Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts H5385: An Act to provide rapid whole genome sequencing
Status: In committee, April 23, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, April 23, 2026:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Executive Office of Health and Human Service in conjunction with the Office of MassHealth shall ensure the provision of rapid whole genome sequencing when the following clinical criteria are met. For purposes of this section, “rapid whole genome sequencing” is defined as an investigation of the entire human genome, including coding and non-coding regions and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid, to identify disease-causing genetic changes that returns the preliminary positive results within 5 days and final results within 14 days. When used in this section “rapid whole genome sequencing” includes patient-only whole genome sequencing and duo and trio whole genome sequencing of the patient and biological parent or parents. Subject to any required approval of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Commonwealth shall include coverage of rapid whole genome sequencing as a separately payable service for Medicaid beneficiaries when all of the following criteria are met: (i) the beneficiary is twenty-one years of age or younger; (ii) the beneficiary has a complex or acute illness of unknown etiology, that is not confirmed to be caused by an environmental exposure, toxic ingestion, infection with normal response to therapy, or trauma, and (iii) the beneficiary is receiving inpatient hospital services in an intensive care unit or high acuity pediatric care …
Sponsors
- Financing, Joint Committee on Health Care (I) · primary sponsor
- Danielle Gregoire (D, 4th Middlesex)
- Vanna Howard (D, 17th Middlesex)
- Kristin Kassner (D)
Latest actions
- : Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
- : New draft of H1368
- : Reported from the committee on Health Care Financing
Votes
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Health Care Financing (April 11, 2026): 10 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H5385?
- H5385 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): An Act to provide rapid whole genome sequencing.
- What is the status of H5385?
- In committee as of April 23, 2026. Latest action: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (April 23, 2026).
- Who sponsored H5385?
- Financing, Joint Committee on Health Care (I), with 3 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H5385?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5385
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.