Bill > H1170

This bill requires various types of health insurance plans in Massachusetts to provide coverage for physical therapy for patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a group of genetic connective tissue disorders that can cause joint hypermobility, skin elasticity, and other medical complications. The bill mandates that insurance coverage through the state's Group Insurance Commission, as well as individual and group plans issued by different types of health insurers, must include preventative, ongoing chronic maintenance, and acute treatment physical therapy for EDS patients. Importantly, the bill stipulates that such therapy must be deemed medically necessary and ordered by a physician following a thorough evaluation of the patient's symptoms, diagnostic test results, and response to treatment. The legislation also explicitly prevents insurers from denying these therapy benefits solely on the grounds that the treatment might be considered unproven, experimental, or investigational. By adding similar provisions to multiple chapters of Massachusetts general laws, the bill ensures comprehensive coverage across different types of health insurance plans, ultimately aiming to improve access to necessary physical therapy for EDS patients in the state.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1170