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Bill

HD 5552

A communication from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations (see Section 8M(d) of Chapter 26 of the General Laws) submitting the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act for calendar year 2023

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Massachusetts submits 2023 compliance report on mental health parity requirements for insurance coverage, fulfilling statutory obligation to monitor insurer adherence to federal mental health equity laws.

Scheduled for the House Journal Addenda
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Bill Summary · HD 5552

Legislative bill overview

This bill is a submission of an annual compliance report from Massachusetts's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations regarding the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) for calendar year 2023. The document fulfills a statutory requirement under Section 8M(d) of Chapter 26 of the General Laws to report on implementation and compliance with federal mental health parity requirements.

Why is this important

The MHPAEA requires health insurers to provide mental health and addiction treatment coverage comparable to medical/surgical coverage. This annual report documents whether Massachusetts insurers are complying with these federal requirements, affecting millions of residents' access to mental health services and ensuring parity in insurance benefits between mental health and physical health care.

Potential points of contention

  • Enforcement gaps: Reports may reveal that insurers are not fully complying with parity requirements, but the report itself lacks enforcement mechanisms to compel compliance
  • Scope limitations: The report may only address state-regulated insurers, potentially excluding self-insured employer plans governed by federal ERISA law
  • Data transparency: Questions about whether the report includes sufficient detail on denials, delays, and discrimination in mental health coverage compared to medical coverage

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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