Bill > H1148

This bill establishes a Commission on Acupuncture and Wellness within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, comprising representatives from various state agencies, healthcare organizations, and professional groups. The commission will investigate strategies to integrate acupuncture services more effectively into healthcare delivery, focusing on areas like pain management, substance abuse treatment, and wellness promotion. The bill mandates that all health insurance policies in Massachusetts, including individual, group, and state employee plans, must provide coverage for acupuncture and oriental medicine-based treatments specifically in the areas of pain management, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse treatment, and nausea. Additionally, the bill requires that third-party health insurers cannot differentiate reimbursement rates for acupuncture services based on provider type, and only licensed acupuncturists and medical doctors can be reimbursed for such services. The commission is required to submit reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Joint Committee on Public Health six months after the act's effective date and annually thereafter, detailing their findings and recommendations for improving acupuncture integration in the state's healthcare system.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1148