Guiding Principles

  1. Contain health care costs in Massachusetts to improve the state’s economic competitiveness.
  2. Bend the health care cost curve by addressing the underlying health care cost drivers identified by the Health Policy Commission (HPC)
  3. Oppose all attempts to shift costs to the commercial insurance market from other market segments.
  4. Require the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to assess any legislation that will affect commercial health insurance premiums and quantify its cost impact prior to enactment.
  5. Prohibit legislation or regulation that further restricts commercial, fully insured product offerings, (such as cost-sharing or managing care) or expands the Affordable Care Act requirements, such as mandating new product designs or benefits.
  6. Emphasize that the right care must be provided in the right place and at the right time to ensure efficacy.
  7. Prioritize behavioral health and primary care spending within the confines of the Cost Growth Benchmark.
  8. Advance health equity within the confines of the Cost Growth Benchmark.
  9. Make the large variation in the cost of health care services more transparent to purchasers and consumers by publishing them and making them available to the public on the state’s website.
  10. Streamline and automate administrative functions.
  11. Promote stability of the commercial health insurance market
  12. Encourage health care system innovation by aligning payments with value.