Healthcare

passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 29, 2026

S 154: An Act establishing guardians as providers of medical care to support the rights of incapacitated persons

By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 154) of Joan B. Lovely and Vanna Howard for legislation to establish guardians as providers of medical care to support the rights of incapacitated persons. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes guardians as medical care providers for incapacitated persons, directly protecting patient rights under healthcare context.85% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 16, 2026

H 2458: An Act establishing a commission to study the promotion of direct primary care services

HD 3737 establishes a commission to study direct primary care services in Massachusetts, where patients pay doctors directly for care without insurance involvement. The commission will examine benefits like lower costs, cost transparency, better access to care, and improved health outcomes, then develop strategies to promote these services. Composed of state health officials, legislative leaders, healthcare industry representatives, and patient advocates, the commission must hold at least three public hearings and submit a report with recommendations within 12 months. This bill does not change current law but creates a study to inform future policy decisions about expanding direct primary care. The commission's work aims to ease pressure on the healthcare system and improve patient access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes commission to study promotion of direct primary care services, indicating intent to advance healthcare access models under Public Health.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care Public Health

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jul 27, 2026

S 2085: An Act to improve long-term care staffing and dignity for caregivers

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2085) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation to improve long-term care staffing and dignity for caregivers through training, tuition reimbursements, tax credits and other programs. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill includes tax credits as a funding mechanism for caregiver programs, aligning with fiscal support for public services per indicators.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves long-term care staffing through training, tuition reimbursements, and tax credits, directly strengthening healthcare service quality and caregiver support systems.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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passed · Massachusetts · House Apr 2, 2026

H 3218: An Act establishing tax credits for health care preceptorship

This bill establishes a state tax credit for Massachusetts health care practitioners (like doctors, nurses, and physician assistants) who serve as unpaid mentors ("preceptors") for students in approved health care training programs. Practitioners in areas designated as having health care workforce shortages can claim up to $5,000 annually ($1,000 per eligible student rotation, requiring 100+ hours per rotation across three rotations). The credit is claimed via an application to the Department of Public Health, which issues tax credit certificates to eligible practitioners. Unused credits cannot be carried forward, and the Department of Public Health must annually report on the program's usage, including regional and profession-specific data.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes tax credits for health care preceptorships, providing tax relief under revenue-focused fiscal policy.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes tax credits for healthcare preceptorships, incentivizing medical training programs and expanding workforce development to improve access to care.95% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Apr 2, 2026

H 3072: An Act for an enabling authority - Vaccination Tax Credit

This bill creates a state tax credit of at least $100 for Massachusetts residents who provide medical documentation proving they received approved vaccines for diseases designated by the Department of Public Health (DPH). It directly affects individuals who get required vaccines for diseases the DPH identifies as eligible. The key mechanism requires taxpayers to attach their vaccination records to their state income tax return to claim the credit. The credit aims to encourage vaccination by offering financial incentive, based on DPH-approved vaccines, without mandating vaccination.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a vaccination tax credit, providing direct tax relief to eligible individuals, aligning with tax relief indicators under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides tax credit to incentivize vaccinations, promoting public health access and preventive care within healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jul 23, 2026

S 2058: An Act establishing a tax credit for the purchase of hearing aids

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2058) of Patrick M. O'Connor for legislation to establish a tax credit for the purchase of hearing aids. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes tax credit for hearing aids, providing direct tax relief to eligible individuals under revenue policy.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareTax credit lowers out-of-pocket costs for hearing aids, improving access to essential medical devices under healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits

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passed · Massachusetts · House Apr 16, 2026

H 242: An Act to enhance standards of care for those with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities

This bill requires Massachusetts' health department to create a state plan within one year to improve care standards for people with autism and intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), including those with intersecting marginalized identities. It mandates forming an advisory committee of health officials, providers, patient advocates, and disability organizations to develop training requirements for healthcare professionals (like doctors and nurses) on diagnosis and treatment during routine care. The plan must include strategies for better assessment during primary care visits and coordinate with licensing boards to require this training for license renewals. These changes directly affect healthcare providers and aim to standardize care for patients with autism and IDD across the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly enhances care standards for autism/developmental disabilities, improving healthcare access and quality for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Aug 13, 2026

H 213: An Act ensuring access to behavioral health services for children involved with state agencies

HD 1297 requires the Department of Mental Health to cover specialized behavioral health services (like crisis intervention, inpatient care, and youth stabilization) for children in state care. It mandates that congregate care programs (e.g., group homes providing foster care) implement emergency response plans prioritizing behavioral health support over law enforcement referrals, and prohibits denying readmission to children who are medically and psychiatrically stable after a hospitalization or crisis. The bill also requires programs to report readmission denials to the Department of Children and Families, with data collected on demographics and shared publicly. These changes directly affect children in foster care, congregate care programs, and state agencies managing child welfare and mental health services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures access to behavioral health services for children in state care, directly supporting mental health access under healthcare policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Massachusetts · Senate Sep 25, 2025

S 2601: Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery to make an investigation and study of a certain current Senate document relative to behavioral health services for children and families.

Senate, September 11, 2025 -- The committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1392) of Julian Cyr and Joanne M. Comerford that provisions be made for a special commission to study available behavioral health services and to make recommendations for improving access to behavioral health services for children and families in the commonwealth, report the accompanying Order (Senate, No. 2601).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill authorizes committee to study and improve access to children's behavioral health services, directly aligning with mental health support indicators in healthcare policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

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in committee · Massachusetts · Senate Feb 26, 2026

S 538: An Act relative to emergency response and preparedness in the event of a surge in pediatric or adult hospitalizations

By Mr. Driscoll, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 538) of William J. Driscoll, Jr. relative to emergency response and preparedness in the event of surges in pediatric or adult hospitalizations. Emergency Preparedness and Management.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill focuses on emergency preparedness for hospitalization surges, strengthening healthcare system response capacity during public health crises.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Tags Emergency Management

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