reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 32a § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 19 - Release From Insurance Coverage; Payment; Reinstatement of Coverage

Section 19. Effective January 1 and July 1 of each year, the commission may pay to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth who has been continuously insured by the commonwealth for the prior 6 months pursuant to the provisions of this chapter for hospital, surgical, medical or other health insurance benefits and who gives written notice in accordance with the provisions of section seven indicating his desire not to be so insured by the commonwealth, an amount of money to be determined by the secretary of administration and finance; provided that such amount shall equal no less than twenty-five percent of twelve times the total monthly rate in effect for individual insurance coverage as determined by the commission; provided further, that the commission shall pay such amount to such active or retired employee in payments or in one lump sum.  The commission shall require that any active or retired employee choosing to accept such payment shall verify that he is insured under a qualifying policy toward which the commonwealth makes no contribution; provided, that for the purpose of this section, a ''qualifying policy'' shall be any policy which provides a schedule of benefits comparable to that to which the employee would be eligible to receive if he were insured by the commonwealth under this chapter. The commission shall provide that if such active or retired employee ceases to be so insured under such a qualifying policy, such active or retired employee shall thereupon have his insurance coverage pursuant to this chapter reinstated by the commonwealth on the date on which he informs the commission of such termination of insurance coverages; provided, however, that any amounts to be paid to such active or retired employee in accordance with this section shall be ratably reduced and any amounts paid hereunder which are allocable to periods after insurance coverage pursuant to this chapter is reinstated by the commonwealth may be recovered by the commission under such terms and conditions as the commission shall determine.
MA Gen L ch 32a § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 20 - Charges or Collections of Excess Compensation

Section 20. No physician or other provider of services, who treats or provides services to an individual covered by hospital, surgical, medical or catastrophic illness coverage offered by the commission under section four, four A, ten B, twelve or fifteen, shall charge to or collect from any insured or other beneficiary any amount in excess of that amount of compensation determined or allowed for a particular service by the insurer or by the administrator. For purposes of this section the words insurer and administrator shall include any insurance carrier, nonprofit hospital or medical service corporation or third-party health care administrator operating within the scope of its license. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the collection of any copayments or deductibles allowed for in the plan design.
MA Gen L ch 32a § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 21 - Health Care Services Evaluation; Vendor Quality Improvement Program; Annual Report

Section 21. The commission is hereby authorized and directed to establish and implement a vendor quality improvement program for purposes including, but not limited to: the evaluation and improvement of all health care services as applied to those contracts and the promotion of customer-oriented quality management techniques. Such program shall include both long and short-term objectives, quantifiable improvement goals, benchmarks for evaluating vendors and mechanisms to promote collaboration between the commission and health care vendors to improve health care services. The commission shall file an annual report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and with the governor not later than September 30 concerning such vendor quality improvement program.
MA Gen L ch 32a § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 23 - Coverage for Speech, Hearing and Language Disorders

Section 23. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the commission coverage for expenses incurred in the medically necessary diagnosis and treatment of speech, hearing and language disorders by individuals licensed as speech-language pathologists or audiologists under chapter 112, if such services are rendered within the lawful scope of practice for such speech-language pathologists or audiologists regardless of whether the services are provided in a hospital, clinic or private office; provided, however, that such coverage shall not extend to the diagnosis or treatment of speech, hearing and language disorders in a school-based setting. The coverage provided by this section shall be subject to the same terms and conditions established for any other medical condition covered by the commission.  The commission shall provide to any child, who is 21 years of age or younger, of an active or retired employee of the commonwealth and who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage for the cost of 1 hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear up to $2,000 for each hearing aid, as defined in section 196 of chapter 112, every 36 months upon a written statement from the child's treating physician that the hearing aids are necessary regardless of etiology. Coverage under this section shall include all related services prescribed by a licensed audiologist or hearing instrument specialist, as defined in said section 196 of said chapter 112, including the initial hearing aid evaluation, fitting and adjustments and supplies, including ear molds. The insured may choose a higher priced hearing aid and may pay the difference in cost above the $2,000 limit in this section without any financial or contractual penalty to the insured or to the provider of the hearing aid. The benefits in this section shall not be subject to any greater deductible, coinsurance, copayments or out-of-pocket limits than other benefits provided by the insurer. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the commission from offering greater coverage for hearing aids than required by this section. This section shall also require coverage for such hearing aids under any non-group policy.
MA Gen L ch 32a § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 27 - Toll-Free Telephone Number and Website Providing Customers With Estimated or Maximum Allowed Amount or Charge for Proposed Admission, Procedure or Service

Section 27. The commission shall require any carriers or third party administrators with whom it contracts to provide a toll-free telephone number and website that enables consumers to request and obtain from the carrier or third party administrator, in real time, the estimated or maximum allowed amount or charge for a proposed admission, procedure or service and the estimated amount the insured will be responsible to pay for a proposed admission, procedure or service that is a medically necessary covered benefit, based on the information available to the carrier or third party administrator at the time the request is made, including any facility fee, copayment, deductible, coinsurance or other out of pocket amount for any covered health care benefits; provided, that the insured shall not be required to pay more than the disclosed amounts for the covered health care benefits that were actually provided; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prevent carriers from imposing cost sharing requirements disclosed in the insured's evidence of coverage for unforeseen services that arise out of the proposed admission, procedure or service; and provided further, that the carrier shall alert the insured that these are estimated costs, and that the actual amount the insured will be responsible to pay may vary due to unforeseen services that arise out of the proposed admission, procedure or service.
MA Gen L ch 32a § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32a - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of the Commonwealth|Section 29 - Tobacco Cessation

Section 29. (a) The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage for: (i) tobacco use cessation counseling; and (ii) all generic United States Food and Drug Administration-approved tobacco cessation products without cost sharing when prescribed by a health care provider.  (b) The commission may employ reasonable managed care techniques consistent with state and federal law to determine the frequency, method, treatment or setting for the recommended item or service; provided, however, that covered persons shall have access to at least 1 tobacco cessation product without prior authorization.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 1 - Purpose of Chapter

Section 1. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a plan of group life insurance, group accidental death and dismemberment insurance and group general or blanket hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance for certain persons in the service of counties, except Worcester county, cities, towns and districts and their dependents.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 2a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 2a - Traffic Supervisors as Employees

Section 2A. In cities and towns which accept the provisions of this section, traffic supervisors shall be considered employees under this chapter, notwithstanding the definition of ''Employee'' in section two.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 2b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 2b - Reserve, Permanent-Intermittent or Call Firefighters as Employees

Section 2B. In governmental units which accept the provisions of this section, reserve, permanent-intermittent or call firefighters shall be considered employees under this chapter, notwithstanding the definition of ''Employee'' in section two, and upon retirement shall be considered retirees under this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 5 - Amount of Employee Insurance Coverage; Schedules of Benefits; Determination; Excess Coverage, Withholding of Premium

Section 5. The amount of group life insurance on each employee and the amount of group accident death and dismemberment insurance on each employee shall be established by the appropriate public authority and shall be not less than two thousand dollars except that those employees desiring to elect optional coverage in excess of the amount or amounts so established may do so as provided in section eleven A. The schedules of hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance benefits and the amount to be provided each employee and his dependents shall be determined by the appropriate public authority subject to the amount of the appropriation made available for such purpose, provided, however, that to the extent such schedules exceed the schedule of benefits established under section eleven of this chapter, the premium applicable to such excess coverage shall be withheld from each payment of salary or wages of such employee and the governmental unit shall make no contribution applicable to such excess coverage. As determined by the rules and regulations of the appropriate public authority all insurance coverages authorized by this chapter may be considered as separable for any employee, retired employee or deferred retiree who applies for any part of such coverage.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 6 - Employees to Furnish Information; Certificate or Booklet of Coverage

Section 6. Each employee to whom this chapter applies shall furnish the treasurer of the governmental unit, in such form as he shall prescribe, such information as is necessary to enroll himself alone, or himself and his dependents, under the policy or policies of insurance.  Each employee shall receive a certificate or booklet from the insurance company, savings bank or non-profit hospital, medical, or other service corporation describing the coverage for which the employee has enrolled. The certificate or booklet shall be printed at the expense of such insurance company, savings bank or nonprofit hospital, medical, dental, or other service corporation which has issued the policy or policies of insurance, and shall be approved by the appropriate public authority prior to distribution.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 7 - Premiums; Withholding, Contribution; Direct Payment

Section 7. (a) With respect to any period of insurance which is in effect for an active or retired employee and dependent there shall be withheld from each payment of salary, wages, other compensation, pension or retirement allowance, subject to the provisions of section nine A, fifty per cent of the premium for the insurance of the employee and his dependents and the governmental unit shall contribute the remaining fifty per cent of such premium. The governmental unit shall also contribute fifty per cent of any additional premium which may be required for coverage of an employee's dependent child who is nineteen years of age or over and mentally or physically incapable of earning his own living.  (b) If an employee is entitled to receive, during a calendar month, salary, wages or other compensation, and the premium has not been withheld from said salary, wages or other compensation, he may continue his insurance in effect by paying directly to the governmental unit the premium which would otherwise have been deducted from his salary or wages and said governmental unit shall contribute the remaining fifty per cent of the cost of the premium. If an employee is not entitled to receive salary, wages or other compensation for a calendar month, for purposes of this chapter, he shall be deemed to have been granted a leave of absence without pay, and shall make payment for the entire cost of his insurance to the governmental unit as aforesaid, and there shall be no contribution by the governmental unit for such employee's insurance. If an employee is not entitled to receive salary, wages or other compensation for any calendar month, due to illness of such employee and not because of illness of his immediate family, for purposes of this chapter he shall be deemed to have been granted sick leave without pay, and subject to the rules and regulations of the appropriate public authority, said employee shall make payment for fifty per cent of the cost of his insurance to the treasurer of the governmental unit, and such governmental unit shall contribute the remaining fifty per cent of said premium.  (c) All amounts withheld from an employee's salary, wages or other compensation as provided in paragraph (a) of this section and all amounts paid by an employee as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and all amounts withheld from retired employees as retirement allowances under the provisions of section nineteen A of chapter thirty-two together with the contribution of the governmental unit as provided in paragraph (a) shall be paid by the treasurer of the governmental unit to the carrier or carriers entitled to the premium.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 8 - Dividends, Refunds and Rate Credits to Inure to Benefit of Governmental Unit

Section 8. Any dividend or other refund or rate credit shall inure to the benefit of the governmental unit or to the governmental units participating under section eleven in proportion to the gross premiums paid by each governmental unit.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 9a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 9a - Political Subdivision; Contribution for Insurance Premiums of Retired Employees

Section 9A. A county, except Worcester county, by vote of the county commissioners, a city having a Plan D or a Plan E charter by majority vote of its city council, any other city by vote of its city council, approved by the mayor, a regional school district by vote of the regional district school committee and a district by vote of the district at a district meeting, may provide that it will pay one-half of the amount of the premium to be paid by a retired employee under the first sentence of section 9. A town shall provide for the payment by vote of the town at a town meeting or if a majority of the votes cast in answer to the following question which shall be printed on the official ballot to be used at an election in said town is in the affirmative:— ''Shall the town pay one-half the premium costs payable by a retired employee for group life insurance and for group general or blanket hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance?''
MA Gen L ch 32b § 9b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 9b - Death of Employee or Retired Employee; Continuation of Insurance Coverage by Spouse

Section 9B. Upon the death of an employee or a retired employee, his surviving spouse may continue the group general or blanket insurance coverage for himself or his dependents providing hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health benefits, until the remarriage or death of said surviving spouse; provided, that application for such insurance coverage shall be filed with the appropriate public authority and a method for the payment of premiums shall be determined in accordance with its rules and regulations; and provided, further, that said surviving spouse shall pay the entire cost of such premiums without any contribution by the governmental unit.  Said appropriate public authority shall determine the amount of said premium which may be the entire average group premium for hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health benefits applicable to an employee, an employee and his dependents, or a premium computed on a basis considered by said authority to be equitable in relation to all insured employees and all former employees who have retired and who have continued such coverage.
MA Gen L ch 32b § 9c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions|Chapter 32b - Contributory Group General or Blanket Insurance for Persons in the Service of Counties, Cities, Towns and Districts, and Their Dependents|Section 9c - Death of Fire Fighter; Continuation of Insurance Coverage by Spouse; Contribution by Governmental Unit; Acceptance of Provisions

Section 9C. Upon the death of an insured employee who was killed, or who died from injuries received, in the performance of his duty as a fire fighter his surviving spouse may continue the group hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance for herself and her dependents under age nineteen, until the remarriage or death of said surviving spouse; provided that application for such insurance shall be filed with the appropriate public authority and a method for the payment of premiums shall be determined in accordance with its rules and regulations; and provided, further that said surviving spouse shall pay fifty per cent of a premium the amount of which may be changed by the governmental unit from time to time as part of the total cost for such hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance. The governmental unit shall contribute the remaining fifty per cent of said premium together with payment in full of a subsidiary or additional rate which rate may be lower or higher than the governmental unit's share of the aforesaid premium.  This section shall take effect in a county, except Worcester county, city, town or district upon its acceptance in the following manner:—In a county by vote of the county commissioners; in a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter by majority vote of its city council; in any other city by vote of its city council, approved by the mayor; in a district by vote of the registered voters of the district at a district meeting; and in a town by submission for acceptance to the registered voters in the form of the following question which shall be printed upon the official ballot to be used at an election:—''Shall the town pay one half of a premium for group hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance for the surviving widow and dependents of an insured fire fighter who was killed or who died from injuries received in the performance of his duty, with the survivor paying the remaining one half, and shall the town also pay a subsidiary or additional rate?'' Section nine B shall not apply in any governmental unit which accepts the provisions of this section.