Bill > S678

This bill aims to improve sickle cell care in Massachusetts. The key provisions of the bill are: 1. It requires MassHealth (the state's Medicaid program) to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services for qualified enrollees who may face a substantial risk of infertility due to treatment for sickle cell disease or other conditions. 2. It mandates that all commercial health insurance policies in the state cover medically necessary expenses for standard fertility preservation services when treatment may cause iatrogenic (medically-induced) infertility. 3. It establishes a Statewide Steering Committee on Sickle Cell Disease to oversee the development of educational materials, identify funding sources, and make recommendations to improve care and access for individuals with sickle cell disease. 4. It creates a Sickle Cell Disease Detection and Education Program within the Department of Public Health to promote screening, public education, and counseling/referral services related to sickle cell disease. 5. It requires the establishment of a registry to collect comprehensive data on sickle cell disease and its variants in Massachusetts. 6. It mandates the collection and reporting of data on individuals diagnosed with the sickle cell trait. 7. It directs the state's Medicaid program to implement quality standards and care management strategies for individuals with sickle cell disease enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans.