Associated Industries of Massachusetts is asking lawmakers to adopt the House version of a bill giving cities and towns the power to control health insurance costs.

AIM said in a letter to budget conferees that the Senate version of the municipal health measure would undermine the estimated $100 million in savings promised by the bill.

AIM’s concern about the Senate bill was confirmed this morning by a study showing that:  “Dozens of communities across the state would lose the benefits of municipal health care reform under the Senate’s provision requiring that municipal contributions for retirees be the same as for active employees, according to a preliminary analysis by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The Foundation has identified 50 municipalities and regional school districts that would be impacted, with that number likely to be as high as 100 when all communities have been analyzed.”

Click here to read the MTF analysis.

AIM and Massachusetts employers generally support municipal health reform because the spiraling cost of health insurance is eroding the ability of city and town governments to deliver educational, public safety and other services upon which the economy depends.