Bill > H1218

This bill mandates comprehensive insurance coverage for stuttering speech therapy across various health insurance platforms in Massachusetts. The legislation requires all state health insurance providers, including those for state employees, Medicaid, individual and group policies, medical service agreements, and preferred provider contracts, to cover habilitative and rehabilitative stuttering speech therapy without limitations. Key provisions include: no annual benefit limits or visit restrictions, coverage for both in-person and telehealth services, and protection from utilization review or medical necessity determinations. The bill defines important terms like "habilitative services" (helping maintain skills) and "rehabilitative services" (helping restore skills), and specifies that coverage applies to individual and group speech therapy for various communication disorders. The definitions are broad, ensuring that stuttering treatment is covered regardless of its classification or origin, and the telehealth provisions allow for flexible service delivery while maintaining HIPAA privacy compliance. The law will take effect for all contracts entered into, renewed, or amended on or after January 1, 2026, representing a significant expansion of speech therapy access for individuals who stutter.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1218