Boston - The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that Massachusetts is one of 14 states awarded federal grant funding through the Affordable Care Act intended to improve women’s health coverage and access to critical health benefits. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance (DOI) will receive $627,854 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  

“Massachusetts has the best health care in the country and a leading insurance industry, but too many people aren’t aware that their coverage also includes maternal and reproductive health care services. This could include infertility treatment, mammograms and contraceptives,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for granting us this award so that more women know that they can seek out these essential services.” 

“In Massachusetts, we don’t want anyone to hesitate to seek care because they don’t know it’s available to them,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The good news is that health plans in Massachusetts are required to cover a wide range of preventative and essential services, including for maternal and reproductive health. We look forward to spreading the word about these benefits and supporting people to make decisions about their health care that are best for them.” 

DOI, an agency within the Executive Office of Economic Development’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), applied for the grant in early August 2024 with a proposal to increase awareness about Massachusetts’ covered health benefits for maternal health and contraceptive health care. Health plans in Massachusetts must provide, without cost sharing, a number of services that are considered preventative or essential, including infertility, mammograms, and contraceptives. 

“Massachusetts is a global hub for life sciences and health care innovation, but we know there is more work to do to ensure every resident in our state has access to the care they need,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “This grant will allow the Division of Insurance to develop activities and educational campaigns that address disparities in access to reproductive health care and maternal health outcomes and ensure women across our state know what care is available to them.”  

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has prioritized providing access to reproductive health care across the state and has taken definitive steps to safeguard access. Governor Healey previously stockpiled doses of mifepristone and ensured protections for medication abortion under state law, signed an Executive Order Protecting Access to Emergency Abortion Care, signed a Maternal Health Bill expanding access to midwifery, birth centers and doulas.  

“This grant award aligns with the administration’s track record of protecting and preserving women’s health, especially women’s reproductive health, across the state,” said Undersecretary of OCABR Layla R. D’Emilia. “We look forward to supporting DOI in its educational and outreach efforts so that more women can learn about what reproductive care is available.” 

The Division of Insurance’s Health Care Access Bureau and Bureau of Managed Care are jointly responsible for overseeing health insurance carriers’ development of consumer materials that explain all covered services and ensuring that carriers are properly providing access to services. This grant award will build upon that work, with DOI hosting public information sessions discussing zero cost sharing coverage of preventative health services to women to increase the use of preventative health services such as mammograms, contraception, and infertility services.  

“The Division of Insurance is proud to have won this funding, and we are excited to undertake efforts to help ensure that women in the Commonwealth understand the coverage and access afforded to them under their health insurance plans,” said Acting Commissioner of Insurance Kevin P. Beagan. 

Other grantees include the District of Columbia, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. 

DOI has issued several bulletins with industry guidance on reproductive health, including one in June 2024 on abortion, abortion-related care and medication abortion services; and in April 2023 on protecting access to medication abortion services in Massachusetts.