By Bob Katzen

House 158-0, approved a bill that supporters say would expand access to primary care, shift the health care system toward prevention, invest in the health care workforce, support hospitals and community health centers, improve affordability by lowering prescription drug costs and increase accountability across the health care system. They noted the measure establishes historic primary care investment targets; creates advanced primary care payment models that reward prevention and coordinated care; expands access to innovative models of care; creates an expedited determination of need process to expand equitable care access; and strengthens oversight to ensure primary care investments actually improve access, lower costs and support a sustainable, patient-centered health care system.

The Senate has already approved a different version of the proposal and a House-Senate conference committee has been appointed to hammer out a compromise version.

Provisions of the House bill include $25 million to ensure there are a sufficient number of health care professionals by funding scholarships, student loan repayment, primary care career pathways and workforce recruitment and retention; establishment of statewide primary care investment targets that gradually increase spending to 9% by 2030, 12% by 2033 and 15% by 2036; expanding the allowable uses of the Commonwealth Federal Matching and Debt Reduction Fund to help the state respond to an estimated $3.5 billion loss of federal funding; expanding access to health care by strengthening community-based providers and allowing more patients to receive care where they live; establishing safeguards for AI in health insurance utilization review to ensure technology supports, not replaces, clinical decision-making; and reducing out-of-pocket prescription drug costs by requiring most manufacturer rebates to be applied at the pharmacy counter.

“When primary care leads the way on patient wellness, the entire system benefits,” said Rep. Kathy LaNatra (D–Kingston), the chair of House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability. “This legislation will help move more of our health dollar toward high-value primary care that delivers better outcomes for patients at a lower cost. It invests in the care that keeps people healthy and prevents disease, it strengthens our primary care workforce to make sure every resident of the commonwealth can access a primary care provider and it ensures that pharmaceuticals remain accessible and affordable.”

“For many Massachusetts residents, an unsustainable rise in health care costs has made it increasingly difficult to access and afford basic health care services,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “That’s why this legislation is so important, as it makes critical investments in primary care and lowers out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs.”

(A “Yes” vote is for the bill.)

Rep. Christine Barber Yes Rep. Mike Connolly Yes Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven Yes