MA S544

Bill

Prohibiting discrimination in insurance policies

Introduced
01/23/2017

In Committee
01/23/2017

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2018

Introduced Session

190th General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation to prohibit discrimination in the issuance of certain insurance policies. Financial Services.

AI Summary

This bill prohibits discrimination in the issuance of certain insurance policies based on race, color, religion, sex, marital status, or national origin. It amends existing laws to prohibit insurance companies from using statistical tables or classifications that discriminate against individuals on these protected bases. The bill applies to insurance policies covering residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that are delivered, issued, or renewed on or after June 1, 2012, and also applies to changes to existing policies made on or after that date. The bill includes some exceptions, such as allowing insurance coverage solely for persons of a single religious affiliation and not applying to certain retirement benefits.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (5)

Ruth Balser (D), Mary Keefe (D), Jason Lewis (D), Angelo Scaccia (D), Steve Ultrino (D),

Last Action

Accompanied a study order, see S2496 (on 04/30/2018)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S544

(21 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S544
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S544.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H1332	Providing health insurance coverage to the surviving children of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty	Accompanied a study order, see H4654	Similar To
H34	Relative to life insurance proceeds	Accompanied a study order, see H4785	Similar To
H4110	Establishing a paid family and medical leave insurance program	No further action taken	Similar To
H497	Relative to an investigation of flood insurance by the attorney general	Accompanied a study order, see H4778	Similar To
H4977	Relative to health insurance benefits for certain retirees in the town of Pembroke	Signed by the Governor, Chapter 419 of the Acts of 2018	Similar To
H498	Relative to an investigation to review flood insurance rates	Accompanied a study order, see H4778	Similar To
H5026	Relative to interstate branching of a credit union and the Massachusetts Credit Union Share Insurance Corporation	Passed to be engrossed	Similar To
H587	To require written notice of medical tests outside a patient’s network for insurance purposes	Accompanied a new draft, see H4333	Similar To
H588	Expanding automobile insurance coverage options to include the diminished value of automobiles	Accompanied a study order, see H4778	Similar To
H626	To amend Section 3, Chapter 111M of the General Laws relative to Massachusetts residents living in a foreign country and health insurance penalties	Accompanied a study order, see H4528	Similar To
S1384	Relative to eligibility for state group health insurance	Accompanied a study order, see S2491	Similar To
S1385	Relative to local public housing authorities access to the dental and vision insurance plan managed by the group insurance commission	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S1474	Relative to group insurance costs for certain public retirees	Accompanied a study order, see S2491	Similar To
S2496	Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Financial Services to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to financial services issues	Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules	Replaced by
S545	Providing for equitable coverage in disability policies	Accompanied H482	Similar To
S546	To promote value-based insurance design in the Commonwealth	Accompanied a study order, see S2496	Similar To
S557	Promoting consumer choice in health care	Accompanied a study order, see S2496	Similar To
S564	Relative to non-payment of insurance premiums from escrowed funds by lending institutions	Accompanied a study order, see S2496	Similar To
S567	Relative to the definition of certificate of insurance	Accompanied a study order, see S2496	Similar To
S578	Relative to notice requirements for insurance premium changes and insurance coverage changes	Accompanied a study order, see S2496	Similar To
S582	To limit retroactive denials of health insurance claims for mental health and substance abuse services	Accompanied a new draft, see S2403	Similar To

Bill

Bill Name

Last Action

Type

H1332

Providing health insurance coverage to the surviving children of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty

Accompanied a study order, see H4654

Similar To

H34

Relative to life insurance proceeds

Accompanied a study order, see H4785

Similar To

H4110

Establishing a paid family and medical leave insurance program

No further action taken

Similar To

H497

Relative to an investigation of flood insurance by the attorney general

Accompanied a study order, see H4778

Similar To

H4977

Relative to health insurance benefits for certain retirees in the town of Pembroke

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 419 of the Acts of 2018

Similar To

H498

Relative to an investigation to review flood insurance rates

Accompanied a study order, see H4778

Similar To

H5026

Relative to interstate branching of a credit union and the Massachusetts Credit Union Share Insurance Corporation

Passed to be engrossed

Similar To

H587

To require written notice of medical tests outside a patient’s network for insurance purposes

Accompanied a new draft, see H4333

Similar To

H588

Expanding automobile insurance coverage options to include the diminished value of automobiles

Accompanied a study order, see H4778

Similar To

H626

To amend Section 3, Chapter 111M of the General Laws relative to Massachusetts residents living in a foreign country and health insurance penalties

Accompanied a study order, see H4528

Similar To

S1384

Relative to eligibility for state group health insurance

Accompanied a study order, see S2491

Similar To

S1385

Relative to local public housing authorities access to the dental and vision insurance plan managed by the group insurance commission

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

S1474

Relative to group insurance costs for certain public retirees

Accompanied a study order, see S2491

Similar To

S2496

Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Financial Services to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to financial services issues

Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules

Replaced by

S545

Providing for equitable coverage in disability policies

Accompanied H482

Similar To

S546

To promote value-based insurance design in the Commonwealth