reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 176o § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176o - Health Insurance Consumer Protections|Section 26 - Establishment of Standardized Processes and Procedures for the Determination of Patient's Health Benefit Plan Eligibility at or Prior to Time of Service

Section 26. The commissioner shall establish standardized processes and procedures applicable to all health care providers and payers for the determination of a patient's health benefit plan eligibility at or prior to the time of service. As part of such processes and procedures, the commissioner shall (i) require payers to implement automated approval systems such as decision support software in place of telephone approvals for specific types of services specified by the commissioner and (ii) require establishment of an electronic data exchange to allow providers to determine eligibility at or prior to the point of care.
MA Gen L ch 176o § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176o - Health Insurance Consumer Protections|Section 29 - Health Care Provider Credentialing

Section 29. (a) The bureau of managed care shall develop and implement standard credentialing forms for health care providers. A carrier, or any entity that manages or administers benefits for a carrier, shall accept the standard credentialing form for contracting providers as sufficient information necessary to conduct its credentialing process.  (b) The bureau shall promulgate regulations establishing uniform standards and methodologies for credentialing of health care providers. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to, requirements that, for conducting a credentialing review of a health care provider, a carrier, or any entity that manages or administers benefits for a carrier, shall: (i) use and accept only the credentialing forms designated by the commissioner; and (ii) review a submitted credentialing form for a health care provider and respond to the health care provider not more than 20 business days after receiving a completed credentialing request.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit a carrier, or any entity that manages or administers benefits for a carrier, from using a credentialing methodology that utilizes an internet webpage, internet webpage portal or similar electronic, internet and web-based system in lieu of a paper form; provided, however, that upon request, a carrier, or any entity that manages or administers benefits for a carrier, shall make a paper credentialing form available to a health care provider.  (c) A carrier, or an entity that manages or administers benefits for a carrier, that contracts with another entity to perform some or all of the functions governed by this chapter shall be responsible for ensuring that the contracted entity is in compliance with this chapter. The carrier shall be responsible to remedy a failure by the contracted entity to meet the requirements of this chapter and shall be subject to any related enforcement actions, including financial penalties, authorized under this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. In this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:—  ''Commissioner'', the commissioner of insurance.  ''Fraternal benefit society'', an incorporated society, order or supreme lodge, without capital stock, conducted solely for the benefit of its members and their beneficiaries, and not for profit, operated on a lodge system with a ritualistic form of work, having a representative form of government, and which makes provision for the payment of benefits in accordance with chapter 176. Fraternal benefit societies shall be governed by said chapter 176 and shall not be subject to this chapter.  ''Limited society or society'', a domestic society or association that meets the requirements of section 45 or section 46 of chapter 176 as in full force and effect immediately preceding August 15, 1958 and codified in this chapter. Limited societies shall not include any society defined in section 1 of said chapter 176. Limited societies shall be governed by this chapter and shall not be subject to said chapter 176 as modified, amended or added after August 15, 1958.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 2 - Lodge System

Section 2. A society shall be deemed to be operating on the lodge system when it has a supreme governing or legislative body, and subordinate lodges or branches, by whatever name known, to which members are elected, initiated and admitted in accordance with its constitution, by-laws, and prescribed ritualistic ceremonies, and the subordinate lodges or branches are required by the by-laws of such society to hold regular or stated meetings at least once in each month.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 3 - Representative Government; Elections; Meetings; Record

Section 3. A society shall be deemed to have a representative form of government when it provides in its constitution and by-laws for a supreme legislative or governing body, composed of representatives elected either by the members or by delegates elected directly or indirectly by the members, together with such other members as may be prescribed by its constitution and by-laws if the elective members shall have not less than two-thirds of the votes nor less than the number of votes required to amend its constitution and by-laws, and if (a) the meetings of the supreme governing body and the election of officers, representatives or delegates shall be held as often as once in four years and (b) a complete stenographic record of the proceedings of each such meeting, so far as it relates to matters within the jurisdiction of the commissioner of insurance, shall be filed in the home office of the society within 30 days after the adjournment of such meeting. The constitution and by-laws of any such society may provide that the board of directors appoints a regularly ordained clergyman to act as chaplain, spiritual director or other religious officer, and may also provide that such appointee may serve ex officio as a member of the board of directors. The members, officers, representatives or delegates of a society shall not vote by proxy.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 4 - Limitation of Membership

Section 4. A corporation which limits its membership to the members of a particular fraternal beneficiary corporation, fraternity or religious denomination, or to the graduates of a designated professional or vocational school, or to the employees or ex-employees of cities or towns or of the commonwealth or of the federal government, or to the employees or ex-employees of a designated firm, business house or corporation, or to persons of the same foreign extraction retaining common national interests and designation, and their respective husbands and wives, irrespective of racial extraction, or to persons of the same occupation, may be on the lodge system, and if not on the lodge system, shall be governed by a direct vote of its members without the lodge system. A corporation not so limiting its membership shall be on the lodge system, with a representative form of government, as defined in sections 2 and 3.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 5 - Exemption From Certain Laws

Section 5. Societies shall be governed by this chapter, and shall be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of the commonwealth except sections 16, 160A, 160B, 178 to 180, inclusive, and section 185 of chapter 175, not only in governmental relations with the commonwealth, but for every other purpose, and no law hereafter enacted shall apply to them unless they are expressly designated in such laws.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 6 - Formation of Corporation; Purposes; Association Agreement

Section 6. Seven or more persons, residents of the commonwealth, may form a corporation for the purposes set forth in this chapter. The agreement of association shall state that the subscribers thereto associate themselves with the intentions of forming a corporation, the corporate name assumed, the purpose for which it is formed, and the city or town, which shall be in the commonwealth, in which it is established or situated. The name shall not so closely resemble the name of any corporation or insurance company already transacting business in the commonwealth so as to mislead the public or lead to confusion. Any lawful social, intellectual, education, charitable, benevolent, moral or religious advantages may be set forth among the purposes of the corporation. If the corporation limits its membership as provided in section 4, the agreement of association shall state the maximum amounts of benefits to be paid, and shall designate to which one of the classes mentioned in said section its membership is restricted.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 7 - First Meeting; Notice; Adoption of By-Laws; Filing of Certificate

Section 7. (a) The first meeting of the associates shall be called by a notice, signed by one or more of the subscribers to the agreement, stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting. At least seven days before the day appointed for the meeting, a copy of the notice shall be given to each subscriber, or left at his usual place of business or place of residence, or deposited in the post office, postage prepaid, and addressed to the subscriber at the person's usual place of business or residence. Whoever gives such notice shall make an affidavit of his doings, which shall be recorded in the records of the corporation.  (b) At such first meeting, including any reasonable adjournment thereof, an organization shall be effected by the choice, by ballot, of a temporary clerk, who shall be sworn, and by the adoption of by-laws, and the election by ballot of directors, a president, a secretary and a treasurer, or other such officers, corresponding thereto, with powers and duties similar to those of such officers, and such other officers as the by-laws may provide. At such election no person shall be eligible as a director or other officer who has not subscribed to the agreement of association. The temporary clerk shall make and attest a record of the proceedings until the secretary has been chosen and sworn, including a record of such choice and qualification. The president, secretary and a majority of the directors, or other officers corresponding thereto, shall forthwith make, sign, and swear to a certificate of organization in duplicate, setting forth a true copy of the agreement with the names of the subscribers thereto, the date of the first meeting and of the successive adjournments thereof, if any.  (c) The certificate of organization and duly certified copy of the by-laws, and copies of all proposed forms of benefit certificates, applications therefore and literature to be issued by the corporation shall be filed with the commissioner, who may require such further information as he deems necessary. If the purposes and by-laws of the corporation conform to the requirements of this chapter and all its provisions have been complied with, the commissioner shall so certify, and place on file the agreement of association, one of the duplicate certificates of organization, and a copy of the by-laws approved by the commissioner.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 9 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 9 - Certificate of Organization; Certificate Endorsed by Commissioner; Filing; Certification by State Secretary; Evidence of Corporate Existence

Section 9. The society shall file a certificate of organization, with the certificate endorsed by the commissioner, and if on the lodge plan, also the certificate required by the preceding section, with the state secretary, who, upon the receipt of $5, shall issue a certificate in a form approved by the state secretary.  The state secretary shall sign the name and cause the seal of the commonwealth to be affixed thereto, and the certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the existence of the corporation at the date of the certificate. He shall also cause a record of the certificate to be made, and a certified copy of the record may be given in evidence with like effect as the original.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 10 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 10 - Certificate of Commissioner; Time Limitation; Certificate of Incorporation; Cessation of Business Operations

Section 10. If a society fails to secure its certificate of incorporation and to begin business within one year after the date of receiving the certificate of the commissioner, as provided in section 7, its agreement of association and all proceedings thereunder shall become null and void. If a domestic corporation subject to this chapter ceases to do business for the period of one year, its charter or certificate of incorporation shall become null and void.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 11 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 11 - Limited Societies; Change of Location of Business; Change of Purpose of Corporation

Section 11. A limited society may, with the approval of the commissioner, change the location of its place of business to another location in the commonwealth, or change the purposes for which it was incorporated so as to permit it to transact any business authorized by this chapter. Upon such approval, the presiding financial and recording officers, and a majority of its other officers having the powers of directors, shall file with the state secretary a certificate, with the approval of the commissioner endorsed thereon, setting forth the change in the location of its place of business or in the purposes of the corporation. The state secretary shall, upon receipt of $5, cause such certificate to be filed in his office. Every domestic society may exercise all the rights, powers and privileges conferred by this chapter, including the powers specified in section 32, or its certificate of incorporation or charter, not inconsistent herewith, and shall be subject to this chapter, as if reincorporated hereunder.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 12 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 12 - Mergers; Transfers; Notice; Contracts, Financial Statements and Certificates; Commissioner's Approval

Section 12. (a) No domestic society shall merge with or accept the transfer of the membership or funds of any other society, unless 90 days' notice of the proposed merger or transfer is given to the commissioner, who, within such period, shall make such recommendations to each of such societies. The merger or transfer shall be evidenced by a written contract that sets out in full the terms and conditions of the merger or transfer, and shall be filed with the commissioner, together with a sworn statement by the president and secretary, or corresponding officers, of each of such societies of their financial conditions and a sworn certificate of such officers of each of the contracting societies that the merger or transfer has been approved by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the supreme legislative or governing body of each of such societies.  (b) Upon the submission of the contract, financial statements and certificates, the commissioner shall examine them, and if the commissioner finds that the financial statements are correct, and that the contract is in conformity with this section, and that the merger or transfer is just and equitable to the members of each of the societies, the commissioner shall approve the merger or transfer, issue a certificate to that effect, and thereupon the contract of merger or transfer shall be of full force and effect. No such merger proposed by two societies not incorporated in the same state shall go into effect until approved by the commissioner, or corresponding officer, of each state incorporating the societies involved in the proposed transaction, nor until their joint certificate of approval of the contract therefore is issued.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 13 - Death Funds; Emergency Funds; Disability Funds

Section 13. A society may create, maintain, invest, disburse and apply a death fund, any part of which may, in accordance with the by-laws of a society, be designated and set apart as an emergency, a surplus or other similar fund, and a disability fund and a hospitalization and medical service fund. Such funds shall be held, invested and disbursed for the use and benefit of the society, and no member or beneficiary shall have or acquire individual rights therein, or become entitled to any part thereof, except as provided in section 16, 17, or 19. The funds from which benefits shall be paid shall be derived and the fund from which the expenses of the society shall be defrayed may be derived from periodical or other payments by the members of the society and accretions of such funds. No society shall be incorporated, and no society not authorized on January 1, 1912 to do business in the commonwealth, shall be admitted to transact business therein, which does not provide for stated periodical contributions sufficient to meet the mortuary obligations contracted, when valued upon the basis of the National Fraternal Congress Table of Mortality as adopted by the National Fraternal Congress on August 23, 1899, or any higher standard, with interest assumption not more than 4 per cent per annum, except societies providing benefits for disability or death from accidents only.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 13a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 13a - By-Laws; Creation of Independent Hospitalization and Medical Services Fund

Section 13A. A society, except one organized under section 46, whose rates and benefits are approved by the commissioner, may set up and provide under its by-laws a plan for the payment of hospital and medical expenses and for the services of surgeons, physicians and nurses, or for any one of these services or expenses, in connection with sickness, disease or accidents, or the results therefrom. The by-laws shall also provide that an independent hospitalization and medical service fund be created and maintained, with the accretions thereto, separate and apart from other funds of the society; that no benefits of any kind shall be paid until there is accumulated in the fund an amount not less than that received from three monthly contributions or one quarterly contribution, and that this amount shall be the minimum of surplus below which additional contributions from members shall be required; that there shall be included in the liabilities of the fund reserves for unearned assessments and unpaid claims; and that no benefits shall be paid on any claim for a period exceeding one year.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 14 - By-Laws; Payments by Members; Provisions; Purpose of Payments; Proportion of Payments Which May Be Used for Expenses

Section 14. (a) Every provision of the by-laws of the society for payment by its members, in whatever form made, shall distinctly state the purposes of the same and the proportion thereof, which may be used for expenses. No part of the money collected for mortuary, disability, hospitalization, or medical service purposes or the net accretions of either or any of such funds shall be used for expenses. A society having admitted assets as shown by its annual statement filed with the commissioner, in excess of 105 per cent of its entire liabilities, including its required reserves, provided such reserves are at least equivalent to the amount required by the American Experience Table of Mortality with interest at 3 per cent per annum, may transfer or allocate such excess mortuary funds to the expense fund of the society, in accordance with its constitution and by-laws. The amount so transferred in any calendar year shall not exceed whichever is the smaller of (a) 75 per cent of the savings in mortality of the society during the preceding calendar year or (b) 10 per cent of the net mortuary assessments received by the society in the preceding calendar year, but no sum shall be transferred as aforesaid which reduces the actuarial solvency of said society below the aforesaid basis. Any sum thus transferred shall not exceed the incurred insurance expenses hereinafter specified during the preceding calendar year, and the sum shall be expended solely for the following insurance expenses of the society:—  (a) actuarial services;  (b) cost of preparing and mailing dividends;  (c) billing department costs;  (d) machine equipment;  (e) maintaining automatic loan records;  (f) certificates;  (g) actuarial records.  (b) The term ''net accretions'' shall mean all interest, dividends and other income less the reasonable expenses incident to the investment, care and maintenance of the securities and other assets of such funds.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 15 - Deferred Payments; Installments of Claims; Fixed Liabilities on Happening of Contingency

Section 15. (a) Deferred payments or installments of claims shall be considered as fixed liabilities on the happening of the contingency upon which such payments or installments are thereafter to be paid. Such liability shall be the present value of such future payments or installments upon the rate of interest and mortality assumed by the society for establishing contributions and for valuation. A society shall at once, upon the filing of due proofs of the happening of the contingency, set apart a fund to meet such deferred payments, regardless of proposed future collections to meet any such payments, and hold such funds, with its interest accretions, in trust for the beneficiary entitled thereto.  (b) No society shall provide for such deferred payments or installments unless it possesses the full reserve specified in section 16, or if paying accident benefits only, has assets sufficient to pay all its liabilities.