MA H4953

Insurance carriers must reimburse licensed athletic trainers for covered services when acting with a physician referral and within their scope of practice, if the carrier would reimburse another health care provider for the same services

Applies only to health plans that already cover the particular type of health service or medical condition within the athletic trainer's scope of practice

Athletic trainer services may be subject to deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, fee limits, and utilization review, but these restrictions cannot be more restrictive than those applied to other health care providers

Cost-sharing and review mechanisms cannot function to unfairly discriminate against athletic trainer care or direct treatment away from athletic trainers

Amends Chapter 176O of the General Laws by adding Section 31