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After two days of debate that featured consideration of 265
amendments, the Massachusetts Senate last week voted 35-2 to
approve health care payment reform legislation. The Senate bill
anticipates medical cost savings of $150 billion over 15 years
through the adoption of alternative payment methodologies and
delivery models. Immediately after the vote, Senate President
Therese Murray declared, "Once again we lead the
nation."
The Senate bill now moves to the House of Representatives, which
released its version of health care payment reform earlier this
month but has yet to debate it. The Senate and House bills propose
vastly different approaches to containing medical costs, and the
branches will eventually appoint a six-member conference committee
to resolve the differences. For more information about the proposed
bills, including their differences, see our
May 10 ML Strategies alert.
Senate Amendment Highlights
The Senate's two-day debate resolved 265 proposed
amendments. The Senate:
Affirmed support for limiting health care cost growth to no
higher than the annual growth of the state's economy;
Rejected an attempt to study whether a single-payer health care
system would be a more effective long-term model for cost
containment;
Affirmed support for a proposed $40 million surcharge on
insurers that senators say will help fund medical record
enhancements and improve medical prevention efforts;
Granted expanded authority to the Attorney General to track
pricing variations; and
Funded community hospitals to more effectively serve patients
in need.
ML Strategies will monitor the House payment reform debate, as
well as the eventual conference committee, and report updates on
this issue.
* * *
Please click on the links below to see copies of the House and
Senate bills.
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guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
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