Parity

SERVICE PARITY

An individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 108 that provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance and any group blanket or general policy of accident and sickness insurance issued under section 110 that provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance that is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide coverage for health care services delivered via telehealth by a contracted health care provider if:

• the health care services are covered by way of in-person consultation or delivery; and
• the health care services may be appropriately provided through the use of telehealth

provided, however, that an insurer shall not meet network adequacy through significant reliance on telehealth providers and shall not be considered to have an adequate network if patients are not able to access appropriate in-person services in a timely manner upon request. Coverage shall not be limited to services delivered by third-party providers.

SOURCE: Massachusetts General Laws, Part 1, Title XXII, Ch. 175, Sec. 47MM, (Accessed Apr. 2025).

Section repeated in Civil Service, Retirement and Pensions section applying to active or retired employees of the commonwealth; Non-profit hospital service corporations; medical service corporation; health maintenance organizations; preferred provider arrangement

SOURCE: Massachusetts General Laws Part 1, Title IV, Ch. 32A, Section 30 & Part 1, Title XXII, Ch. 176A, Sec. 38, Ch. 176B, Sec. 25, Ch. 176G Sec. 33, Ch. 176I Sec. 13. (Accessed Apr. 2025).

PAYMENT PARITY

Coverage that reimburses a provider with a global payment, as defined in section 1 of chapter 6D, shall account for the provision of telehealth services to set the global payment amount.

Insurance companies organized under this chapter shall ensure that the rate of payment for in-network providers of behavioral health services delivered via interactive audio-video technology and audio-only telephone shall be no less than the rate of payment for the same behavioral health service delivered via in-person methods; provided, that this subsection shall apply to providers of behavioral health services covered (see bill language for types of providers).

SOURCE: Massachusetts General Laws, Part 1, Title XXII, Ch. 175, Sec. 47MM, (Accessed Apr. 2025).

Section repeated in Civil Service, Retirement and Pensions section applying to active or retired employees of the commonwealth; Non-profit hospital service corporations; medical service corporation; health maintenance organizations; preferred provider arrangement

SOURCE: Massachusetts General Laws Part 1, Title IV, Ch. 32A, Section 30 & Part 1, Title XXII, Ch. 176A, Sec. 38, Ch. 176B, Sec. 25, Ch. 176G Sec. 33, Ch. 176I Sec. 13. (Accessed Apr. 2025).