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H4617 • 2025

An Act to remove barriers to patient care

An Act to remove barriers to patient care

Active

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

Sponsor
Financial Services (J)
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Referred to Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
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 remove barriers to patient care

An Act to remove barriers to patient care Status: Referred to Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to remove barriers to patient care Status: Referred to Joint Committee on 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. 2025-12-08 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-10-20 House

    Reported from the committee on Financial Services

  4. 2025-10-20 House

    New draft of H1140

  5. 2025-10-20 House

    Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing

Official Summary Text

An Act to remove barriers to patient care
Status:
Referred to Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.4617

SECTION 1. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting before section 47CCC the following section:-

Section 47AAA. When any provision in this chapter requires a diagnostic evaluation, medical necessity determination, certification, written order, prescription, or treatment recommendation by an attending, treating or consulting physician as a condition of coverage or reimbursement of health services, that requirement may be fulfilled by an advanced practice registered nurse practicing under section 80B of chapter 112. Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses.

SECTION 2. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8DDD the following section:-

Section 8EEE. When any provision in this chapter requires a diagnostic evaluation, medical necessity determination, certification, written order, prescription, or treatment recommendation by an attending, treating or consulting physician as a condition of coverage or reimbursement of health services, that requirement may be fulfilled by an advanced practice registered nurse practicing under section 80B of chapter 112. Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses.

SECTION 3. Chapter 176B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4DDD the following section:-

Section 4EEE. When any provision in this chapter requires a diagnostic evaluation, medical necessity determination, certification, written order, prescription, or treatment recommendation by an attending, treating or consulting physician as a condition of coverage or reimbursement of health services, that requirement may be fulfilled by an advanced practice registered nurse practicing under section 80B of chapter 112. Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses.

SECTION 4. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4VV the following section:-

Section 4WW. When any provision in this chapter requires a diagnostic evaluation, medical necessity determination, certification, written order, prescription, or treatment recommendation by an attending, treating or consulting physician as a condition of coverage or reimbursement of health services, that requirement may be fulfilled by an advanced practice registered nurse practicing under section 80B of chapter 112. Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses.

SECTION 5. Subsection (a) of section 16 of chapter 176O of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “physician”, in line 1, the following words:- “or advanced practice registered nurse”.

SECTION 6. Said subsection (a) of section 16 of chapter 176O of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 9, the words “treating physician” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “treating provider”.

SECTION 7. Subsection (b) of section 16 of chapter 176O of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “treating physician”, in line 11, the following words:- “, treating advanced practice registered nurse”.

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