H 1188

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1500  FILED ON: 1/15/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1188
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Natalie M. Higgins and Christine P. Barber
  _________________
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 relative to trans-inclusive health care access.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:  DATE ADDED:
Natalie M. Higgins  4th Worcester  1/15/2025
Christine P. Barber  34th Middlesex  1/15/2025
Lindsay N. Sabadosa  1st Hampshire  1/16/2025
Joanne M. Comerford  Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester  1/28/2025
Mindy Domb  3rd Hampshire  1/29/2025
Steven Owens  29th Middlesex  1/29/2025
Danillo A. Sena  37th Middlesex  2/5/2025
James B. Eldridge  Middlesex and Worcester  2/8/2025
Samantha Montaño  15th Suffolk  3/4/2025
Adrianne Pusateri Ramos  14th Essex  3/7/2025
Erika Uyterhoeven  27th Middlesex  4/3/2025
Sean Garballey  23rd Middlesex  7/1/2025
Mike Connolly  26th Middlesex  7/17/2025
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  HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1500  FILED ON: 1/15/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1188
By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1188) of Natalie M. Higgins, Christine P. Barber and others relative to
healthcare coverage for certain gender affirming care. Financial Services.
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act relative to trans-inclusive health care access.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
2 Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 17S the following section:-
3Section 17T. The commission shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
4 health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
5 accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
6 satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the commission
7 require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
8 treatment of gender dysphoria,.
9For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
10 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
11 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
12 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
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13SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
14 Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 10Q the following section:-
15Section 10R. The division shall not reject a written verification or certification from a
16 health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for
17 accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not
18 satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall the division require
19 more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the treatment of
20 gender dysphoria.
21For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
22 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
23 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
24 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
25SECTION 3. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
26 section 47UU the following section:-
27Section 47VV. No insurer or producer authorized to issue policies of insurance pursuant
28 to sections 108 or 110 shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care
29 provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing
30 gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy
31 minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall any insurer or producer
32 require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
33 treatment of gender dysphoria.
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34For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
35 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
36 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
37 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
38SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
39 section 8VV the following section:-
40Section 8WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
41 certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
42 care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
43 certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines,
44 nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
45 is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
46For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
47 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
48 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
49 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
50SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
51 Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 4VV the following section:-
52Section 4WW. No corporation subject to this chapter shall reject a written verification or
53 certification from a health care provider, including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health
54 care professional, for accessing gender-affirming care, unless the written verification or
55 certification clearly does not satisfy minimum requirements under established clinical guidelines,
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56 nor shall the corporation require more than one written verification or certification that the care
57 is required for the treatment of gender dysphoria,.
58For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
59 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
60 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
61 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
62SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
63 section 4NN the following section:-
64Section 4OO. No health maintenance organization subject to this chapter, and no officer
65 or agent thereof, shall reject a written verification or certification from a health care provider,
66 including, but not limited to, a qualified mental health care professional, for accessing gender-
67 affirming care, unless the written verification or certification clearly does not satisfy minimum
68 requirements under established clinical guidelines, nor shall a health maintenance organization
69 require more than one written verification or certification that the care is required for the
70 treatment of gender dysphoria,.
71For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mental health care professional” shall,
72 unless the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a mental health professional who meets the
73 minimum credentials, training and standards of care for working with gender dysphoric adults
74 and adolescents developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
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