|
By Ms. Balser of Newton, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1871) of Ruth B. Balser and others relative to mental health parity. Mental Health and Substance Abuse. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
——————
PETITION OF:
|
By Ms. Balser of Newton, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1871) of Ruth B. Balser and others relative to mental health parity. Mental Health and Substance Abuse. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
——————
PETITION OF:
Douglas W. Petersen
David Paul Linsky
Ellen Story
Pamela P. Resor
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.
Jennifer L. Flanagan
Martha M. Walz
Stephen R. Canessa
Christine E. Canavan
Mary E. Grant
William N. Brownsberger
John P. Fresolo
Susan C. Tucker
Matthew C. Patrick
Barbara A. L'Italien
Kay Khan
Steven J. D'Amico
John W. Scibak
Cory Atkins
Peter V. Kocot
Denise Provost
Susan C. Fargo
James E. Timilty
James B. Eldridge
Alice K. Wolf
Byron Rushing
Patricia D. Jehlen
Cynthia S. Creem
Brian A. Joyce
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.
David B. Sullivan
Gloria L. Fox
Steven A. Tolman
William Smitty Pignatelli
Linda Dean Campbell
Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.
Louis L. Kafka
Elizabeth A. Malia
Jennifer M. Callahan
——————
In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
——————
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 22 of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a)The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth,
who is insured under the group insurance commission, coverage on a nondiscriminatory basis for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 2. Said section 22 of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(c) In addition to the coverage established pursuant to this section, any such health plan shall also provide coverage on a non-discriminatory basis for children and adolescents up to the age of 21 for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, referred to in this section as "the DC: 0-3R", Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 3. Said section 22 of said chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (e).
SECTION 4. Section 47B of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a)Any individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued pursuant to section
108, which provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance, and any group blanket or general policy of accident and sickness insurance issued pursuant to section 110, which provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth, shall provide mental health benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis to residents of the commonwealth and to all policyholders having a principal place of employment in the commonwealth for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 5. Said section 47B of said chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(c) In addition to the mental health benefits established pursuant to this section, any such policy shall also provide benefits on a non-discriminatory basis for children and adolescents up to the age of 21 for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, referred to in this section as "the DC: 0-3R", the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 6. Said section 47B of said chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (e).
SECTION 7. Section 8A of chapter 176A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan which is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide mental health benefits on a non-discriminatory basis to residents of the Commonwealth and to all individual subscribers and members and group members having a principal place of employment in the commonwealth for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 8. Said section 8A of said chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(c) In addition to the mental health benefits established pursuant to this section, any such contract shall also provide benefits on a non-discriminatory basis for children and adolescents up to the age of 21 for the diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorders, as described in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, referred to in this section as "the DC: 0-3R", the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, referred to in this section as “the DSM” or the most recent edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, hereinafter referred to as “the ICD”.
SECTION 9. Said section 8A of said chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (e).