reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 176h § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 8 - Membership Certificate; Required Provisions

Section 8. A membership certificate shall be issued by a sponsor to each participating member under a membership legal services plan. No membership certificate shall be issued unless it contains the following provisions:—  (a) A statement of covered legal services under the certificate and the basis for payment for such legal services;  (b) A statement of the duration of the certificate and of the terms and conditions upon which it may be extended, renewed, amended, canceled or otherwise terminated;  (c) A statement of the period of grace which will be allowed for making any payment due from the participant member under the certificate, which in any event shall not be less than thirty days; and  (d) A description of the membership legal services plan's method for resolving member complaints.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 9 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 9 - Issuance of Membership Certificates; Filing of Copy of Plan and Certificate for Commissioner's Approval; Hearing

Section 9. No sponsor shall issue a membership certificate or any amendment to a membership certificate previously approved and issued without prior approval of the commissioner, and prior to such approval the sponsor shall file a copy of the membership legal services plan and membership certificate to be issued thereunder with the commissioner and copies thereof to the advisory committee on prepaid legal services. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall review the membership legal services plan and membership certificate and advise the commissioner in writing whether such plan and certificate are in conformity with rules of the supreme judicial court governing the practice of law.  Within thirty days after the filing of any such plan or certificate the commissioner shall either approve the plan in writing or hold a public hearing on such plan, after not less than fifteen days written notice to all interested parties. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall be a party with respect to any plan or certificate filed under this section, shall have the right to participate in any hearing held hereunder, and shall receive notice of the approval by the commissioner of any plan or certificate under this section. Any such plan and certificate shall be approved unless the commissioner finds that the plan or certificate contains any provision which is unfair, inequitable, misleading or deceptive, or that the plan or certificate does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any other applicable provision of law or rule of the supreme judicial court, or that the sponsor has failed to establish its ability to provide covered legal services to its members in accordance with the terms of the membership certificate. The commissioner may approve any such plan subject to such conditions as may be appropriate to assure the continuing ability of the sponsor to provide covered legal services to its members in accordance with the terms of the membership certificate.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 10 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 10 - Rates Under Membership Legal Services Plan

Section 10. The rates to be charged by a sponsor under a membership legal services plan approved under this chapter shall be filed and determined in accordance with the provisions of sections one through five and six through twenty of chapter one hundred and seventy-five A.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 11 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 11 - Hearing; Determination to Modify Provisions or Rescind Prior Approval

Section 11. The commissioner may, upon not less than fifteen days' written notice to all interested parties, hold a public hearing upon an insured legal services plan or a membership legal services plan previously approved by him under section five or section nine of this chapter to determine whether modification of any provisions of such a plan or rescission of his prior approval may be necessary in order to protect the interests of the insureds, members or covered dependents of such a plan. The advisory committee on prepaid legal services shall be a party with respect to any plan which is the subject of a hearing under this section, shall have the right to participate in any hearing held hereunder, and shall receive notice of any order or decision of the commissioner issued thereon. After hearing, upon his finding that it is necessary in order to protect the interests of the insureds, members or covered dependents of a plan, the commissioner may modify any provisions of a plan or rescind his prior approval thereof.  No insured legal services plan or membership legal services plan may be the subject of a hearing under this section except after three years from the date of approval of the plan by the commissioner under section five or section nine of this chapter or except after three years from the date of any order or decision of the commissioner after a hearing upon such a plan under this section.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 12 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 12 - Hearing; Orders or Decisions Made Without Hearing; Request; Decisions to Be in Writing

Section 12. Any insurer or sponsor or other interested party aggrieved by any order or decision of the commissioner made without a hearing, or the advisory committee on prepaid legal services may, within fifteen days after written notice of the order or decision, make written request to the commissioner for a hearing thereon. The commissioner or his designee shall hear such party or parties within thirty days after receipt of such request and shall give not less than fifteen days' written notice of the time and place of the hearing. Such hearing shall be an adjudicatory hearing as defined in chapter thirty A. Within thirty days after such hearing, the commissioner or his designee shall affirm, reverse or modify his previous order or decision specifying his reasons therefor in writing. Pending such hearing and decision thereon, the commissioner may suspend or postpone the effective date of his previous order or decision.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 13 - Examination of Books, Records, Papers, Officers and Employees; Costs and Expenses; Confidential Matters Exempt

Section 13. The commissioner, or any deputy examiner or any other person designated by the commissioner, shall, at least once in three years, and at other times the commissioner deems prudent, visit any sponsor, other than an employer or employee organization subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, P.L. 93–406, and examine into its affairs. The commissioner shall have free access to all of the books, records and papers of the sponsor and may summon and examine under oath its officers, agents, employees and other persons in relation to its affairs and condition. The commissioner shall require every such sponsor to keep its books, records, accounts and vouchers in such manner that he or his authorized representatives may readily determine whether the sponsor has complied with the law. Said sponsor shall be liable for all costs incurred in such examinations, including expenses of the commissioner, deputy examiner, or any designee employed in such examinations.  Files or records containing confidential matters of an insured, a member, or covered dependents, or attorney's client files and records shall be exempt from this section, except as otherwise may be ordered by court upon a complaint brought in the superior court by the commissioner.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 13a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 13a - Applicability of Chapter 176v to Legal Service Plans Governed by This Chapter

Section 13A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, chapter 176V shall apply to legal services plans governed by this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 13b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 13b - Applicability of Chapter 176w to Legal Service Plans Governed by This Chapter

Section 13B. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, chapter 176W shall apply to legal services plans governed by this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 14 - Disputes or Controversies; Hearings

Section 14. Any dispute or controversy arising between an insurer or sponsor and any attorney, insured, or member, or any person whose insurance certificate contract or membership certificate has been canceled or to whom an insurer or sponsor has refused to issue an insurance certificate contract or membership certificate or between any attorney and an insured or member may within thirty days after such dispute or controversy arises make written request to the commissioner for a hearing thereon. The commissioner or his designee shall hear such party or parties within thirty days after receipt of such request and shall give not less than fifteen days written notice of the time and place of the hearing. Such hearing shall be an adjudicatory hearing as defined in chapter thirty A. Within thirty days after such hearing the commissioner or his designee shall issue a decision thereon.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 15 - Injunction

Section 15. Upon application to the superior court by the commissioner, injunctive relief may be granted if any sponsor of an insured legal services plan or a membership legal services plan has failed to comply with the provisions of this chapter; is operating fraudulently; is operating so as to render further operations contrary to the public interest; has exceeded its powers; has violated any provision of law; is financially unable to pay its claims in full; or is insolvent. The court may forthwith issue a temporary injunction restraining the transaction of any business, and it may, after a full hearing make the injunction permanent, and appoint one or more receivers to take possession of the books, papers, monies and other assets of the sponsor to settle its affairs, and distribute its funds to those entitled thereto, subject to such rules and orders as the court may prescribe, or may make such other order as it may deem appropriate.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 16 - Sale of Legal Services Plan

Section 16. It shall be unlawful for any person, group of persons, or entity except an insurer or sponsor of an insured legal services plan or a membership legal services plan, to establish, underwrite, operate or offer to sell a legal services plan, except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to a labor organization providing legal services to its members and their dependents nor to legal fee reimbursement services provided by an automobile club in conformity with the provisions of chapter one hundred and seventy-four B.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 17 - Rules and Regulations

Section 17. The commissioner may, after public hearing, promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the execution of his duties under this chapter. The rules and regulations may include such provisions as the commissioner deems necessary to assure that legal services plans operate in the public interest, to enable insureds, members and their covered dependents to receive legal services at reasonable cost, and to restrain any inflation in the cost of legal services attributable to the operation of legal services plans.
MA Gen L ch 176h § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176h - Legal Services Plans|Section 19 - Enforcement of Chapter

Section 19. The provisions of this chapter may be enforced by a complaint brought in the superior court by the commissioner or the advisory committee on prepaid legal services.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. The following words as used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:  ''Commissioner'', the commissioner of insurance.  ''Covered person'', any policy holder or other person on whose behalf the organization is obligated to pay for or provide health care services.  ''Covered services'', health care services which the organization is obligated to pay for or provide under the health benefit plan.  ''Emergency care'', services provided in or by a hospital emergency facility to a covered person after the development of a medical condition, whether physical or mental, manifesting itself by symptoms of sufficient severity that the absence of prompt medical attention could reasonably be expected by a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, to result in placing the covered person's or another person's health in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to body function, or serious dysfunction of any body organ or part, or, with respect to a pregnant woman, as further defined in section 1867(e)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. section 1395dd(e)(1)(B).  ''Health benefit plan'', the health insurance policy, subscriber agreement, or contract between the covered person and an organization which defines the covered services and benefit levels available.  ''Health care provider'', a provider of health care services licensed or registered pursuant to chapter one hundred and eleven or chapter one hundred and twelve.  ''Health care services'', services rendered or products sold by a health care provider within the scope of the provider's license. The term includes, but is not limited to, hospital, medical, surgical, dental, vision, and pharmaceutical services or products.  ''Organization'', an insurer authorized to write accident and health insurance under chapter one hundred and seventy-five, a nonprofit hospital service corporation authorized under chapter one hundred and seventy-six A, a nonprofit medical service corporation authorized under chapter one hundred and seventy-six B, a dental service corporation authorized under chapter one hundred and seventy-six E, an optometric service corporation authorized under chapter one hundred and seventy-six F, a health maintenance organization authorized under chapter one hundred and seventy-six G, an insurer as defined in paragraph (7) of section one of chapter one hundred and fifty-two, or any other entity approved by the commissioner under this chapter.  ''Preferred provider'', a health care provider or group of health care providers who have contracted to provide specified covered services.  ''Preferred provider arrangement'', a contract between or on behalf of an organization and a preferred provider which complies with all the requirements of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 3 - Health Benefit Plans; Minimum Requirements

Section 3. Organizations, but not an insurer as defined in paragraph (7) of section one of chapter one hundred and fifty-two, may offer health benefit plans which provide for incentives for covered persons to use the health care services of preferred providers. Such health benefit policies or plans shall meet at least the following minimum requirements:  (a) Benefit levels for health care services rendered by nonpreferred providers shall be at least eighty per cent of the benefit levels for services rendered by preferred providers.  (b) If a covered person receives emergency care and cannot reasonably reach a preferred provider, payment for care related to the emergency shall be made at the same level and in the same manner as if the covered person had been treated by a preferred provider; provided, however, that every brochure, contract, policy manual and all printed materials shall clearly state that covered persons shall have the option of calling the local pre-hospital emergency medical service system by dialing the emergency telephone access number 911, or its local equivalent, whenever a covered person is confronted with a need for emergency care, and no covered person shall in any way be discouraged from using the local pre-hospital emergency medical service system, the 911 telephone number, or the local equivalent, or be denied coverage for medical and transportation expenses incurred as a result of such use of emergency care;  (c) A procedure shall be specified for resolving consumer complaints and grievances; and  (d) A procedure shall be specified for the disclosure to covered persons of the names of current preferred providers by specialty and geographic area.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 3a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 3a - Workers' Compensation Medical Services Organizations; Minimum Requirements

Section 3A. The requirement of subsections (b) (c) and (d) of section three shall apply to organizations that furnish workers' compensation medical services through a preferred provider arrangement.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 4 - Discriminatory Refusal of Provider

Section 4. An organization shall not refuse to enter into a preferred provider arrangement with a health care provider on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or such provider's relationships with any other organization. The selection of preferred providers shall be based primarily on cost, availability and quality of covered services. The terms and conditions offered by an organization that must be met or agreed to by physicians and other professional providers of health care services desiring to enter into a preferred provider arrangement shall be subject to the disapproval of the commissioner if said terms and conditions are not consistent with the purposes, policies and provisions of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 4a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 4a - Health Benefit Plans; Genetic Tests; Discrimination Based on Genetic Information

Section 4A. For the purposes of this section the following words shall have the following meanings:—  ''Genetic information'', a written recorded individually identifiable result of a genetic test as defined by this section or explanation of such a result.  ''Genetic test'', a test of human DNA, RNA, mitochondrial DNA, chromosomes or proteins for the purpose of identifying the genes, or genetic abnormalities, or the presence or absence of inherited or acquired characteristics in genetic material.  No organization and no preferred provider shall cancel, refuse to issue or renew, or in any way make or permit any distinction or discrimination in the amount of payment of premiums or rates charged, in the length of coverage or in any of the terms and conditions of a health benefit plan based on genetic information as defined in this section. No organization and no preferred provider shall require genetic tests or private genetic information, as defined in this section, as a condition of the issuance or renewal of a health benefit plan.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 5 - Financial and Utilization Records

Section 5. An organization shall maintain financial and utilization records for its preferred provider arrangements and activities in a form separate or separable from the financial and utilization records of other operations and activities carried on by the organization.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 6 - Surety Bond, Reinsurance or Other Financial Resources

Section 6. An organization shall furnish to the commissioner evidence of a surety bond, reinsurance or other financial resources in an amount satisfactory to the commissioner as a guarantee that obligations to covered persons will be performed.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 7 - Report

Section 7. An organization which enters into a preferred provider arrangement shall file annually with the commissioner, within one hundred and twenty days of the close of its fiscal year, a report covering its prior fiscal year. The report shall include:  (a) the number of covered persons under health benefit plans and workers' compensation insurance or self-insured workers' compensation plans, which include preferred provider arrangements;  (b) financial and utilization date of health benefit plans and workers' compensation insurance or self-insured workers' compensation plans, which include preferred provider arrangements;  (c) a list of preferred providers; and  (d) such other information as the commissioner may reasonably require.
MA Gen L ch 176i § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176i - Preferred Provider Arrangements|Section 8 - Powers of Commissioner; Standardized Claim Form

Section 8. In addition to other powers specified in this chapter, the commissioner may, after due hearing:  (a) promulgate appropriate rules and regulations necessary to the administration and enforcement of this chapter;  (b) issue an order requiring any person or organization to cease and desist from violating any provision of this chapter or any rules, regulations, or order hereunder;  (c) require any person or organization found to have violated any provision of this chapter or any rule, regulation or order hereunder to forfeit an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars for any single violation; and  (d) institute a rehabilitation or liquidation proceeding in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred and eighty A through one hundred and eighty L of chapter one hundred and seventy-five.  The commissioner of insurance is hereby directed to produce a standardized claim form to be utilized by all health insurance companies licensed to do business in the commonwealth for billing purposes.  Said form shall be made available to said companies no later than July first, nineteen hundred and ninety-three.