Massachusetts HD 417: An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 417 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Sally P. Kerans
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Sally P. Kerans 13th Essex 1/12/2023
Joan B. Lovely Second Essex 1/12/2023
Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 2/1/2023
Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 2/1/2023
Steven Owens 29th Middlesex 2/7/2023
Lindsay N. Sabadosa 1st Hampshire 2/10/2023
Tricia Farley-Bouvier 2nd Berkshire 2/14/2023
Denise C. Garlick 13th Norfolk 2/15/2023
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 2/22/2023
Brian W. Murray 10th Worcester 2/22/2023
Christine P. Barber 34th Middlesex 2/28/2023
Richard M. Haggerty 30th Middlesex 3/6/2023
Walter F. Timilty Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol 3/15/2023
Kristin E. Kassner 2nd Essex 3/15/2023
Erika Uyterhoeven 27th Middlesex 4/25/2023
Marcus S. Vaughn 9th Norfolk 10/24/2023

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 417 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066
By Representative Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1066) of
Sally P. Kerans, Joan B. Lovely and others relative to providing health insurance coverage for
scalp and facial hair prosthesis. Financial Services.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________

An Act providing health insurance coverage for scalp and facial hair prosthesis.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 17E of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as so
2 appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 11, after the
3 words “cancer or leukemia;” the following:-
4 or as a result of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or
5 permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not
6 part of the natural or premature aging process; and
7 SECTION 2. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
8 inserting, after section 47KK, the following section:-
9 Section 47LL. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
10 meanings:-

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11 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
12 however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
13 hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
14 "Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
15 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
16 limited to, eyebrows.
17 (b) An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that
18 provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general
19 policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense
20 and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
21 commonwealth, shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for any other prosthesis,
22 coverage for expenses for facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prostheses worn for hair loss
23 suffered as a result of the treatment of any form of cancer or leukemia, or as a result of alopecia
24 areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase or permanent loss of facial or scalp hair due
25 to injury; provided, however, that the alopecia is not part of the natural or premature aging
26 process; and provided, however, that such coverage shall be subject to a written statement by the
27 treating physician that the facial medical pigmentation or scalp hair prosthesis is medically
28 necessary; and provided, further, that such coverage shall be subject to the same limitations and
29 guidelines as other prostheses.
30 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
31 inserting after section 8MM the following section:-

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32 Section 8NN. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
33 meanings:-
34 “Prosthesis”, an artificial appliance used to replace a lost natural structure; provided,
35 however, that prosthesis shall include, but not be limited to, artificial arms, legs, breasts, scalp
36 hair, facial pigmentation or glass eyes.
37 “Scalp hair prosthesis”, an artificial substitute for scalp hair.
38 "Facial medical pigmentation", an artificial substitute for facial hair, including, but not
39 limited to, eyebrows.
40 A contract b