MA H3986

Health insurance companies must employ or contract dedicated care coordinators available evenings and weekends to facilitate hospital discharge planning for patients needing post-hospital care at nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, or rehabilitation centers

Insurers must provide hospitals real-time access to secure electronic platforms containing patient insurance information for discharge planning and issue timely updates on authorization status

Non-compliant health insurance companies face fines up to $10,000 per documented violation and public reporting in an annual department report

Annual reporting required by December 31 to the Joint Committee on Public Health detailing delayed discharge numbers, compliance rates, and improvement recommendations

Effective date: January 1, 2026