MA S465

Massachusetts home care program services would be extended to persons diagnosed with ALS regardless of age, removing current age restrictions for otherwise eligible individuals

Division of Medical Assistance and Health Policy Commission must ensure research used for healthcare coverage decisions meets patient-centeredness standards, including outcomes prioritized by patients and people with disabilities

Prohibits use of "dollars-per-quality adjusted life year" (QALY) or similar metrics to determine treatment cost-effectiveness, coverage, reimbursement, or payment amounts—measures considered discriminatory against people with disabilities

Requires all policies limiting patient access to healthcare treatments to include appeals or physician override mechanisms, with protections for physicians who use these overrides

Research standards must include evaluation of patient subgroups, consideration of real-world evidence, and avoidance of over-interpreting "inconclusive" clinical findings