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H 5230

An Act relative to access to psychiatric collaborative care

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michelle Badger and 4 co-sponsors

The bill aims to expand and formalize collaborative care models that integrate primary care and psychiatric services to improve access, coordination, and outcomes.

Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing
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Bill Summary · H 5230

Bill Summary: H 5230 (Session 194th) — An Act relative to access to psychiatric collaborative care

Purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to improve access to psychiatric collaborative care for patients within the Massachusetts health system. The overarching goal is to enhance integration between primary care and psychiatric services, with an emphasis on expanding access, coordination, and potentially reducing barriers to timely mental health care.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishes or expands mechanisms for collaborative care models that pair primary care providers with psychiatric professionals or teams.
  • Aims to formalize reimbursement pathways or financing structures to support collaborative care arrangements, potentially through state-level guidance or requirements for health care payors and providers.
  • May delineate roles and responsibilities within collaborative care teams (e.g., responsibilities of primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and care managers) and define care coordination practices.
  • Could include requirements for care plans, patient monitoring, and outcome measurement to ensure quality and accountability in collaborative care settings.
  • Likely addresses scope of practice considerations, licensure or credentialing standards, and the integration of behavioral health into general medical care to reduce fragmentation.
  • The bill may specify reporting or data collection obligations to track utilization, access metrics, and patient outcomes related to collaborative care initiatives.

Note: The available information does not include the full text of the bill, so some provisions are summarized based on typical elements of acts “relative to access to psychiatric collaborative care.” The exact language, thresholds, timelines, and any targeted populations would be detailed in the enacted statute or the bill’s formal text.

Who would be affected

  • Primary care practices and primary care physicians engaged in or considering collaborative care models with psychiatric specialists.
  • Behavioral health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and care managers involved in integrated care teams.
  • Health care payors, including private insurers and state/federal programs, that reimburse collaborative care services.
  • Patients receiving primary and behavioral health care through collaborative models, with potential improvements in access, care coordination, and outcomes.
  • Health systems and clinics seeking to implement or expand integrated care infrastructure.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill has been reported favorably by the Senate committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing, indicating progression toward potential amendments and floor consideration.
  • As of the summary date, the bill’s draft is noted as H2220, with a new draft accompanying the favorable report.
  • Sponsors include multiple co-sponsors: Kathy LaNatra, Michelle Badger, Mike Brady, Bud Williams, and Steve Xiarhos, signaling bipartisan or cross-branch interest.
  • No specific effective date is provided in the available information; typical timelines would involve passage by the Legislature and signature by the Governor, with any regulatory rules to follow for implementation.

Potential impact and considerations

  • If enacted, the bill could enhance access to timely psychiatric care within primary care settings, potentially reducing wait times and improving early intervention.
  • Financed collaborative care could balance effective use of resources, support preventive mental health care, and improve outcomes while reducing overall costs.
  • Implementation would require stakeholder alignment across clinicians, payors, and health systems, plus possible development of training, care protocols, and data reporting standards.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to include a side-by-side comparison with current Massachusetts statutes on collaborative care, or assemble a checklist of potential implementation steps for clinics considering adoption.

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

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