Massachusetts SD 1950: An Act providing for consumer access to and the right to practice complementary and alternative health care services

Bill Text

1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1950 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1481

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Nick Collins
_________________
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 for consumer access to and the right to practice complementary and alternative
health care services.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Nick Collins First Suffolk
Joanne M. Comerford Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester 3/26/2025

1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1950 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1481
By Mr. Collins, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1481) of Nick Collins for legislation
to provide for consumer access to and the right to practice complementary and alternative health
care services. Public Health.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1329 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________

An Act providing for consumer access to and the right to practice complementary and alternative
health care services.

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. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2 is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
3 Section 276. (a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following
4 meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
5 “complementary and alternative health care practitioner”, an individual who provides
6 complementary and alternative health care services for remuneration or holds oneself out to the
7 public as a provider of complementary and alternative health care services and who is not
8 licensed, certified, or registered as a health care practitioner by the state of Massachusetts.

2 of 4
9 "complementary and alternative health care services", the broad domain of health and
10 healing therapies and methods of practice not prohibited by subsection (e).
11 (b) A complementary and alternative health care practitioner who is providing
12 complementary and alternative health care services shall not be in violation of any provisions of
13 this chapter relative to the licensing of health care professionals unless the practitioner:
14 (i) fails to fulfill the duties of disclosure set forth in subsection (c); or
15 (ii) engages in any activity prohibited by subsection (e).
16 (c) A complementary and alternative health care practitioner shall, prior to providing
17 services to a client for the first time, disclose the following information to the client in a plainly
18 worded written document:
19 (i) the practitioner’s name, title, and business address and telephone number;
20 (ii) a description of the complementary and alternative health care services to be
21 provided;
22 (iii) the practitioner’s degrees, training, experience, credentials, or other qualifications if
23 any, relative to the complementary and alternative health care services being provided; and
24 (iv) a statement that any client records and transactions with the complementary and
25 alternative health care practitioner are confidential unless the release of these records is
26 authorized in writing by the client or otherwise provided by law.
27 (d) Before providing complementary and alternative health care services to a client, a
28 complementary and alternative health care practitioner shall obtain a written acknowledgment

3 of 4
29 from the client stating that he or she has been provided with the information described in
30 subsection (c). The acknowledgment shall be maintained for 2 years by the practitioner.
31 (e) A complementary and alternative health care practitioner shall not:
32 (i) perform surgery or any other procedure that punctures the skin of a person;
33 (ii) use radiation, radioactive substances or local, general or spinal anesthesia;
34 (iii) prescribe or administer any form of fluoroscopy on any person;
35 (iv) prescribe or administer a prescription drug or controlled substance or a prescription
36 medical device;
37 (v) provide a medical disease diagnosis;
38 (vi) perform a chiropractic adjustment;
39 (vii) represent that they practice massage therapy; or
40 (viii) hold out, state, indicate, advertise, or imply to any person that he or she is a health
41 care provider licensed, certified, or registered by the Commonwealth.
42 (f) This section shall not apply to, control, or prevent any health care professional
43 licensed, certified, or registered by the commonwealth from practicing lawfully and in
44 accordance with any general or special law relative to their professional practice or pursuant to
45 any other ge