Back to Massachusetts

H1420 • 2025

An Act to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels

An Act to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels

Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Christopher J. Worrell
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Reporting date extended to Monday, June 15, 2026
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 to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels

An Act to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels By Representative Worrell of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels By Representative Worrell of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1420) of Christopher J.
  • Worrell for legislation relative to health safety net eligibility.
  • Health Care Financing.

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. 2026-03-19 House

    Reporting date extended to Monday, June 15, 2026

  2. 2025-10-08 House

    Reporting date extended until Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-07-03 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/15/2025 from 10:00 AM-04:00 PM in Gardner Auditorium

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Health Care Financing

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to prevent medical debt by restoring health safety net eligibility levels
By Representative Worrell of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1420) of Christopher J. Worrell for legislation relative to health safety net eligibility. Health Care Financing.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
×

Bill H.1420

SECTION 1. Section 65 of chapter 118E, as so appearing in the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting the following words in subsection (b)(iii) after the words “determine the eligibility of uninsured and underinsured patients for reimbursable health services”:-

, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section,

SECTION 2. Section 65 of chapter 118E, as so appearing in the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following subsection:-

(c) The office shall develop eligibility criteria for uninsured or underinsured patients in accordance with, but not limited to, the following guidelines:

(i) Uninsured or underinsured patients, who meet all other eligibility criteria as determined by the office, up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, as calculated pursuant to the regulations of the executive office, shall be eligible;

(ii) eligible patients whose income exceeds 200 percent of the federal poverty level, but does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level, may be subject to a deductible; and

(iii) eligibility shall be retroactive to at least 180 days prior to receipt of an application for an eligible individual.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the office’s ability to establish patient eligibility at income levels higher than those specified herein and/or to provide greater retroactive coverage than required by this paragraph.

SECTION 3. The health safety net office, established under section 65 of chapter 118E, in consultation with the office of Medicaid, shall convene a task force composed of experts that shall include, but is not limited to, a consumer advocate representative, a hospital representative, a community health center representative, and a health insurance plan representative to investigate and study the adequacy of the financing of the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established under section 66 of chapter 118E, including but not limited to the fund’s shortfall, the amounts paid to the fund by hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and surcharge payors established under sections 67 and 68 of chapter 118E, reimbursements made from the fund to hospitals and community health centers established under section 69 of chapter 118E, and transfers to and from the fund.

All appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this legislation. The task force shall meet not later than 60 days after the effective date of this legislation.

Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this legislation, the task force shall report to the general court the result of its investigation and study and its recommendations.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

Close