Bill > H991

This bill amends Chapter 118E of the General Laws by adding a new section, 10H, titled "Required Care for Behavioral Health," which mandates that group health insurance policies covering hospital or medical expenses must provide coverage for treatment of chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and mental or nervous conditions. This coverage must be on par with, and subject to the same limitations as, coverage for other medical conditions, meaning insurers cannot impose more restrictive treatment limitations, payment caps, duration limits, or financial requirements for behavioral health issues than they do for other illnesses. However, the bill clarifies that this coverage does not extend to educational or correctional services, sheltered living, long-term residential mental health programs exceeding 45 days, psychoanalysis or psychotherapy as part of educational training, or court-ordered sex offender treatment programs.