An Act relative to consumer deductibles
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1/29/2026 | Senate | Accompanied a study order, see S2931↗ |
| 12/11/2025 | Senate | Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing |
| 8/28/2025 | Joint | Hearing rescheduled to 04/29/2025 from 10:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual — Hearing updated to New End Time |
| 4/23/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 04/29/2025 from 10:00 AM-02:00 PM in A-2 |
| 2/27/2025 | House | House concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Referred to the committee on Financial Services |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J11 | Favorable | 1 entries |
| J24 | Accompanied | — |
Chapter 176O of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 27 the following section:-
(a) In this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Insurer” means any health insurance issuer that is subject to state law regulating insurance and offers health insurance coverage, as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-91, or any state or local governmental employer plan. “Cost sharing requirement” means any copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or annual limitation on cost sharing (including but not limited to a limitation subject to 42 U.S.C. §§ 18022(c) and 300gg-6(b)), required by or on behalf of an enrollee in order to receive a specific health care service, including a prescription drug, covered by a health plan. “Enrollee” means any individual entitled to health care services from an insurer. “Health plan” means a policy, contract, certification, or agreement offered or issued by an insurer to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services. “Health care service” means an item or service furnished to any individual for the purpose of preventing, alleviating, curing, or healing human illness, injury or physical disability. “Person” means a natural person, corporation, mutual company, unincorporated association, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, estate, foundation, not-for-profit corporation, unincorporated organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency. (b) When calculating an enrollee’s contribution to any applicable cost sharing requirement, an insurer shall include any cost sharing amounts paid by the enrollee or on behalf of the enrollee by another person. Any cost sharing or reductions made for an enrollee’s benefit or towards an enrollee’s applicable cost sharing requirement shall be applied in full at the time it is rendered and wholly towards the enrollee’s out-of-pocket costs, deductible, cost sharing or similar enrollee obligation. (c) When calculating an enrollee’s contribution to the annual limitation on cost sharing set forth in 42 U.S.C. §§ 18022(c) and 300gg-6(b), an insurer shall include expenditures for any health care service covered by the enrollee’s health plan and included within a category of essential health benefits as described in 42 U.S.C. § 18022(b)(1). This section shall apply with respect to health plans that are entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. The Commission may promulgate such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary to implement this section.
Chapter 176O of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 27 the following section:- Section 28. (a) In this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Insurer” means any health insurance issuer that is subject to state law regulating insurance and offers health insurance coverage, as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-91, or any state or local governmental employer plan. “Cost sharing requirement” means any copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or annual limitation on cost sharing (including but not limited to a limitation subject to 42 U.S.C. §§ 18022(c) and 300gg-6(b)), required by or on behalf of an enrollee in order to receive a specific health care service, including a prescription drug, covered by a health plan. “Enrollee” means any individual entitled to health care services from an insurer. “Health plan” means a policy, contract, certification, or agreement offered or issued by an insurer to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services. “Health care service” means an item or service furnished to any individual for the purpose of preventing, alleviating, curing, or healing human illness, injury or physical disability. “Person” means a natural person, corporation, mutual company, unincorporated association, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, estate, foundation, not-for-profit corporation, unincorporated organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency. (b) When calculating an enrollee’s contribution to any applicable cost sharing requirement, an insurer shall include any cost sharing amounts paid by the enrollee or on behalf of the enrollee by another person. Any cost sharing or reductions made for an enrollee’s benefit or towards an enrollee’s applicable cost sharing requirement shall be applied in full at the time it is rendered and wholly towards the enrollee’s out-of-pocket costs, deductible, cost sharing or similar enrollee obligation. (c) When calculating an enrollee’s contribution to the annual limitation on cost sharing set forth in 42 U.S.C. §§ 18022(c) and 300gg-6(b), an insurer shall include expenditures for any health care service covered by the enrollee’s health plan and included within a category of essential health benefits as described in 42 U.S.C. § 18022(b)(1). This section shall apply with respect to health plans that are entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. The Commission may promulgate such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary to implement this section.