While research scientists and clinicians focus their war on cancer, this has become a war for cancer dollars. Â
Paul Hattis
Posted inOpinion
Healey must go big in tackling health care costs
As representatives of employers and consumers, we don’t see eye to eye on every health care issue, but we are joining together to urge the governor to follow through on her promise to meaningfully address the unsustainable trajectory of health care costs in the state.
Posted inOpinion
Not all Mass. hospitals are in terrible financial shape
STEVE WALSH, the president and CEO of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, struck a nerve with his recent commentary suggesting the state’s hospital industry is teetering on the brink of financial disaster. In his piece, Walsh noted the Center for Health Information and Analysis recently reported that Massachusetts hospitals had a median negative margin […]
Posted inOpinion
Steward aftermath isn’t the state’s only health care challenge
Massachusetts is now the state with the second-highest family health insurance premiums in the country, behind only New Jersey.  We were fourth or fifth highest a few years ago, so we’re going in the wrong direction.
Posted inOpinion
Overall, we think the Steward outcome is pretty good
The faster Apollo is out the door the better. Though Apollo will certainly contest the Commonwealth’s $4.5 million fair market valuation for St. Elizabeth’s, state officials seem determined that any fight over money will not interrupt plans for an immediate seizure of the Brighton land and buildings.
Posted inOpinion
My hopes for the upcoming busy week in health care
The state should focus on transforming the closed hospital sites into community centers providing some health care but also housing, education, and employment training.Â
Posted inOpinion
House health care bill needs some work
A health care reform bill headed for a debate and vote in the House next week has some very good elements, but it also has some worrisome provisions, in particular the well-intended but flawed effort to raise commercial prices paid to the lowest-paid hospitals.
Posted inHealth Care
Steward has its doctors over a barrel in Optum deal
If the Optum purchase moves forward, Steward will directly transfer the previous provider agreements to Optum without an opportunity for physicians to negotiate a new deal, despite an entirely new corporate change-over.
Posted inOpinion
Here’s how HPC should be reviewing the Steward-Optum deal
Some of the issues arise because of who the seller is and some are tied to worries about this particular buyer.
Posted inOpinion
The state’s options with Steward on the brink
State government needs to re-engage in statewide health system planning. We need functioning markets in health and medical care, and we need intelligent and thoughtful statewide planning that is more proactive and less reactive.