Page 2 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 26, 2024 DiDomenico Amendment to Ensure Continuous Health Care Coverage for Children Included in Senate Health Care Bill legislation Supports Health Care Reforms and Safeguards Against For-Profi t Entities B OSTON — The Massachusetts Senate passed urgent reforms to the Commonwealth’s health care system to boost oversight and transparency in the market and improve patient access to prescribed medication and treatment. DiDomenico successfully secured an amendment in the fi nal bill that would ensure MassHealth must provide at least 12 months of continuous health care coverage for children if they were to lose access. This will ensure, regardless of any federal policy change, that we are keeping critical health care services accessible to kids across Massachusetts regardless of changes in family income. Following debate, the Senate approved the legislation by a vote of 38-2. The reforms in S.2871 come as Massachusetts continues to manage challenges related to private equity’s mismanagement in health care, which has created uncertainties for patients receiving care and the communities that the healthcare facilities serve. The legislation passed by the Senate would create strong systemic safeguards around private equity in healthcare, a signifi cant step towards preempting future mismanagement. “Access to health care is a fundamental necessity for residents across Massachusetts, and I am proud we have taken action to protect our health care system and patients from future management failures,” Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? For more info, call (857) 249-7882 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Tues. - Sat. at 4:00 PM Closed Sun. & Mon. We are closed for vacation and reopening on Friday, August 2nd at 4PM. Thank you - The Sasso Family Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s www.810bargrille.com Scan & Follow Us on Facebook! said Senator DiDomenico, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. “The Steward Health Care crisis reminds us how much we are relying on the good business practices of private owners and how essential our hospitals are to people in every corner of our state. This bill will ensure the state is using its power to safeguard our health care facilities and keep health care aff ordable for people of all income levels. I want to thank Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and Senator Friedman for their focus on this urgently needed legislation.” “Massachusetts is the health care capital of the world because we take seriously our responsibility to invest in and protect our systems, providers, and patients,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “As we stare down a health care market plagued by high costs and the fallout from private equity mismanagement, the Senate has doubled down on our responsibility to our residents, making us a national leader in safeguarding patients, expanding access to care, and holding private equity accountable. I’m grateful to the unmatched work of Senator Friedman, the work of my colleagues, and the countless advocates who have contributed their voices to this legislation.” “The Senate’s comprehensive health care market legislation passed today puts patients and providers back into the focus of the delivery of healthcare, rather than profi ts,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “To ensure that a crisis similar to that surrounding Steward Health Care does not infi ltrate our state’s health care system ever again, this bill modernizes and strengthens the health care oversight and transparency tools we have in the Commonwealth. This bill also provides protections for patients and providers, aff ords our health care regulatory agencies the needed fl exibility and scope to oversee the industry as it evolves, and increases the fi nancial transparency of major market players. I thank Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and my Senate colleagues for their attention to these issues. Residents of Massachusetts deserve health care that is accessible, affordable, and high quality, and this bill continues the Senate’s goal to deliver just that.” Provisions of An Act enhancing the health care market review process include: Expanding oversight of Private Equity. Leading nationwide eff orts, the bill expands oversight of private equity fi rms, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and management services organizations (MSOs) involved with Massachusetts health care providers and provider organizations. In conjunction with the Senate’s eff orts to rein in the costs of prescription drugs through the PACT Act, the bill expands oversight of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and pharmacy benefi t managers (PBMs) and creates a licensing structure for PBMs. In addition to PBMs, the bill establishes licensing structures for certain health care providers currently not licensed, and therefore not subject to Department of Public Health (DPH) oversight, including offi ce-based surgical centers, urgent care centers, and health care practices. Improving Access to Primary Care. Access to primary care is proven to reduce health care costs, yet there is an extreme shortage of primary care providers in Massachusetts and across the country. To understand how to best build a sustainable primary care system, the bill establishes a task force to study and make recommendations to stabilize the system and workforce, increase fi nancial investment in primary care, and improve patient access to primary care. The bill moves state health planning to the Health Policy Commission (HPC) and the health care resources inventory to the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to better align with the work of these agencies. In developing the state health plan, HPC is directed to consider health equity goals. The bill also directs HPC and CHIA to set and measure health care aff ordability goals for the Commonwealth. Keeping Health Insurance Affordable. The bill establishes a health insurance bureau within the Division of Insurance (DOI) to conduct rate reviews of preREFORMS | SEE PAGE 8 Tufts University announces spring 2024 graduates M ore than 2,800 students across all schools graduated from Tufts University on May 19 during a university-wide commencement ceremony that featured the awarding of honorary degrees to a number of academic, business and civic leaders making a positive impact on the world. Local residents graduating included the following: SamKeny Saint Pre with a degree in Biochemistry (BS); Ryan Vu with a degree in Biopsychology (BS); Haoyang Wang with a degree in Chemistry (BS). Tufts University, which is located on campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville and Grafton, Mass., and in Talloires, France, is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States. Tufts enjoys a global reputation for academic excellence and for the preparation of students as leaders in a wide range of professions. For more info: https:// www.tufts.edu/ Senator DiDomenico speaking in favor of his amendment in the Senate Chamber.
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