Bill > S1500

This bill introduces new provisions to enhance healthcare transparency and prevent misleading professional representations in Massachusetts. The legislation modifies existing law to establish stricter rules about how healthcare practitioners can advertise and present their professional credentials. Key provisions include requiring healthcare practitioners to clearly identify their specific type of professional license in all advertisements and communications, wear photo identification name tags during patient encounters that display their name, license type, and license expiration date, and display their licensure type visibly in their office. The bill defines terms like "deceptive" or "misleading" advertising and applies to a broad range of healthcare practitioners. It prohibits individuals from using medical professional titles like "physician," "surgeon," or specialty terms like "cardiologist" without proper registration, with potential penalties including fines between $100-$1,000 and possible imprisonment. The law includes exemptions for certain licensed practitioners like chiropractors and physician assistants, and does not apply to healthcare workers in non-patient care settings. Violations of these transparency requirements can be considered a breach of consumer protection laws, providing additional enforcement mechanisms to ensure accurate professional representation.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1500