Massachusetts Bill Would Give $175 Million to Hospitals for Medicaid, Uninsured Care

Massachusetts hospital leaders, hoping for "substantial state relief," plan to rally at the state House on June 4 before a Joint Health Care Committee hearing on a proposal that would provide the industry with more than $175 million per year, the Boston Herald reports. Hundreds of hospital executives, trustees, caregivers and volunteers will "likely" join the rally, an event organized by the Massachusetts Hospital Association. "They're really coming to stand up for health care," MHA President Ron Hollander said, adding, "They're deeply concerned about the crisis that faces our hospitals." Under the proposal, the state would add $100 million to Massachusetts' free care pool, which covers the uninsured, and an additional $75 million for Medicaid reimbursements. The bill, co-sponsored by more than 135 lawmakers, also calls for reforms to the Medicaid system and the free care pool. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Senate this week will likely pass a budget that includes "overall relief" for hospitals and "targeted funds" for hospitals facing "particular financial troubles," state Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Mark Montigny (D) said. "The budget will clearly focus on what I'm hearing from every member of the Senate, and that is that we need to spend more of the dollars on health care," he added, although he declined to "outline specifics." Last year, the state granted $10 million in "targeted relief" to hospitals, and lawmakers predicted that the number "could be even higher" this year. Acting Gov. Jane Swift (R) supports a plan to add $100 million to the free care pool, boost Medicaid spending by about $10 million and establish a $45 million "revolving loan fund" to help "troubled" facilities (Powell, Boston Herald, 6/4).