Governor Charlie Baker discussed the Administration’s comprehensive health care legislation at the Health Policy Commission’s 7th Annual Cost Trends Hearing on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. The legislation is designed to improve outcomes for patients, increase access to care and bring down costs.
Governor Baker said the legislation, “promotes access to quality, coordinated care and modernizes policies to bring Massachusetts in line with other states in areas where we have lagged.
“These measures include: removing outdated practice restrictions for mid-level clinicians, creating a new mid-level dental therapist, standardizing urgent care services and advancing telemedicine through aligned regulatory and coverage policies.
“Managing excess costs and promoting increased access to vital services will support the recalibration of our health care financing and delivery system towards a model that values time and positive outcomes and meets the evolving needs of our patient population.
“Many of the reforms we propose will also reduce costs – including to patients and small businesses – while maintaining the quality of care the people of Massachusetts deserve.
Read Governor Baker’s full testimony here, or view the video presentation.