Operation House Call
Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Brady and Moore, Ms. Flanagan, Messrs. Joyce, Barrett and Lewis moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4510-0710, by inserting, in line4, after the words “surveillance and evaluation” the following words:- provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for Operation House Call at The Arc of Massachusetts to maintain and expand training to medical students and other graduate level health care professionals to work with individuals with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities;"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-638
EHS 638
Strengthening the Home Care Program
Messrs. Welch, Donnelly, Timilty, Eldridge, Moore and Lewis, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Joyce, Brady and McGee and Ms. Gobi moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section 80, the following new section:-
"SECTION XX. Chapter 19A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 3 the following section:-
Section 3A. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Home Care Worker" means any person employed by a home care agency to provide home health, homemaker, personal care, companion and chore services.
"Home Care Agency" means an entity providing designated and approved home care program services under contract with an Aging Services Access Point as defined in section 4B.
"Home Care Worker Registry" means the registry established under this subsection.
The department shall establish a home care worker registry of all individuals currently employed by a home care agency. The home care worker registry shall include, but not be limited to, the following information concerning each such home care worker: (1) full legal name; (2) current home address; (3) gender; (4) date of birth; (5) employer’s full legal name; (6) job title; and (7) an updated list of home care trainings or certifications completed by the home care worker.
The department shall require the registry information for each such employed home care worker to be regularly updated by each home care agency subject to the provisions of this subsection. A home care agency shall collect and maintain the required information for each employed home care worker and shall promptly, and at least quarterly, submit updated information whenever such information changes. No charges shall be imposed on any person or entity for any costs related to the registry.
Upon request, information in the home care worker registry shall be made available to the public, including but not limited to home care workers and home care agencies. The department shall include security mechanisms in the registry to implement and maintain a record of accessing or obtaining information from the registry.
Persons employed as a home care worker by a home care agency on the effective date of this section shall be registered not later than three months after the effective date of this statute. Not later than six months after the effective date of this statute, the department shall make any such final rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to ensure that the registry is operational and to fully implement the provisions of this section. The registry shall be maintained by the department and shall be updated at least quarterly."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-639
EHS 639
Gateway Cities Health Care Provider Relief Task Force
Messrs. Welch and Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section 80, the following new section:-
"SECTION XX.There shall be a task force called 'Gateway Cities Health Care Provider Relief Task Force' which shall consist of: the secretary of housing and economic development or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; and the executive director of the health policy commission or a designee. The task force shall examine the impact of inadequate reimbursement rates on job loss and reduction in critical and essential health care services in gateway cities. The task force shall consider: (i) patient population characteristics, population health statistics, patient case-mix data and insurance and coverage data, including but not limited to data filed with the center for health information and analysis such as DHCFP-403 cost reports, hospital charge books, and quarterly and annual financials; (ii) the health policy commission annual cost trend report; (iii) recent discontinuations or threatened discontinuations of essential health services by hospitals; (iv) recent hospital closures; (v) labor market information published by the executive office of labor and workforce development; and (vi) other relevant statistical information. Based on its findings, the task force shall have the authority to increase medicaid rates for health care providers in gateway cities and shall assist these health care providers with obtaining increased reimbursement from other third party payers. A health care provider may also petition the task force for rate relief. The task force shall review the petition and shall announce the level of rate relief within sixty (60) days. The task force shall give priority to not-for-profit, acute care hospital (teaching hospital led) integrated health care delivery systems. For the purposes of this section, not-for-profit, acute care hospital (teaching hospital led) integrated health care delivery systems shall mean those systems that have multiple hospitals, a level I trauma designation, primary stroke service, an affiliated health plan and which operates multiple community health centers, plus medicaid revenue which is greater than twenty-four percent of the health care provider’s total costs."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-642-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 642
Boys & Girls Clubs
Messrs. Lesser, Eldridge, Welch and Rodrigues, Ms. Forry, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Donnelly, Brady and Humason, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Moore, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Donoghue, Mr. Montigny, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. deMacedo, Lewis and O'Connor, Ms. Creem and Mr. Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by striking out, in line 5, the figure “$1,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,300,000”; and
in said section 2, in said item 4590-1507, by striking out the figure “$2,300,000”, as inserted by amendment 481, and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$2,500,000”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-644
EHS 644
Connector Outreach to the Uninsured
Mr. Welch moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section 81, the following new section:-
"SECTION XX. Subsection (a) of section 8 of chapter 176Q of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the first paragraph the following sentence:- “Notwithstanding any of the foregoing or G.L. c. 62C, sec 21, upon request, the department of revenue may furnish the connector with the names and addresses of residents of the Commonwealth that appear uninsured in order for the connector to conduct mailings or outreach to such residents.”."
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-645
EHS 645
Drug Story Theater
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting, after item 4000-0005, the following item:-
"To fund the production of live Drug Story Theater performances that increase awareness of substance abuse issues to middle and high school students ...........................................$100,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-646
EHS 646
Natick Veterans Oral History Project
Mr. Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 1410-0010, by adding at the end thereof the following:- “provided that not less than $30,000 shall be expended for the Veteran's Oral History Project at the Morse Institute Library in Natick”; and in said item, by striking the figures “$3,372,497” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,402,497”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-647
EHS 647
Lyme Disease Education Campaign
Messrs. O'Connor, Joyce, Tarr, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after item 4000-0300, the following item:-
"For the establishment of a Lyme Disease Education campaign, to educate the public and medical providers on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment......................................$500,000"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-648
EHS 648
Weymouth Teen Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4800-0038, by inserting the following:-
"provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for the Weymouth Teen Center to provide job skills training, remedial education services, and to promote a social service program promoting growth and social welfare"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-649
EHS 649
Weymouth Whipple Senior Center
Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 9110-9002, by inserting the following:-
"provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the costs associated with care and services provided at the Whipple Senior Center in the Town of Weymouth"; and in said item, by striking out the figures “$14,100,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$14,150,000”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-650-R1
Redraft EHS 650
Spouses as Caregivers
Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Moore, Eldridge and Joyce, Ms. O'Connor Ives, Ms. Gobi and Mr. Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended <w:p><w:r><w:t xml:space="preserve">by inserting after section 77 the following section:-
“SECTION 77A. Not later than December 1, 2016, the office of Medicaid shall submit a feasibility report on the inclusion of spouses as a family member authorized to serve as paid caregivers to the clerks of the senate and house of representative, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) necessary state plan amendments and waiver applications required to allow spouses to serve as paid caregivers, which may include an application for a 1915(k) community first choice state plan option authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1396n(k); (ii) anticipated state liabilities and expected federal financial participation, including an accounting of the office’s assumptions and figures used to calculate these liabilities; (iii) best practices and quality assurance measures; (iv) a comparison of other states that allow spouses to serve as paid caregivers; and (v) a proposed implementation schedule.”.
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-651-R1
Redraft EHS 651
CHIA Oversight Council
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section _the following sections:-
Section_. Section 2A of Chapter 12C of the general laws shall be amended by inserting after the words "cyber security" the following:- "and 1 of whom shall be a representative of surcharge payers as defined in section 1 of Chapter 12C of the general laws"
Section_. Said Section 2A of chapter 12C is hereby further amended by inserting after the words "health care economist", the following: "and 1 whom shall be a representative of acute care hospitals"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-652
EHS 652
Heroin Trafficking Special Commission
Messrs. O'Connor, Tarr, Fattman and Ross moved that the proposed new text be amended amended by inserting after section ___, the following new section:-
“SECTION__. Notwithstanding any special or general law there shall be a special commission to study the trafficking of heroin into and within the Commonwealth to develop recommendations on actions to prevent such trafficking in the future including, but not limited to legislative recommendations and policing recommendations.
The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services, or their designee; three members to be appointed by the governor, which shall include: one person who is a police officer specializing in opiates, one person who is a stakeholder within a retail pharmacy company, and one member of the general citizenry impacted by the opiate epidemic; two members of the House of Representatives, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; two members of the Senate, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; the director of the bureau of substance abuse services or their designee; provided, however, that the first meeting of the commission shall take place not later than November 1, 2016.
The special commission shall submit its recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation, to the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse not later than December 31, 2016.”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-653
EHS 653
Quality Outcomes
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section _ the following new section:-
by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
"SECTION __. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of public health shall provide an update on the creation and implementation of a public facing quality outcomes dashboard. This dashboard shall report on, but not be limited to (i) consumer satisfaction responses including treatment with dignity and respect, appropriateness of services, expertise of treatment staff, consumer education, and other measures with respect to the provision of substance abuse services; and (ii) nationally recognized Washington Circle and federal SAMSHA outcome-based measurers, including, but not limited to, step-down to next level of care, abstinence measures, and recidivisim to higher levels of care within 14-days and 30-days.
Said update shall be submitted to the clerks of the house and senate and the joint committee on public health and the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse by December 31, 2016"
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-654-R1
Redraft EHS 654
Health Information and Analysis Oversight Council
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor and Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended that the proposed new text be amended, in Section 2, in item 4125-0100, by inserting after the word “hearing” the following:- “provided that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for increased communication access by individuals for substance abuse treatment and prevention services”; and in said item by striking out the figure “$5,661,403” and inserting in place thereof the figure “$5,761,403”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-655-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 655
Transportation Voucher for Substance Abuse Treatment
Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor and Fattman moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in Section 2, in item 4512-0200, provided that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for a transportation voucher account pilot program to provide clients who have been determined by an emergency service program to be eligible for substance abuse treatment services from an ESP site or off site at the client’s residence, drop-in center or emergency department
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-656-R2
2nd Redraft EHS 656
DCF Social Worker Home Address Confidentiality
Mr. Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-
"Section XX. provided that the department of youth services shall report on an annual basis, the number and types of incidents of physical assault upon staff personnel, and the manner in which those assaults were addressed through judicial and/or administrative means, to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and the Secretary of Health and Human Services not later than March 31, 2017”
Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-659-R1
Redraft EHS 659
Zoo New England
Messrs. Lewis, Rush and Eldridge and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7007-0952, by striking out the figure "$3,400,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $4,000,000.