Amendment #9, as changed to S2543

Technical Advisory Group to Ensure Appropriate Clinical Care

Ms. Decker of Cambridge moves to amend the bill by striking out the amendment in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:-

Ms. Decker of Cambridge moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 24 the following section:-

SECTION 24A. (a) The commissioner of public health shall convene a technical advisory group to review section 70I of chapter 111 of the General Laws to advise on technical aspects of the implementation of said section 70I of said chapter 111, including regulations necessary to implement said section. Not later than July 1, 2026, the technical advisory group shall make recommendations to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on the judiciary on measures necessary to mitigate restrictions on appropriate data sharing that limit interoperability to ensure access to necessary clinical information to maximize appropriate clinical care.

(b) The technical advisory group shall explore and make recommendations on: (i) the standardization of service definitions and terminology and structured standardized data; (ii) reducing the administrative burden and impacts on clinical care of patient consent forms, including through the use of consent management platforms; (iii) mitigating restrictions of appropriate data sharing and limitations on interoperability that impact patient care; (iv) the appropriateness of exempting information accessed, used and disclosed for treatment, payment and health care operation purposes; and (v) minimizing penalties for a business that makes a good faith effort to implement said section 70I of said chapter 111.

(c) The technical advisory group shall consist of the following members: the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; a representative of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association; a representative of the Massachusetts Medical Society; a representative of the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals; a representative of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; a representative of Fenway Health; a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; a representative of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; a representative of the Massachusetts eHealth Institute; a representative with expertise in health information privacy; a representative with expertise in health information technology; a representative of Health Care for All; and 2 persons with lived experience.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #9, as changed to S2543

Technical Advisory Group to Ensure Appropriate Clinical Care