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HD 1298

An Act relative to requiring premium impact statements

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kim Ferguson and 3 co-sponsors

Requires premium impact statements for health care/insurance actions and bills; CHIA analyzes effects on premiums, with public input, before action moves forward.

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Bill Summary · HD 1298

Summary: An Act relative to requiring premium impact statements (HD 1298)

Overview

  • Bill: An Act relative to requiring premium impact statements
  • Bill Number: HD 1298 (House Docket No. 1298)
  • Introduced: November 29, 2025 (2025–2026 legislative session)
  • Origin: Massachusetts House of Representatives; Presented by Rep. Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (and co-petitioners in the bill’s accompanying filing)
  • Context: The text provided is from the 194th General Court (2025–2026) and references a similar matter filed in a prior session (2023–2024). The version content indicates House No. 3362 as the bill number filed in January 2025.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill would require a premium impact analysis for health care and health insurance regulations and certain related bills, with the aim of assessing how proposed actions could affect health insurance premium rates in Massachusetts.
  • The process is designed to improve transparency and public participation in regulatory and legislative actions that might affect premium costs.

Key provisions

Section 1 — Premium impact statements for health care/insurance regulations

  • Before adopting, amending, or repealing any health care or health insurance-related regulation, a state agency must:
    • File a public notice of the proposed action with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
    • Include a premium impact statement evaluating the proposed action’s potential effect on health insurance premium rates in Massachusetts.
    • Provide the public an opportunity to present data, views, or arguments related to the impact statement.
    • Before final adoption, file an amended premium impact statement with the Secretary of the Commonwealth reflecting the public input and any new analysis.

Section 2 — Premium impact statements for health care/insurance bills (CHIA-led analysis)

  • Any joint committee, house committee, or senate committee may report favorably on any bill or petition related to health care or health insurance only if that bill/petition has first received a premium impact statement conducted by the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA).
  • All health care/health insurance related bills or petitions proposed in committees must be referred to an accompanying study order pending a final CHIA report under this section.

Affected entities

  • State agencies responsible for health care and health insurance regulations.
  • Massachusetts residents and consumers who may be impacted by health insurance premium changes.
  • Legislative committees considering health care or health insurance legislation.
  • The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA), which would conduct the premium impact analyses.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Public notice and premium impact statement workflows would precede regulatory action (adoption/amendment/repeal) by agencies.
  • Public input on the impact statement is required and must be addressed in an amended statement before final action.
  • For legislation, CHIA-driven premium impact statements would be required before advancing health care/health insurance bills or petitions out of committee; such bills would also be subject to a study order until CHIA completes its final report.
  • The text notes there is an established precedent (“Similar Matter filed in previous session,” House No. 3065 of 2023–2024), indicating ongoing interest in formal premium impact analysis.

Potential implications

  • Increased transparency around the price effects of regulatory changes and health care/insurance bills.
  • Possible delays in regulatory action or bill advancement to accommodate preparation and revision of premium impact statements.
  • A defined pathway for public participation and expert analysis via CHIA, potentially influencing the pacing and shaping of health care policy proposals.

Status

  • As provided, the bill is a proposed measure in the 2025–2026 session. The formal status in the user’s data is not specified beyond the introduction details; the text reflects a January 2025 filing (House No. 3362) and a November 2025 introduction date, with CHIA-driven analysis as a central mechanism.

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

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