Moving the Needle on Healthcare Cost Containment & Reform
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
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/MapInfographic.png
550
800
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2018-07-18 08:00:552018-10-12 14:26:15Survey Shows Wide Variation in Both Overall Cost of Medical Procedure and Amount Paid by Consumers
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/cristian-newman-63291-unsplash.jpg
6016
4000
Kaila Webb
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Kaila Webb2018-06-13 13:06:252018-06-13 13:29:45Can State Pensioners Pay for Future Medically Necessary Long-term Care?
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/sad-nursing-home-picture.jpg
688
1024
Kaila Webb
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Kaila Webb2018-06-05 10:55:342018-06-05 10:55:34Bill H.2890: Funding More Problems than Solutions
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/health-care-costs.png
476
850
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2018-04-18 08:40:572018-10-12 14:26:34MA Health Insurers Have Made Good Progress in Price Transparency, But Significant Work Remains
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_79761781.jpg
3328
4894
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-10-23 15:59:192018-10-12 14:26:59Moving the Needle on Healthcare Cost Containment & Reform
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/dental.jpg
312
640
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-09-12 15:32:272017-09-12 15:32:27Creating Space for Healthcare Innovators in the Marketplace
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/minute_clinic.jpg
419
628
Barbara Anthony
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Barbara Anthony2017-07-24 14:03:102020-06-17 20:36:11Time for Boston to open up to limited service clinics
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/telemedicine.jpg
627
900
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-07-19 10:27:272020-06-17 20:28:08Study: Telemedicine Can Reduce Healthcare Costs, Improve Outcomes & Patient Satisfaction
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/healthcare_costs.jpeg
333
500
Jim Stergios
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Jim Stergios2017-07-17 08:42:432017-07-17 08:43:30Op-ed: Getting to yes on MassHealth
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/iStock-520128028.jpg
3192
4786
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-05-17 09:21:502021-10-28 12:02:55Pioneer Experts Offer Contrasting Prescriptions For MA Healthcare
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/healthcare_costs_scrabble.jpg
800
743
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-05-04 12:34:032018-10-12 14:26:52Study Applauds State Decision To Let Healthcare Spending Benchmark Decrease
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/MedTech-1.jpg
351
500
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-05-03 10:06:212020-06-19 08:45:432017 Hewitt Healthcare Lecture: Innovations In The Massachusetts Healthcare Market
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/emergency-room-sign-1.jpg
1417
2117
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-04-10 08:47:452018-10-12 14:26:54Follow-Up Survey Finds Hospitals Still Fall Short On Price Transparency
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/health-care-reform-pills.jpg
1723
2029
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-03-23 09:00:462018-10-12 14:26:572017 Hewitt Healthcare Lecture: “Evolving Healthcare Delivery Models”
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/statehouse.jpg
487
650
Barbara Anthony
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Barbara Anthony2017-03-15 17:13:332018-10-12 14:26:58Public Statement on the Recommendations of the Legislature’s Healthcare Provider Price Variation Commission
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/UTurnBookCover-Copy.jpg
2295
3604
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-03-13 11:03:342021-10-28 12:00:53With Federal Health Law Facing Repeal, New Book Offers Alternative
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Stethoscope-through-laptop-1.jpg
1558
2243
Editorial Staff
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Editorial Staff2017-03-08 10:08:152020-12-11 13:05:38Improving Access To Health Systems Available To Older Patients
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/health-costs.jpg
675
1200
Barbara Anthony
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png
Barbara Anthony2017-03-02 17:02:072017-03-03 10:20:36Governor’s Plan to Cap Healthcare Provider Prices Misses the Mark
