Governor Charlie Baker said last night that he intends to sign legislation imposing a $200 million MassHealth assessment on employers. The governor also reaffirmed his commiment to work with lawmakers to make long-term structural reforms to the state’s health-insurance program for low-income people.

“While this is certainly not the outcome we hoped for, we recognize that the governor’s decision is carefully considered and designed to achieve the ultimate, long-term goal of substantive MassHealth reform,” said Rick Lord, President and Chief Executive Officer of Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

“We are encouraged by the repeated statements of commitment by both Senate and House leadership that reform of the MassHealth system is as high a priority for them as it is for the employer community.

“In 2006, employers joined with doctors, hospitals, patient advocates, and lawmakers to forge a health-reform law that required everyone to share the responsibility for improving access to health care. Right now, employers are faced with a policy levying a new tax on businesses without any corresponding cost-efficiencies implemented in the public health-care system. We anticipate a continued dialogue as we work to affect meaningful, sustainable, long-term MassHealth reform.

“We are willing ” in fact, we must ” join together once again with a renewed focus to ensure the commitments of the employer community are not made in vain,” Lord said.