By Bob Katzen
House 141-14, approved and sent to the Senate a $2.25 billion fiscal 2025 supplemental budget designed to close out the books on fiscal year 2025.
The measure provides $1.67 billion to MassHealth and $374 million to former Steward Health Care hospitals at a time when state officials say they are feeling budget pressures associated with rising health care costs. The proposal would also increase hospital contributions by $50 million to support the Health Safety Net and stabilize funding for MassHealth and safety net hospitals.
Other provisions include $10 million for Health Care for All to conduct a public awareness campaign, and to conduct health coverage enrollment assistance for communities at risk of losing health care coverage as a result of the new Medicaid reporting requirements; $10 million for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center; $5 million in grants to reproductive health care providers; $60.7 million for snow and ice removal; $12.5 million for prisoners to make free phone calls; $12 million for Universal School Meals; $6.8 million for the Clean Water Trust Fund; $3.5 million for State Police operations; $15 million for a new Sports and Entertainment Fund grant program, for which $10 million will be set aside for the events related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup; and withholding most of a $162 million funding request from county sheriffs, until the state Inspector General investigates sheriffs’ finances.
“This supplemental budget closes the books on fiscal year 2025, and aims to fortify the commonwealth’s finances, bolster economic development and ensure continued access to critical health care services,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “In the face of unrelenting attacks from the Trump Administration that will strip health insurance coverage from millions of Americans and deny access to lifesaving vaccinations, this supplemental budget will help vulnerable residents prepare for, and avoid, a lapse in coverage and ensure continued access to vaccines for every child in Massachusetts.”
“This supplemental budget will close the books on fiscal year 2025 in a balanced and fiscally responsible manner,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By making critical investments into much needed programs in healthcare, education and housing to name a few, the commonwealth will be in a strong fiscal position for fiscal year 2026 and beyond.”
“There has been little information on why there are exorbitant runaway costs in the MassHealth program,” said Rep. Ken Sweezey (R-Hanson). “I cannot continue to support writing blank checks without accountability and a strategy to reel in the spending. I also see a need for some serious reforms to the HomeBase program and the no-cost calls program within our correctional facilities before we continue to supplement their budgets.”
“I believe we need proper oversight of these medical expenditures before committing more funding,” said Rep. Mike Soter (R-Bellingham). “The governor should provide a detailed report outlining what’s driving these rising costs before requesting additional taxpayer dollars. We can’t claim to have a revenue problem in one breath and then spend significant public funds without accountability in the next.”
“The Democrats have once again blamed President Trump for their failures,” said Rep. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick). “But the reality is they’ve bankrupted our healthcare system by flooding it with illegal aliens. They had to spend another $2.5 billion dollars to bailout our hospitals.”
(A Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Christine Barber Yes Rep. Mike Connolly Yes Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven Yes