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H1323 • 2025

An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism

An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Alan Silvia
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5225
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism

An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism By Representative Silvia of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism By Representative Silvia of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1323) of Alan Silvia relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism.
  • Financial Services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-12 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5225

  2. 2025-09-26 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 10/08/2025 from 10:30 AM-02:30 PM in Gardner Auditorium

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Financial Services

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism
By Representative Silvia of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1323) of Alan Silvia relative to insurance coverage for individuals with autism. Financial Services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.1323

SECTION 1. Section 2 chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “forces”, in line 74, the following words:- , and a child, regardless of age, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 25.

SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of subdivision 2 of section 108 of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “persons”, in line 33, the following words:- , including, but not limited to, dependent persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 47AA.

SECTION 3. Section 110 of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following subdivision:-

(Q) A blanket or general policy of insurance described in subdivision (A), (C) or (D), except policies or certificates that are not health benefit plans, as defined in section 1 of chapter 176J, or coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs which shall be delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all group members having a place of employment in the commonwealth, coverage to dependent persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 47AA.

SECTION 4. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8OO, as inserted by section 48 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020, the following section:-

Section 8PP. Any subscription certification under an individual or group nonprofit hospital service agreement, except certificates which provide stand-alone dental services, supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs, that is delivered, issued or renewed in the commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all individuals or to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth, coverage to dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 8DD.

SECTION 5. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4OO, as inserted by section 50 of said chapter 260, the following section:-

Section 4PP. Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement, except certificates that provide stand-alone dental services, supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs, that is delivered or issued or renewed in the commonwealth, shall provide, as benefits to all individual subscribers and members within the commonwealth and to all group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth, coverage to dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 4DD.

SECTION 6. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4GG, as inserted by section 52 of said chapter 260, the following section:-

Section 4HH. A health maintenance contract, except certificates which provide stand-alone dental services, supplemental coverage to Medicare or other governmental programs, shall provide, as benefits to all individuals or to group members having a principal place of employment within the commonwealth, coverage to dependents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 4V.

SECTION 7. Section 1 of chapter 176J of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “eligible dependent” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-

“Eligible dependent”, the spouse or child of an eligible person, subject to the applicable terms of the health benefit place covering such employee. The child of an eligible individual or eligible employee shall be considered an eligible dependent until the end of the child’s twenty-sixth year of age; provided, however, that a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, as defined in section 47AA of chapter 175, shall be considered an eligible dependent regardless of age.

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