The financial stability of the Massachusetts economy is at risk as health costs crowd out important priorities such as education, public safety, and transportation. Massachusetts must decrease the highest per-capita healthcare expenditures in the country so businesses can prosper and retain new talent. AIM plays a unique role in the conversation on health-care cost containment because we have a diverse membership of health-care providers and consumers, all of whom are necessary to ensure we have an accessible health-care system in our state.
AIM convenes targeted and strategic conversations with health-care members, businesses and prominent elected officials to have informative, productive conversations about health-care affordability, accessibility, and equity.
Policy Priorities
Primary Care:
This session, AIM participated in the state-appointed Primary Care Task Force to address barriers to primary care and identify opportunities for increased investment. Building on that work and AIM’s advocacy with the Legislature, a comprehensive primary care bill passed both chambers and is now being reconciled in conference committee.
Both House and Senate versions of the bill would:
- Increase primary care investment to 15% of total health care expenditures, with a framework to hold entities accountable
- Establish an Advanced Primary Care Payment Model, shifting primary care physicians from fee-for-service to a per-patient, per-month payment structure
- Prohibit this increased investment from resulting in higher overall health care spending or premiums
Health Care Affordability:
Earlier this year, Governor Healey established a Health Care Affordability Working Group to identify solutions to rising health care costs. The group has released five priority actions and 12 initial recommendations that can be found here.
This fall brings several opportunities for stakeholder input. The Division of Insurance is currently seeking feedback on out-of-network costs and strategies to strengthen the health insurance market and reduce premiums. Some recommendations may be implemented through the regulatory process, while others will require legislation. Additional, more detailed recommendations are expected in December.
DRIVE Act:
The Healey-Driscoll Administration filed legislation to support the state’s biotech and research industries amid significant federal funding cuts. The proposal is now part of the Legislature’s economic development bill, where a conference committee is negotiating differences between the House and Senate versions.
- House: $200 million for a higher education bridge fund reserve ($175M public institutions / $25M private institutions)
- Senate: $100 million for the bridge fund reserve, allocated entirely to public institutions
AIM supports the House’s approach to help ensure the life sciences and higher education sectors remain stable and able to continue critical research.
Safeguard Oversight and Transparency Measures
AIM participates in policy conversations about drug-price transparency and hospital oversight while protecting companies’ proprietary information and safeguarding the industry from unethical players. The state recently filed sweeping legislation to address both of these issues, partly in response to the Steward Health Care crisis. AIM supports common-sense oversight measures to ensure our health-care members remain supported while reducing overall health-care costs for smaller businesses.
Reduce Premium Costs and Increase Employer Visibility
AIM tracks health-care legislation to ensure that changes in the system do not result in increased premium costs for employers and other consumers. AIM works to provide opportunities for health-care officials and policy makers to hear from small- and medium-sized businesses about the impact of high health-care costs.
Health-Care Workforce
AIM supports statewide initiatives to encourage individuals to pursue careers in the health-care industry – from entry level administrative roles to pediatric behavioral health to primary care physicians and beyond. AIM advocates for “reskilling” and “upskilling” programs to provide a path for career growth in the health-care industry.
Expansion and Protection of the Life Sciences Sector
AIM supports the continued funding of the life-sciences industry across the Commonwealth and supports members making investments in innovation, expansion and access to life-saving pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical technology. We work closely with members to ensure any oversight measures are equitable, accurate, and keep proprietary information protected.