MALDEN– State Sen. Jason Lewis, is at the center of a legislative effort to create a report focusing on both short and long term goals for strengthening Massachusetts’ healthcare system.
As Senate chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health, Lewis serves on the Senate Working Group on Health Care Cost Containment and Reform,
“This legislation furthers efforts to address the social determinants of health that are responsible for many health inequities in our system; and, innovative steps are taken to make prevention a more central component of our healthcare system, which will improve our quality-of-life and save money,” Lewis said.
The Massachusetts Senate released the report titled “Working Together to Improve Our Health: Right Care, Right Place, Fair Price, Recommendations from the Senate Working Group on Health Care Cost Containment and Reform.”
With logistical support from the Milbank Memorial Fund spent the last year meeting with officials from seven states, healthcare experts, and stakeholders to examine best practices while lowering costs and improving outcomes.
Spiraling healthcare costs prompted senators are working for reforms to the current system through diligent research, stakeholder engagement, and legislation.
“Massachusetts should continue to lead on healthcare, and having a robust economy depends upon on lowering costs for everyone without compromising quality or access. The recommendations in this report will help working families, businesses, and our state budget,” said state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg.
The goals outlined in the report vary from more effective care delivery such as telemedicine and mobile integrated health to reducing emergency room visits to expanding provider versatility while also addressing price variation between larger hospitals and their smaller community hospital counterparts. The report outlines a series of recommendations that will achieve these goals and lower costs as a result of implementation.
Recommendations include taking steps to expand provider versatility to increase access to lower cost providers. Others include expanding provider treatment authority for nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists, optometrists, and podiatrists and establishing a mid-level dental therapist (DT) certification.
“Massachusetts should continue to lead on healthcare, and having a robust economy depends upon lowering costs for everyone without compromising quality or access. The recommendations in this report will help working families, businesses, and our state budget,” Rosenberg said.
The report also recommends increased transition planning for patients into community settings and strengthening coordination between providers.
