Massachusetts H 1141: An Act increasing access to acute hospital at home services

Bill Text

1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3388 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1141

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Daniel M. Donahue
_________________
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 increasing access to acute hospital at home services.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Daniel M. Donahue 16th Worcester 1/17/2025

1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3388 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1141
By Representative Donahue of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1141) of
Daniel M. Donahue relative to insurance coverage to expand access to acute hospital at home
services. Financial Services.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

An Act increasing access to acute hospital at home 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 X. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition,
2 is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
3 Section XX. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the
4 commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage and
5 reimbursement on par with in-person services for the cost of hospital at home services provided
6 by an acute care hospital participating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acute
7 Hospital Care at Home Program.
8 SECTION XX. Chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official
9 edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
10 Section XX. An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section
11 108 that provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or
12 general policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital

2 of 3
13 expense and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without the
14 commonwealth, shall provide coverage and reimbursement on par with in-person services for the
15 cost of hospital at home services provided by an acute care hospital participating in the Centers
16 for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acute Hospital Care at Home Program.
17 SECTION XXX. Chapter 176A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official
18 edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
19 Section XX. A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or
20 group hospital service plan which provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance,
21 except contracts providing supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs,
22 delivered, issued or renewed by agreement between the insurer and the policyholder, within or
23 without the commonwealth, shall provide coverage and reimbursement on par with in-person
24 services for the cost of hospital at home services provided by an acute care hospital participating
25 in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acute Hospital Care at Home Program.
26 SECTION XXXX. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official
27 edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
28 Section XX. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service
29 agreement, except certificates which provide supplemental coverage to medicare or other
30 governmental programs, which is delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in the
31 commonwealth, shall provide coverage and reimbursement on par with in-person services for the
32 cost of hospital at home services provided by an acute care hospital participating in the Centers
33 for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acute Hospital Care at Home Program.

3 of 3
34 SECTION XXXXX. Chapter 176G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
35 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
36 Section XX. Individual and group health maintenance contracts shall provide coverage
37 and reimbursement on par with on-person services for the cost of hospital at home services
38 provided by an acute care hospital participating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
39 Services Acute Hospital Care at Home Program.
40 SECTION XXXXX. Chapter 176I of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official
41 edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
42 Section XX. An organization entering into a preferred provider contract shall provide
43 coverage and reimbursement for the cost of hospital at home services provided by an acute care
44 hospital participating in the C