Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 176A, sec. 8MM — MA Code / Part I / Title XXII / Chapter 176A / Section 8MM
Pain management access plan; non-medication and nonsurgical treatment; review; educational materials
Status: in_force

Section 8MM. (a) A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall develop a plan to provide adequate coverage and access to a broad spectrum of pain management services, including, but not limited to, non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities and non-opioid medication treatment options that serve as alternatives to opioid prescribing, in accordance with guidelines developed by the division of insurance. (b) No such contract shall, relative to pain management services identified by the carrier pursuant to subsection (a), require a member to obtain prior authorization for non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities that include restorative therapies, behavioral health approaches or integrative health therapies, including acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, massage and movement therapies. (c)(1) The plan developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be subject to approval by the division of insurance and shall be a component of carrier accreditation by the division pursuant to section 2 of chapter 176O. In its review, the division shall consider the adequacy of access to a broad spectrum of pain management services and any carrier policies that may create unduly preferential coverage to prescribing opioids without other pain management modalities. (2) No contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall establish utilization controls, including prior authorization or step therapy requirements, for clinically appropriate non-opioid drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment or management of pain, that are more restrictive or extensive than the least restrictive or extensive utilization controls applicable to any clinically appropriate opioid drug. (d) Carriers shall annually distribute educational materials to providers within their networks and to members about the pain management access plans developed pursuant to subsection (a) and shall make information about the plans publicly available on their websites.

Section 8MM. (a) A contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall develop a plan to provide adequate coverage and access to a broad spectrum of pain management services, including, but not limited to, non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities and non-opioid medication treatment options that serve as alternatives to opioid prescribing, in accordance with guidelines developed by the division of insurance.

(b) No such contract shall, relative to pain management services identified by the carrier pursuant to subsection (a), require a member to obtain prior authorization for non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities that include restorative therapies, behavioral health approaches or integrative health therapies, including acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, massage and movement therapies.

(c)(1) The plan developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be subject to approval by the division of insurance and shall be a component of carrier accreditation by the division pursuant to section 2 of chapter 176O. In its review, the division shall consider the adequacy of access to a broad spectrum of pain management services and any carrier policies that may create unduly preferential coverage to prescribing opioids without other pain management modalities.

(2) No contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group hospital service plan that is delivered, issued or renewed within the commonwealth shall establish utilization controls, including prior authorization or step therapy requirements, for clinically appropriate non-opioid drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment or management of pain, that are more restrictive or extensive than the least restrictive or extensive utilization controls applicable to any clinically appropriate opioid drug.

(d) Carriers shall annually distribute educational materials to providers within their networks and to members about the pain management access plans developed pursuant to subsection (a) and shall make information about the plans publicly available on their websites.