Amendment ID: S2609-2

Amendment 2

Health Insurance Coverage for Acupuncture

Mr. Hinds, Ms. L'Italien, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Cyr and O'Connor move that the proposed new text be amended by adding at the end thereof the following sections:

“SECTION XXX.  Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17P the following section:-

Section 17Q.  The commission shall provide to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage for acupuncture and oriental medicine based diagnosis and treatment in the areas of pain management, and substance abuse treatment.

SECTION XXX.  Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47JJ the following section:-

Section 47KK.  All individual or group accident and health insurance policies and health service contracts delivered, issued or renewed by an insurer or nonprofit health service corporation which provide benefits to individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth or to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth shall provide benefits for acupuncture and oriental medicine based diagnosis and treatment in the areas of pain management, and substance abuse treatment.

SECTION XXX. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8LL the following section:-

Section 8MM. (a) Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth acupuncture and oriental medicine based diagnosis and treatment in the areas of pain management, and substance abuse treatment.

SECTION XXX. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4LL the following section:-

Section 4MM. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth acupuncture and oriental medicine based diagnosis and treatment in the areas of pain management, and substance abuse treatment.

SECTION XXX.  Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4DD the following section:-

Section 4EE. Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth shall provide as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth acupuncture and oriental medicine based diagnosis and treatment in the areas of pain management, and substance abuse treatment."