Amendment #26 to H4725

Expanding Hepatitis C Screening

Mr. Lewis of Framingham moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION XX. Section 4M½ of said chapter 111, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:

(c) The department shall promulgate regulations on additional populations that shall be offered a hepatitis C screening test or a hepatitis C diagnostic test due to an evidence-based finding that the population poses an increased risk of hepatitis C unless the provider believes that: (i) the person is being treated for a life threatening emergency; (ii) the person has previously been offered or has received a hepatitis screening test; or (iii) the person lacks capacity to consent to a hepatitis C screening test. The department shall review the regulations every 5 years and update its recommendations according to most recent available data."