An Act relative to access to health care

HD 983 requires health insurance plans covering Commonwealth employees and retirees to provide full coverage for stuttering speech therapy, both in-person and via telehealth. The bill mandates coverage for both "habilitative" (helping develop skills for those with developmental stuttering) and "rehabilitative" (helping restore skills after impairment) therapy without annual visit limits, medical necessity reviews, or prior authorization. It also prohibits restrictions based on the cause of stuttering and ensures telehealth coverage meets standard benefit levels. This bill directly affects state employee health plans and licensed speech-language pathologists providing these services.