Major cost control is NOT what Charley may have been well-intended about when he linked to a purported healthcare “Cost-cutting” legislative agenda in a recent post; limited cost-control in itself isn’t bad, but when it tries to pass itself off as something more or serves to hinder the more major reforms from happening that’s very worrisome.
What follows are a few of the major cost control reforms to enact ASAP, and kudos to the leges who are sponsoring them and you other folks up there, get on board! (and if they don’t and/or if this legislation never gets anywhere, why not…?!) More details are in the State House News article, link below.
1. Jehlen bill: require health insurers to spend 90% on health care services (what a novel idea, hc dollars spent on hc!!)
2. Tolman bill: uniform billing
3. Montigney bill: state bulk purchasing of pharmaceuticals
4. various bills allowing private employers, municipalities, and individuals to opt-in to GIC, MassHealth or Commonwealth Care as coverage options.
(Kaprelian is lead sponsor of the GIC/municipalities bill)
5. Hynes/Tolman bill: Mass. Health Care Trust for Universal HC with streamlined public financing
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The Feb. 27 Legislative Briefing on these major cost control reforms was extremely well-attended.
As I waited in line to get in to the standing room only hearing room I chatted with someone from the AG’s office and requested they take a fresh look at our state’s health insurers being subsidized by taxpayers with their tax exempt “public charity” status.(Yes, can you believe it?!!!!!!)
As health insurance access expands, debate picks up over rising costs
by Priscilla Yeon, State House News Service, February 27, 2007
Boston – A group of activists and legislators are pushing health care
cost control initiatives to slow double-digit inflation rates that have
been placing businesses, governments and residents under increasing
pressure.
At an event sponsored by the organization Mass-Care, speakers today
talked about how a portion of state spending on health care, as well as
spending by private companies and residents, pays for “administrative
waste” and “price gouging.”
Cost control proponents have been making the case that the state’s new
health insurance law won’t work, despite the best efforts of many,
unless steps are taken to curb escalating health care costs… read full article here
If this approach to budget savings and working toward health justice makes sense to you or you want to learn more, please go to MassCare/About or Sign Up to help at MassCare.org/Sign-On. Thanks.
@AnnEM
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I love your posts. Learned an awful lot from them and the links you’ve provided.
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I’m stumped as to why they don’t generate more discussion even on this board, let alone the MSM.
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Is there a way to simply draw out the differences between your campaign and the current law? As I’ve said, I think the best thing the legislature could do at this point is repeal the health care bill — put on the brakes — and rethink this. Maybe then the proposals you support would have a chance?