Moving the Needle on Healthcare Cost Containment & Reform

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Today, Pioneer Institute submitted recommendations to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Special Senate Committee on Health Care Cost Containment and Reform. Pioneer applauds provisions of the proposed legislation that would reduce emergency room use and re-admissions, expand scope of practice, and embrace telemedicine. The Committee should also be commended for looking to other states’ accomplishments in this area.

But the current bill raises some concerns. In some instances, we believe it diminishes the potential for greater cost savings by adding unnecessary regulatory burdens. The projected savings relative to 2020 spending are quite modest, at less than 0.2 percent. The Medicaid buy-in program as it is presented is a radical change from the existing program structure – it will require more elaboration and analysis, as it is unclear what the impact of this proposal will be on MassHealth and providers across the Commonwealth. Pioneer also has concerns that the bill could lead to harmful unintended consequences, such as the collapse of the merged private insurance market. We hope the Legislature addresses these issues, but this bill starts an important healthcare cost conversation in Massachusetts, and we commend the Senate for taking the lead in this effort. Read Pioneer’s full letter to the Committee.

Get Updates On Our Healthcare Research and Events!

Related Research

Doc Gives Grim Diagnosis to “HCR II” in MA

/
WBUR's CommonHealth blog posted an interview with Dr. Wayne…

Mass Takes a Pass on HSAs

/
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report on…

Beacon Hill’s Magical Mystery Medicaid Savings

/
As the Senate and House work to reconcile their respective versions…

MA Public Opinion of RomneyCare

/
Kay Lazar had an interesting piece in The Boston Globe on a…

More Bad News for Governor’s Regulatory Regime for Payment Reform

/
A Washington Post article today is sure to influence the debate…

Is Medicaid (MassHealth) Preventing the Poor from Breaking out of Addiction?

/
Lawrence Harmon of The Boston Globe had a very interesting…

Gov. Patrick’s Regulatory Regime for Payment Reform

/
This was the testimony I submitted today to the Joint Committee…

Maine Moving on Health Care

/
An interesting experiment is about to be unleashed in one of…

Massachusetts Medicaid “Savings” in Trouble?

/
The New York Times reports In a new effort to increase access…

Connector Saving Taxpayer Money

/
On this blog-- and in the press-- I have often been critical…

Harvard’s Effort to Make Cities Matter

/
Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative has recently launched…

Pioneer Goes Local! “MuniShare” Municipal Report Contest

/
As part of Pioneer Institute's annual Better Government Competition,…

Lessons from Massachusetts Health Care Reform (Romneycare)

/
Last month marked the first anniversary of the federal healthcare…

Gov Patrick Confused on Economics on “Daily Show”

/
Governor Patrick was on Comedy Central's "Daily Show" Tuesday…

Romney Gets ALL the Credit for RomneyCare?

/
Today is the 5th anniversary of the signing of Chapter 58 (health…

Governor’s Pep Rally on Health Care Cost Containment

/
Governor Patrick held an informational briefing on cost containment. The…

Health Care Econ-101 For Governor

/
During an appearance on WTKK-FM today, Governor Patrick dipped…

CMS Ignites ACO (Accountable Care Organizations) Debate

/
Today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)…