Bill > H4548

This bill establishes a comprehensive commission on acupuncture and wellness within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, composed of representatives from various state agencies, healthcare organizations, and professional groups. The commission is tasked with investigating and studying strategies to integrate acupuncture services more effectively into healthcare delivery, with a specific focus on pain management, substance abuse treatment, and wellness promotion. The bill also mandates that all health insurance policies, including those for state employees, must provide coverage for acupuncture and oriental medicine-based diagnosis and treatment in four key areas: pain management, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse treatment, and nausea. Additionally, the legislation requires that third-party health insurance providers reimburse acupuncture services at the same rate regardless of whether the provider is a licensed acupuncturist or a medical doctor, with only licensed acupuncturists and medical doctors eligible to be reimbursed for these services. The commission is required to submit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Joint Committee on Public Health every six months, detailing their findings and recommendations for implementing these changes in Massachusetts' healthcare system.

Health and Social Services

Joint Committee on Financial Services (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4548