Healthcare (Women's Health)

signed · Massachusetts · House Aug 10, 2026

H 5595: An Act prioritizing patient access to care

This bill, titled "An Act prioritizing patient access to care," amends Massachusetts state law to change how abortions are regulated. It removes the requirement that abortions must be performed only to preserve a patient's life or health or due to specific fetal diagnoses, replacing those criteria with a standard based solely on a physician's professional judgment. Additionally, the bill prevents any medical review process from overriding a doctor's decision to perform an abortion when a patient or their health care proxy requests it. These changes directly affect physicians, patients, and healthcare facilities by expanding the circumstances under which abortions can be legally provided.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes restrictive abortion criteria, expanding patient access to care and protecting physician judgment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 23, 2026

H 5021: An Act to expand the doula workforce

H 5021 creates the Maternal Health Justice Fund to expand the doula workforce in Massachusetts. The fund, managed by the Department of Public Health, will provide scholarships for doula certification (prioritizing historically marginalized groups, low-income individuals, and underserved areas), support community doula programs, and fund workforce development. It requires certification programs to teach clinical knowledge (like anatomy and labor support), health equity, anti-racism, trauma-informed care, and cultural competence. The bill directly affects pregnant individuals, birth parents, and doulas by increasing access to non-medical support during pregnancy and postpartum.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill funds doula certification and programs to expand maternal health services, targeting underserved communities, directly advancing healthcare access and equity.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds doula certification scholarships, workforce development, and prioritizes marginalized groups in employment, directly advancing labor/employment opportunities in maternal healthcare sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Women's Health Professional Licensing Workforce Development

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in committee · Massachusetts · House Jul 9, 2026

H 4899: An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care

This bill (H 4899) requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover post-pregnancy mental health care - including postpartum and post-miscarriage care - without any out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or copays. It applies to both private insurance and Medicaid plans, ensuring coverage is equally available to enrollees and their spouses or dependents. The law explicitly adds this care to existing pregnancy-related coverage requirements in multiple sections of state health laws and prohibits unreasonable delays or restrictions in accessing these services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no-cost coverage for post-pregnancy mental health care under all insurance plans, expanding access and protecting patient rights per bill requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Women's Health

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in committee · Massachusetts · House Oct 15, 2025

H 4601: An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2025 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects.

This bill, H 4601, is a fiscal year 2025 appropriations measure that allocates specific funds to Massachusetts state agencies and programs. It directly affects state operations by supplementing existing budgets, including $2.05 billion for MassHealth fee-for-service payments, $35 million for housing preservation, $15 million for World Cup event support, and $60.7 million for snow removal services. Key mechanisms include re-appropriating unspent funds from previous years and creating new funding reserves for specific purposes like reproductive health care continuity and substance use disorder treatment facilities. The bill ensures these funds are available through June 2026, supplementing existing appropriations without creating new policies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $2.05B for MassHealth, $35M housing preservation, and $60.7M snow removal, directly funding essential public services and supplementing existing budgets.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $2.05B for MassHealth fee-for-service payments, directly funding healthcare coverage under public health programs.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill allocates $35 million specifically for housing preservation, directly funding housing stability efforts per the summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Substance Abuse Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 879: An Act relative to coerced abortion

This bill requires abortion facilities to post visible bilingual signs stating that forced abortions are illegal and consent must be freely given. It also mandates that doctors verbally inform patients privately about these rights before an abortion and obtain written certification confirming this notice, which must be kept in the patient's file for 7 years (or longer for minors). Facilities failing to comply face daily $10,000 fines per violation, and patients can sue for emotional distress if these requirements aren't met. The law directly affects abortion providers and patients seeking abortion services in Massachusetts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates informed consent and prevents coercion in abortion care, protecting patient rights within healthcare services.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1311: An Act related to unborn victims of Down Syndrome

HD 1311 prohibits abortions performed or induced because of a Down syndrome diagnosis in an unborn child. It directly affects medical providers (doctors, nurses, etc.) who perform such abortions, making it a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison, license revocation, or fines. The bill requires providers to know the abortion is sought due to a Down syndrome test result or diagnosis. Violators face criminal penalties, loss of medical license, and civil lawsuits for damages. Pregnant women seeking such abortions are not held liable under this law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts abortion access based on Down syndrome diagnosis, limiting medical service options and penalizing providers for performing such procedures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2285: An Act related to unborn victims of Down Syndrome

HD 2285, titled the "Unborn Victims of Down Syndrome Act," prohibits medical professionals from performing or inducing abortions specifically sought due to a Down syndrome diagnosis in the unborn child. The bill directly affects physicians, nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical providers who violate this provision, imposing criminal penalties (up to 15 years in prison or $15,000 fines), license revocation, and potential civil liability for damages. Key mechanisms include banning abortions based on Down syndrome test results or prenatal diagnoses, while explicitly stating that pregnant women seeking such abortions are not subject to penalties. The law defines "Down syndrome" as a chromosome disorder involving chromosome 21 and specifies that the prohibition applies only when the abortion is sought "because of" the diagnosis. This bill does not restrict other types of abortions or impact the pregnant person's legal status.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts abortion access for Down syndrome diagnosis, limiting patient healthcare options within reproductive services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2115: An Act related to Down syndrome

This bill prohibits medical professionals from performing or inducing an abortion specifically because of a Down syndrome diagnosis in the unborn child. It applies to physicians, nurses, and other licensed healthcare providers who know the abortion is sought due to a Down syndrome test result or diagnosis. Violations carry criminal penalties (up to 15 years imprisonment), license revocation, and civil liability for damages. The bill explicitly states the pregnant woman seeking such an abortion is not liable for the violation.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits abortions based on Down syndrome diagnosis, restricting access to a medical service under healthcare policy. Explicitly limits a healthcare procedure with criminal penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1317: An Act relative to abortion care for young people

This bill modifies Massachusetts law to streamline abortion access for minors. It requires written informed consent for all abortions (except emergencies) but eliminates any mandatory waiting period between signing the form and the procedure. Crucially, it expands minor consent rights by allowing teens aged 16+ to independently consent to their own abortion care without parental involvement, removing prior restrictions that limited this to "medical or dental care." All consent forms and related records must remain confidential, accessible only to the patient or authorized providers under strict privacy rules. The changes directly affect minors seeking abortion services in Massachusetts and the healthcare providers who perform them.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes waiting period and parental consent barriers for minors seeking abortion care, expanding independent consent for 16+ teens. This directly improves patient access to healthcare services and protects patient rights in reproductive healt...95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2842: An Act promoting and enhancing the sustainability of birth centers and the midwifery workforce

This bill creates a new Midwifery Workforce Development Fund to support midwifery education, retention, and birth center sustainability. The fund, administered by the state health department, receives state/federal maternal health funds and private donations, with unspent balances rolling over annually. It finances student education costs, midwife loan forgiveness (potentially requiring work in underserved areas), midwifery training programs, and mental health support for practicing midwives. Additionally, the bill mandates that state health insurance programs pay certified midwives and freestanding birth centers at rates no lower than those for physicians or hospital services for equivalent care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Midwifery Workforce Development Fund to finance education, loan forgiveness, and mental health support for midwives, directly advancing maternal healthcare access and workforce sustainability.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds midwifery education, retention, loan forgiveness, and mental health support, directly enhancing workforce sustainability for a specific profession within employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Women's Health Workforce Development

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