WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

H 1295

An Act promoting consumer choice in health care

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sean Reid and 2 co-sponsors

Requires insurers to reimburse licensed athletic trainers on par with other providers when physician-referred and within scope, improving access to LAT services.

Hearing scheduled for 09/17/2025 from 12:30 PM-04:30 PM in Gardner Auditorium
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 1295

Summary: H 1295 — An Act promoting consumer choice in health care

Overview

H 1295 (House Docket No. 1295) is a Massachusetts bill introduced February 27, 2025, titled “An Act promoting consumer choice in health care.” The bill adds a new section to Chapter 175 of the General Laws aimed at ensuring health insurers reimburse licensed athletic trainers (LATs) for covered services when the LAT is acting with a physician referral and within the LAT’s lawful scope of practice, provided the insurer would reimburse another health care provider for those same services. A hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2025, from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM in Gardner Auditorium.

Key provisions

  • Reimbursement parity for athletic trainers: A licensed athletic trainer working with a physician referral and within the scope of practice would not be denied reimbursement by a health insurer for covered services if the insurer would reimburse another health care provider for those services.

  • Scope and applicability:

    • Applies to health plans that cover a particular health service or condition within the LAT’s scope.
    • The term “health insurance plan” includes various individual/group policies, hospital/medical service plans, or other health benefit plans; excludes plans that provide coverage for specific diseases or other limited benefit coverage.

  • Cost-sharing and utilization management:

    • LAT-provided services may be subject to reasonable deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, fee or benefit limits, practice parameters, and utilization review.
    • Any such amounts/limits/reviews must be consistent with rules adopted by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
    • Must be no more restrictive than the terms applied to other providers for the same policy; must not unfairly discriminate against LAT care.

  • No impairment to LAT practice:

    • Nothing in the section shall impede or prevent provision or coverage of LAT services within the lawful scope of practice.

Affected parties

  • Licensed athletic trainers and their patients.
  • Physicians who refer patients to LATs.
  • Health insurers and health plans operating in Massachusetts.
  • Employers and individuals purchasing covered health plans.
  • The Massachusetts Division of Insurance (rulemaking authority referenced for the utilization management framework).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025.
  • Legislative actions: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services; Senate concurrence noted on February 27, 2025.
  • Hearing: Scheduled for September 17, 2025, 12:30 PM–4:30 PM in Gardner Auditorium.
  • Related legislation: HD 904 is identified as a related bill (House version; “replaces” the prior form).

Potential impact

  • Enhances consumer choice by ensuring LAT services are reimbursed comparably to other providers when a physician referral is present.
  • Could improve access to athletic training services and potentially affect care pathways for musculoskeletal and performance-related concerns.
  • May influence insurer administration of deductibles, co-pays, and utilization reviews to align LAT handling with other comparable providers.

Notes

  • The bill explicitly states that the reimbursement parity applies only to plans that cover the relevant services or conditions and that LAT coverage remains within the lawful scope of practice.
  • Specific definitions and the scope of “within the scope of practice” would likely be clarified through the Division of Insurance rules referenced in the bill.

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

Sign in to ask a question.