Bill
SD 1431
Massachusetts funds a culturally sensitive Long COVID patient navigation pilot aligned with NASEM to improve timely access, coordinate care, and report results within one year.
Status and Context
- Bill Number: SD 1431 (Senate Docket No. 1431)
- Title: An Act to improve access to health care for people with Long COVID
- Introduced: January 16, 2025
- Status: House concurred (February 27, 2025); referred to the Committee on Public Health
- Legislative action: Amends Chapter 111 of the General Laws by adding new Section 24P
- Purpose orientation: Establish a funded, evidence-based, culturally-specific patient navigation pilot program to improve access to care for individuals diagnosed with Long COVID, aligned with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) definition of Long COVID
Overview of the Initiative
- The bill directs the Massachusetts Department (the department) to design and implement a Long COVID patient navigation pilot program, subject to appropriation.
- The program emphasizes culturally sensitive approaches and standardization of navigator care.
- It aims to reduce barriers to timely, knowledgeable medical treatment, connect patients and families with clinical and nonclinical supports, and improve health equity in Long COVID care across the Commonwealth.
- Pilot program development should align with the NASEM Long COVID definition.
Key Provisions
1) Pilot Program Development and Implementation
- The department must develop and implement an evidence-based, culturally-specific Long COVID patient navigation pilot program, aligned with NASEM’s definition.
- The program should be designed to maximize timely access to care, support clinical needs, and connect patients with necessary resources.
- Implementation is contingent on available appropriations.
2) Core Functions of Patient Navigation
- Data collection and sharing related to Long COVID care.
- Initial contact with patients and comprehensive social and medical needs assessments.
- Clinical navigation, including assisting with identification of subspecialty care, referrals, coordination among clinicians, and scheduling, while optimizing insurance and disability coverage.
- Social and emotional support navigation, including connections to lay support groups and social services (transportation, language access, food and housing insecurity, unemployment aid), and engagements with community-based organizations.
- Resources to support shared decision-making and awareness of available social and community services.
- Establishment of reimbursement mechanisms for patient navigator services and supervision.
3) Standardization and Training
- Development of guidelines to standardize Long COVID patient navigator care, including potential training requirements to ensure appropriate skills and knowledge.
4) Consumer Advisory Board
- Possible establishment of a consumer advisory board primarily composed of Long COVID patients and healthcare providers.
- The board would help shape the pilot program’s design to reflect diverse needs and populations.
- The department may establish guidelines for stipend payments to compensate board participation.
5) Evaluation and Reporting
- Within one year of pilot implementation, the department must report to the clerks of the House and Senate and the joint committees on Public Health and Health Care Financing.
- Report contents include activities, services provided, geographic locations, number of participating patients and their regions, and an assessment of whether to expand the pilot.
Who Is Affected
- Individuals diagnosed with Long COVID in Massachusetts and their families.
- Healthcare providers and clinical teams involved in Long COVID care.
- Public health staff within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
- Community organizations and social service entities linked to Long COVID support.
Procedural and Timeline Details
- The program is described as a pilot and is subject to state appropriations.
- A reporting deadline is set: not later than one year after pilot implementation.
- The bill emphasizes data collection, transparency, and potential expansion based on evaluation outcomes.
Notes
- The bill explicitly aligns the navigational framework with the NASEM Long COVID definition, signaling an evidence-informed standard for care.
- While the bill creates a framework, concrete funding levels and geographic scope would depend on future appropriations and department implementation decisions.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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