Bill > H1036

This bill aims to ensure continuity of care for children enrolled in MassHealth, which is the Massachusetts Medicaid program that provides health insurance to low-income individuals and families. Specifically, it mandates that when a child under 18 re-enrolls in MassHealth after a coverage lapse of less than 18 months, or when a child in a managed care plan experiences a network change, MassHealth should make every effort to assign the child to their previous primary care provider, prioritizing the family's choice. The bill also addresses newborns born to or adopted by MassHealth families, requiring that they be assigned to the same primary care provider as their older siblings, with parental choice taking precedence. Furthermore, it clarifies that any primary care assignments that don't meet these continuity of care criteria will not prevent a child from seeing their intended provider or a provider from receiving reimbursement for services that would have been covered had the criteria been followed.