Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 118E § 10O

Current through Chapter 244 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 118E:10O - Coverage of costs of medically necessary mental health acute treatment, etc.

For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-

"Community-based acute treatment", 24-hour clinically managed mental health diversionary or step-down services for children and adolescents that is usually provided as an alternative to mental health acute treatment.

"Intensive community-based acute treatment", intensive 24-hour clinically managed mental health diversionary or step-down services for children and adolescents that is usually provided as an alternative to mental health acute treatment.

"Mental health acute treatment", 24-hour medically supervised mental health services provided in an inpatient facility, licensed by the department of mental health, that provides psychiatric evaluation, management, treatment and discharge planning in a structured treatment milieu.

The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall cover the cost of medically necessary mental health acute treatment, community-based acute treatment and intensive community-based acute treatment and shall not require a preauthorization before obtaining treatment; provided, however, that the facility shall notify the carrier of the admission and the initial treatment plan within 72 hours of admission.

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 118E, § 10O

Added by Acts 2022, c. 177,§ 42, eff. 11/8/2022.