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H 1321

An Act relative to transparency of consumer health insurance rights

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Natalie Higgins and 5 co-sponsors

The bill requires fully insured health plans to display clear, standardized information on enrollment cards, including plan details, costs, and contact numbers.

Hearing rescheduled to 04/29/2025 from 10:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
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Bill Summary · H 1321

Summary: H.1321 — An Act relative to transparency of consumer health insurance rights

Purpose and intent

H.1321 seeks to increase transparency for consumers enrolled in health plans by requiring clearer, standardized information to be displayed on health insurance enrollment cards. The measure amends Chapter 176O to ensure plan details and cost-sharing information are readily accessible to insured individuals, helping enrollees better understand their coverage and out-of-pocket responsibilities.

Key provisions

  • Display location and prominence

    • Requires carriers to prominently display the information on the front or back of enrollment cards.

  • Required disclosures (displayed items)
    1) A clear statement: “This health plan is fully-insured, subject to all Massachusetts insurance laws.”
    2) The name of the carrier and the insured’s specific health plan, including any identifying numbers or information.
    3) A toll-free telephone number for the carrier’s member services department.
    4) The name and toll-free telephone number of the member services department of any third party that administers behavioral health, prescription drug, or other benefits.
    5) The copayment amount for preventive care visits, office visits, emergency department visits, and prescription drugs.
    6) Whether the plan has a deductible and the amount of any deductible.
    7) Any additional information required by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance.

  • Governance

    • The commissioner of insurance may determine and require other information to be displayed as part of the enrollment card disclosures.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Carriers offering health plans in Massachusetts that are fully-insured.
  • Indirect: Enrollees/members who will receive enrollment cards with the mandated disclosures.
  • Third-party administrators for behavioral health, prescription drugs, or other benefits, whose contact information must be listed.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025.
  • Legislative history highlights:
    • Senate concurrence on February 27, 2025.
    • Referred to the committee on Financial Services (02/27/2025).
    • Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing (07/31/2025).
  • Hearing information:
    • Original hearing timing shown as 10:00 AM–01:00 PM (A-2) with a virtual component.
    • Hearing rescheduled to April 29, 2025, with updated end time (A-2; virtual hearing timing adjusted to new end time).
  • Related measures:
    • HD 1841 noted as a replacement in related filings.

Legislative status and notes

  • The bill would amend Chapter 176O, section 19 (as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition), by replacing it with the new display requirements described above.
  • The bill is positioned as consumer-rights transparency legislation aimed at helping Massachusetts residents compare plans and anticipate costs before and during enrollment.

Potential impact

  • Consumer experience: clearer, standardized enrollment-card information, enabling easier identification of plan type, costs, and contact information.
  • Administrative burden: carriers may incur costs to update enrollment cards and ensure accuracy of copayment, deductible, and service-provider information.
  • Market effects: enhanced transparency could influence consumer choice among plans and improve awareness of cost-sharing responsibilities.
  • Oversight: increased role for the Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance in specifying any additional required information.

If you’d like, I can present a side-by-side comparison with existing enrollment-card requirements or provide a brief summary tailored to specific stakeholder groups (consumers, insurers, healthcare providers).

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

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