MA H5022

Prohibits health insurance carriers from denying payment for covered health care services solely because the referral came from a provider outside the carrier's network

Applies the out-of-network referral protection across multiple insurance types: state employee plans (Chapter 32A), municipal employee plans (Chapter 32B), MassHealth (Chapter 118E), commercial insurers (Chapter 175), Blue Cross (Chapter 176A), Blue Shield (Chapter 176B), HMOs (Chapter 176G), and preferred provider arrangements (Chapter 176I)

Expands controlled substance dispensing authority by allowing practitioners to dispense medications for "legitimate medical purpose" in the usual course of practice, removing previous restrictions limiting dispensing to single doses or quantities needed only for immediate treatment

Requires practitioners who dispense controlled substances to maintain records similarly to pharmacies filling prescriptions

Insurance provisions take effect one year after the law's effective date for all contracts entered into, renewed, or amended after that point