BBA relief: the waiting game continues…
Both sides in Congress seem to want a resolution of the presidential race before they commit to action on any of the pending issues. Congress adopted another temporary spending resolution that extends funding until early December.
In Massachusetts:
• State task force turns to insurance access…
The state’s blue-ribbon health care task force convened recently to discuss health care insurance access. The preliminary report on access to insurance recommends incremental reform as the appropriate strategy to increase insurance access in Massachusetts. Among the options proposed by the working group were:
(1) expanding MassHealth; (2) combining and streamlining state insurance programs; (3) redesigning insurance products; (4) subsidizing insurance purchase by employers and employees; (5) tax credits for insurance purchase; (6) mandating employer coverage; (7) mandating employee purchase; (8) reform of the insurance market; and (9) examining medical savings accounts and flexible spending accounts. For a copy of the report, please contact
Tish McMullin at 278-0544 or pmcmullin@partners.org.
• “HealthNow” campaign begins in Massachusetts…
HealthNow, an initiative of the American Cancer Society, Health Care for All, and the Massachusetts Medical Society kicked off its campaign this week to raise the tobacco tax by 50 cents in Massachusetts. The funds would be used for several public health initiatives including: expansion of MassHealth to uninsured adults; addressing racial and ethnic health care disparities by increasing community health outreach; improving health services for low-income seniors and disabled adults while obtaining more federal reimbursement for the senior pharmacy program; reducing hospital uncompensated care responsibility; and reducing tobacco use among youths and adults, particularly in low-income and minority communities. HealthNow is part of a New England-wide effort to raise tobacco taxes in order to expand access to health insurance and reduce tobacco use. The press conference announcing the initiative was held in the MGH Ether Dome.
• Mayor Menino's health care task force reports…
After several months of deliberation, the task force issued a report that identifies five areas where the Mayor's involvement and intervention could decisively improve Boston's health care system: (1) addressing the current labor shortage crisis; (2) creating a blue ribbon health care committee (consisting of health care providers, insurers, and local public health officials) to serve as a forum for proposed changes in service delivery; (3) advocating for fair payment by all payers to health care providers; (4) mobilizing the U.S. Conference of Mayors to advocate on health care issues, including BBA relief and research funding; and (5) supporting efforts to expand health care coverage and access to mental health, substance abuse, and dental services for the city’s most vulnerable citizens. For hospitals, the report advocated payment increases from Medicaid and Medicare, establishment of a public forum and planning process to discuss the impact of potential closures or changes in service, and movement of certain hospital outpatient care to community health centers and other locations.