You asked if Massachusetts and Rhode Island require insurance companies to identify names of persons covered under health insurance policies to a state agency so as to match these names with recipients of medical assistance.

A Massachusetts law requires health insurers and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) doing business in the commonwealth to identify medical assistance recipients who are also beneficiaries of an insurance policy or HMO contract. The law requires the department of public welfare and division of health care finance and policy to provide information to the insurers and HMOs sufficient for them to identify such individuals. The insurers and HMOs may be required to share in the cost of this process. Enclosed is a copy of the law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 26, § 8H).

An on-line search of Rhode Island laws did not locate a similar law. Neither Rhode Island’s Division of Insurance nor its Department of Human Services is familiar with such a requirement in Rhode Island.

JK: tjo