Holden rep. pushes for insurers to cover cognitive rehab therapy
Photo | Courtesy of Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts State House
Rep. Kimberly Ferguson has been pushing to require health insurance companies to cover cognitive rehabilitation therapy for treatment of an acquired brain injury for at least a decade. Testifying on the issue before the Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, she tried a new approach: peer pressure.
"One last thing I'll leave you with: The state of Arkansas, in March, just passed a comprehensive [cognitive rehabilitation therapy] bill. And if Arkansas can do it, I'm absolutely positive Massachusetts will be doing it soon," the Holden Republican said, drawing chuckles from the committee and attendees.
The legislation Ferguson pitched (H 1151 / S 742) would extend Group Insurance Commission and commercial health insurance coverage for cognitive rehabilitation therapy to people with an acquired brain injury, which Ferguson said could range from a severe concussion to a traumatic brain injury sustained in a car crash.
"This bill is, now more than ever, critical to get passed so that we can require the coverage for CRT, cognitive rehab therapy, for these patients. And it also will help their families and caregivers as well," Ferguson, who worked as a speech pathologist with people who had acquired brain injuries, said. "And as we know, early intervention is key to get these skills back and help folks recover as best as they can."
Ferguson said expanding access to CRT in cases of acquired brain injury was one of the unanimously-supported recommendations of the state's Brain Injury Commission that dates back to at least fiscal year 2011. That group's 2021 report said the Center for Health Information and Analysis analyzed a previous version of Ferguson's bill and found that the impact on the typical member's monthly health insurance premium would be between 1 cent and 19 cents, or an average cost of 8 cents per month.
The idea has cleared the Financial Services Committee in each of the last four sessions and has twice (the 2017-18 and 2021-22 sessions) been reported favorably out of the Health Care Financing Committee, according to a committee bill summary. But it has not been debated in either branch.
It is likely in line for another favorable report from Financial Services -- co-chair Sen. Paul Feeney sponsored the Senate version of the legislation and said Tuesday he's hopeful that "we get enough momentum to get it over the finish line" this time around.
Resistance has come from the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, whose leader voiced her opposition to the insurance mandate earlier this year, warning it would raise costs for consumers and small businesses.
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