MA S675

Bill

Relative to mental health parity implementation

Introduced
03/29/2021

In Committee
11/08/2021

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2022

Introduced Session

192nd General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation relative to mental health parity implementation. Financial Services.

AI Summary

This bill aims to strengthen the implementation of mental health parity in Massachusetts. Some key provisions include: - Requiring student health insurance plans to comply with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and state mental health parity laws. - Expanding the Commissioner of Insurance's authority to enforce mental health parity laws, including conducting market conduct examinations of carriers and imposing penalties for violations. - Requiring carriers to submit annual reports analyzing their compliance with mental health parity requirements. - Establishing an independent external review process for Medicaid recipients denied coverage for mental health or substance use disorder services. - Prohibiting Medicaid managed care organizations from applying separate treatment limitations to mental health/substance use disorder benefits compared to medical/surgical benefits. - Requiring the Health Policy Commission to analyze the impact of behavioral health managers on access, quality, and cost of behavioral health care in Massachusetts. The overall goal is to improve access to and coverage of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services in the state through enhanced oversight and enforcement of mental health parity laws.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

Sponsors (7)

Cindy Friedman (D)*, Jo Comerford (D), Julian Cyr (D), Sal DiDomenico (D), Natalie Higgins (D), John Keenan (D), Susannah Whipps (I),

Last Action

Accompanying S1276 (on 11/09/2021)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S675

(14 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S675
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S675.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H1038	Requiring mental health parity for disability policies	No further action taken	Similar To
H1041	Relative to mental health parity implementation	No further action taken	Similar To
H1461	Relative to ensuring quality mental health services in state correctional facilities	Accompanied a study order, see H4844	Similar To
H4879	Addressing barriers to care for mental health	Published as amended, see H4891	Similar To
S1010	Establishing psychiatric advance directives for mental health care	Accompanied a study order, see H5225	Similar To
S1276	Addressing barriers to care for mental health	New draft substituted, see S2572	Similar To
S1284	To provide more timely treatment of inpatient mental health care	Committee recommended ought to pass and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S1288	Removing preauthorization requirements for mental health acute treatment	Accompanying S1276	Similar To
S1290	Establishing a commission to encourage acceptance of insurance by outpatient mental health providers	Accompanied a study order, see H5229	Similar To
S1610	Providing mental wellness training for police officers	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S1720	Relative to line of duty death benefits	Accompanied a study order, see S2679	Similar To
S2514	Establishing a sick leave bank for Lisa Sbrogna, an employee of the Department of Mental Health	Accompanied a new draft, see S2528	Similar To
S2528	Establishing a sick leave bank for Lisa Sbrogna, an employee of the Department of Mental Health	Read second and ordered to a third reading	Similar To
S2584	Addressing barriers to care for mental health	Reported by S3097	Similar To

Bill > S675

MA S675

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (7)

Last Action

Official Document

bill text

bill summary

bill summary

bill summary