An Act measuring the impact of Long COVID in the Commonwealth

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marjorie Decker and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts enacts active Long COVID surveillance to measure prevalence, align with NASEM, collect demographic/clinical data, and publish annual public reports.

Overview

Purpose: Establish formal, active surveillance of Long COVID (PASC) in Massachusetts to measure its prevalence and impact, align the state’s surveillance with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) definition, and inform public health interventions.

Sponsor and docket: Introduced in the 2025-2026 General Court session as House Docket No. 3840; House Petition No. 2400 (primarily sponsored by Reps. Mindy Domb and Marjorie C. Decker). Status noted as a proposed bill.

Amends: Chapter 111 of the General Laws (by inserting new Section 245 after existing Section 244).

What the bill would do

Definition and alignment (Section 245(a)):

Create a surveillance case definition for Long COVID/PASC that aligns with the NASEM definition and its associated conditions.

Surveillance purpose and method (Section 245(b)):

Require the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to determine an effective approach for active surveillance of Long COVID to assess prevalence and impact on the population and health care system, and to guide public health interventions.

Data collection (Section 245(c)):

Develop a case report form to support active surveillance. The form may collect demographic and clinical information on patients diagnosed with Long COVID, including:
Gender identity; race; year of birth; county and state of residence; primary language
Presenting symptoms or conditions leading to diagnosis
Date of initial COVID-19 infection; date of onset of Long COVID symptoms; county of diagnosis
Information on treatments received and referrals

Implementation timeline (Section 245(d)):

Start active surveillance six months after enactment.
Publish statewide surveillance reports to the public at least annually.

Reporting requirement (Section 245(e)):

Not later than one year after enactment, provide a progress report to the clerks of the House and Senate and the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Health, detailing:
Status of the surveillance form’s development and dissemination
Department outreach and education about surveillance
Initial surveillance results

Who would be affected

Primary: Massachusetts Department of Public Health (and its public health surveillance activities).

Individuals with Long COVID/PASC who may be the subject of data collection via the new case report form.

Public health stakeholders and policymakers who would use surveillance results to shape interventions.

Key considerations and potential impacts

Data scope: The form contemplates collection of demographic and clinical data, enabling analysis of prevalence and disparities.

Transparency: Annual, public surveillance reports would increase public visibility into Long COVID trends.

Privacy: The bill permits collection of several personal data elements; implementation would require considerations of privacy protections and data security (not explicitly detailed in the text).

Timelines: Surveillance begins six months post-enactment; progress and initial results reported within one year.

Status and background

Bill status: Proposed bill (HD 3840) introduced in 2025; reflects ongoing legislative interest in measuring and addressing Long COVID impacts in Massachusetts.

Context: Builds on federal recognition of Long COVID/PASC and seeks to create state-level data to inform health interventions and resource planning.

Bill