[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6216857,"mediaKeyId","3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103","parentId",3650518,"title","Representative Worrell urges action on pharmacy closures that create 'deserts' in Black and Brown neighborhoods","audioSeconds",240,"startMs",2449000,"endMs",2689000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103&start=2449&end=2689","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103/thumbnail_2449000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6216857/Massachusetts/Representative-Worrell-urges-action-on-pharmacy-closures-that-create-deserts-in-Black-and-Brown-neighborhoods","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216857-7cf60cb3c9fab91be6a2d325f5ff25da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200063&Signature=W5ZbxOxBMleK5KNdFURaeUBJXjuVYrE~o~LG8ocdrkndbc-zy5bf94ebbj4ow~VDQfYIgQGyV~QYmSCNVbF5gwRet2bpMQhh1DnZlNIPUMTfnCYF-boPqgSwbIHobDautJ2HTHH-DgguB8okhkqwRvnqK8dlY0H18vxQ6css71viQTClh~CnUoYU0yT~1WGqLYVgo7uufrrcpUNkBzGiJcZ~35GrjBDlXiGESYunZpWl5aWWVEy0fR7S~Vvy6ONNbOTFTuw2~gpuw12wKg3fQ9nUd~Qm8jEn-pXXpVTcs5VzDnkftwNHMZ19OnHSOpifbbMf79pHrGjdfB8MEClx6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Joint Committee on Health Care Financing","date","2025-06-02T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Chris Worrell told the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance that sudden pharmacy closures have left thousands of constituents — particularly in Black and Latino neighborhoods — without nearby access to medications for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Worrell framed House Bill 14‑19 as a response to closures in his district, saying the Walgreens on Warren Street in Roxbury announced it would close on Martin Luther King Day with only a sign on the door. He said CHIA later estimated that nearly 3,000 patients were affected by that closure and that the top prescriptions filled at that location treated chronic diseases prevalent in the community.

Why it matters: Testimony emphasized that pharmacy access is a public‑health issue; sudden closures disproportionately affect older adults and people without reliable transportation, increasing the risk that patients will miss doses or discontinue essential therapies.

What the bill would do

- Direct the state to identify pharmacy deserts and evaluate their public‑health impacts.
- Require notice and a public hearing when a closure would create a pharmacy desert, and a 90‑day notice amendment carried in prior sessions would be revived in new language.

Representative Worrell characterized this as a matter of equity and local health infrastructure, and urged the committee to report the bill out of committee. Committee members acknowledged the issue and noted similar closures across urban and rural Massachusetts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Health Care Financing - 6-2-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Chris Worrell told the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance that sudden pharmacy closures have left thousands of constituents — particularly in Black and Latino neighborhoods — without nearby access to medications for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6216862,"Doctors, unions back bill to cap hospital CEO pay and require financial transparency",901,864000,1765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103&start=864&end=1765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103/thumbnail_864000.jpg","/articles/6216862/Massachusetts/Doctors-unions-back-bill-to-cap-hospital-CEO-pay-and-require-financial-transparency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216862-bece92aafdd63d2df01450306f9fbd03/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200063&Signature=VjfV-ODNIwvLqyW14a12f9AI3zrsyhz7fu05qL30Ey9We0jCcVCVym-bUNNc-5Emw5xkqyqk8bOX~SMFN~vC4BDuvI0boqWdJcF4Kf1RyHrArI3pgISe2uyMh-ruSWA1T9bst16DL5-evZmc3mqBTGxW8xrK7kVFYiK-019qUiDQUfWT5xHjvXDlPjYAdVhDJEbYp7W~LiNcsOqa3za0vN56pvsjmYevMhHPSITumk6GkLVMZlDllGsJyTv0cO9KGv97klDvxX9zsyplyJOlnfjfudmC5qcQiC~VAjyjNsWFyfswvd1nnrUKF~m7MUUFlbOl57x4wOy0~CXG6Sweug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A coalition of physicians, resident doctors and labor leaders urged the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance to give a favorable report to Senate Bill 899 and House Bill 13‑98, measures the witnesses said would increase transparency of hospital finances and limit excessive executive compensation.

The bills would require mandatory public reporting of hospital financial assets, cap annual CEO compensation at no more than 50 times a facility’s lowest paid full‑time employee, and impose penalties for hospitals that exceed specified operating margins; collected penalties would be deposited into a proposed Medicaid Reimbursement Enhancement Fund (MREF) to boost Medicaid rates and services.

Why it matters: Testifiers argued the measures would redirect hospital resources toward patient care and frontline staff — especially in safety‑net hospitals facing funding shortfalls — and make publicly funded hospitals more accountable to communities that rely on them.

Key testimony

- Dr. Taylor Walker, president of Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR‑SEIU), described the measure as “not just good policy. It is really a moral imperative,” and cited data asserting many Massachusetts hospital CEOs earn more than 50 times their lowest paid workers.

- Sarah Brown, a Massachusetts General Hospital resident, said cuts to community programs and chaplaincy at Mass General Brigham occurred while “hospital CEO Anne Klibanski makes $6,000,000 per year,” and argued the bill’s penalty revenue could be used to improve Medicaid reimbursement rates for underserved hospitals.

- Union and labor representatives, including Lindsay Kenny (Massachusetts AFL‑CIO) and Jenny Pacillo (Worcester City Councilor, testifying as a community member), supported the bill as a way to reinvest hospital profits into frontline services and workers.

Committee questions and clarifications

Senator Cindy Friedman noted that even a large CEO pay reduction at a major system would not by itself solve a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar safety‑net funding gap; Walker and other witnesses said the bill’s redirection to the MREF and disclosure requirements were intended as part of a broader set of reforms that also address private equity and market consolidation.

Concerns and implementation issues

Members asked how the cap would avoid perverse incentives such as converting employees to contractors to raise the CEO‑to‑lowest‑paid ratio; witnesses said such a shift would likely be more costly for employers but acknowledged the risk and urged complementary market‑oversight measures. Witnesses also discussed how penalties would be calculated and emphasized the need for publicly available asset data to ensure enforcement.

Ending

Supporters urged the committee to report the bill favorably, saying transparency and penalties tied to Medicaid improvements would better align hospital priorities with public interest. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.","Physicians, union leaders and hospital workers testified in favor of S.899/H.1398, which would cap hospital CEO pay at 50 times the lowest paid full‑time worker, require public disclosure of hospital assets and redirect penalties into a Medicaid reimbursement enhancement fund.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6216867,"Joint committee weighs new tools to rein in drug prices, expand PBM oversight",4452,2892000,7344000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103&start=2892&end=7344","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103/thumbnail_2892000.jpg","/articles/6216867/Massachusetts/Joint-committee-weighs-new-tools-to-rein-in-drug-prices-expand-PBM-oversight","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216867-f16b3a1e49a814187de9defe019bea79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200063&Signature=clbt-O6E9PTzwtKPmFlaz4SMgEa9no~SMP83e67X9LrDw7iDecKnoktyE77dstYc3Jv9bqV2~-ARGGSmgYSuNuRFofgPBrUtrjTTIGPWG9YlopL8EHyb6eIVwxl5qLlqqnoxzMLfejRwccpnWn0ir7R1YYmy6JUlwbpWdII8LRMaZgVvtPqfy-EX9Vspgj06eOCRLcwhBKfb4Qvm5pbEZghjlk~tWnpyGFk8Zbt2EAjylHeGUkFqUOWvz-G~YzmjFCtwOJW0ZUWfrHmEodLBOiHil0G~eESATL1In69dvz5B-dGVaw9Q0IpZ~qbTDd6pyqkW6jVc84RMfDj6kRPztQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance heard multi‑stakeholder testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 868 and companion measures aimed at addressing rising prescription drug costs and the market power of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

The bill would expand the Health Policy Commission’s (HPC) authority and create new tools to review drug affordability, including an upper payment limit (UPL) mechanism modeled on programs in states such as Maryland and Colorado. Advocates, health plans, patient groups and the attorney general’s office urged action; pharmaceutical industry groups and some supply‑chain representatives raised concerns about implementation and potential access effects.

Why it matters: Prescription drugs are the single largest driver of health care spending increases in Massachusetts, witnesses said. Health Care for All cited CHIA data showing rapid growth in pharmacy spending and hospital outpatient costs; patient and disability advocates described examples of people who skip or crowd‑fund medications because of price. The proposals seek to give the Commonwealth direct tools to address price spikes that “do not correlate with value,” according to testimony from Ashley Blackburn of Health Care for All.

Key testimony and points

- Ashley Blackburn (Health Care for All) said the bill’s UPL authority would let Massachusetts target drugs “with the most egregious price increases that do not correlate with their value,” and pointed to states already using similar tools.

- Samantha Fine (Disability Policy Consortium) described how high drug costs disproportionately harm people with disabilities, noting a CDC finding that people with disabilities who take prescription medications are nearly three times more likely than others to skip doses because of cost.

- Kelly Ryan (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) opposed parts of the bill, urging the committee to allow the newly created HPC pharmaceutical office to complete its work first and warning that UPLs could disrupt access and patient cost sharing, citing payer surveys that predict coverage changes if UPLs are set without careful design.

- Dennis Lyons (Massachusetts Independent Pharmacists Association) and Kelly Memphis (Healthcare Distribution Alliance) urged stronger regulation of PBMs and more transparency, with independent pharmacists warning that opaque PBM contracting and take‑it‑or‑leave‑it reimbursement rates threaten community pharmacies.

- Sarah Charamita and Paul Jones (Massachusetts Association of Health Plans) and Blue Cross representatives signaled conditional support for stronger oversight and UPLs as tools to slow premium growth, while urging careful drafting to avoid unintended effects on access and the 340B program.

Technical and legal issues raised

Industry witnesses warned of potential legal challenges and implementation complexities for UPLs; PhRMA noted that existing state boards with UPL authority have not yet implemented set prices and argued for a broader supply‑chain review. Witnesses representing wholesalers asked clarifying edits so distributors not be held liable for manufacturers’ pricing decisions. Attorney General staff supported expanded ability to compel data from manufacturers and PBMs and stronger tools to address private equity practices that can harm hospitals.

Next steps and limitations

Committee chairs said the new authority is intended to be targeted and to complement the recently created Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis at HPC. Several witnesses and members requested follow‑up work to refine definitions, legal protections for orphan/rare‑disease drugs, and mechanisms to prevent PBMs or other intermediaries from undermining UPL outcomes.

Ending

Supporters urged the committee to move the bill forward, saying state‑level tools are needed now to reduce premiums and make essential medicines affordable for patients who cannot absorb high out‑of‑pocket costs.","Lawmakers and health advocates at a Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance hearing discussed Senate Bill 868 and related measures that would strengthen state oversight of prescription drug pricing, increase transparency across the drug supply chain, and give Massachusetts authority to set upper payment limits for certain high‑cost medicines.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6216847,"Betsy Lehman Center seeks permanent trust authority to accept federal and private funds",142,634000,776000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103&start=634&end=776","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103/thumbnail_634000.jpg","/articles/6216847/Massachusetts/Betsy-Lehman-Center-seeks-permanent-trust-authority-to-accept-federal-and-private-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216847-8eebf3dbaa82c4fa19000a374ff1a5a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200063&Signature=gYlgc-FnSt9J9ICYw0EO3QwVTZn4aXFuA9xkileSmJaRDTTOJ0YHSqskttf8dNb~Gtk5CRaXILIrEwXMFHkjmQSJkKF9uY7l1aNRlz-8P2h8e9oSKfCjdU0YZMNvbgAiC47VtAcgb87Z-YGzzyfXfnH77edicDONMN0wr4I34p4HJKxKVnumF4ZvzwubQ4lC1Hgl3QB7u1CRw6YDfk9QFCQhjKa8OqHkmGrk40kChXq8Y5o0dTDEf7vmFW-dDGH7eMaNq6jNwOHDIJ80WF6LrDWpQND~l41e3~~gvPWtKGh2sCCwZ-pHIP7s2HQ7-k5rZuxM1Bx-NuhwvuNZKY8QIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Barbara Fain, executive director of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, asked the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance to support technical amendments that would authorize a permanent trust account to receive federal and private funding.

The Betsy Lehman Center — an independent state agency affiliated with the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) and established under Chapter 224 — currently operates under a temporary trust account created by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. Fain said A&F has asked for a statutory authorization to make the trust permanent so the center can continue to accept grants from federal agencies and private foundations without recurring extensions.

Why it matters: The center’s statutory mandate is to reduce preventable medical harm across Massachusetts’ continuum of care. Permanent trust authorization would clarify the center’s authority to accept and spend external funds and reduce administrative uncertainty, Fain said.

Testimony highlights

- Fain described the proposed changes as technical and narrowly focused on trust authorization and interagency data‑sharing authority already reflected in last session’s market‑review legislation.

- She said the center had “sought such funding, which we have done with occasional success,” and that the permanent trust would “remove any uncertainty about the sender's authority to continue accepting federal and private funds.”

Ending

Fain offered to answer questions and told the committee she looks forward to working with members during the session; the committee took the testimony and did not vote at the hearing.","Barbara Fain, executive director of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, testified in support of technical amendments (H.11408 / S.843) that would authorize a permanent trust account for the center to receive and spend federal and private grants.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6216852,"Sen. Keenan proposes longer notice, public hearings and a state health plan to limit disruptive hospital closures",233,2691000,2924000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103&start=2691&end=2924","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650518-3a9b0162f3f2bcc6ce11948a4d9a9103/thumbnail_2691000.jpg","/articles/6216852/Massachusetts/Sen-Keenan-proposes-longer-notice-public-hearings-and-a-state-health-plan-to-limit-disruptive-hospital-closures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216852-e80565d4bab22ad8fbb8c78ad33b245c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200063&Signature=VHu7h7xlL9u6C~LTULHsQ0DngFHwdA3qsF60aWbRkAkuY2xJJG2tGpqJ3zKwD~76AoYzulUTu2sBJ7VxdrTnFgIvUz9M15RVNGMha1i2ULtN8bsh6eu-GHk4MNt6U-AAfQrOhbkelZNDY9x1J4OU0omzTVmjr7GSLkgTX55pyBx-wZf2m4A6ZDGll9z~Jy3POGEKJ4cyjvwoY59yoa8sL0NnhySq1qDnIov-w5H6WfoBBzJiF2Qnu-rpw~fsbcIp-a0lwj0NJYs~8JxXpRVC714z7iIouqXc0pF~NqPb8B1KpiykojX9n63w35I1vrxZBcOJ0kd9zL1UtTT2F4FtIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Keenan told the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance that a bill he filed, Senate Bill 873, would strengthen notice, public‑engagement and planning requirements when hospitals propose to close or discontinue essential services.

Under the bill, hospitals would provide 180‑day notice — longer than existing statutory notice periods — for closures and for discontinuing essential services; public hearings and question‑and‑answer opportunities with hospital leadership would be required. The measure would also establish a health planning council charged with producing a biennial State Health Plan to inform decisions about service location and access.

Why it matters: Witnesses and sponsors said the Steward Health Care bankruptcy and other recent rapid closures — for example the Quincy Medical Center transition and later closure under Steward — highlighted the limited opportunities communities have had to engage and plan when providers exit the market.

Senator Keenan framed the bill as modest and complementary to recent market‑review reforms that restrict certain private equity activity, noting the bill borrows elements from Minnesota law and is targeted at protecting community access and giving regulators and residents time to respond to proposed closures.

Next steps

Senator Keenan asked the committee for a favorable report and invited questions; no committee action occurred at the hearing.","Senate Bill 873 would lengthen notice periods for hospital closures and discontinuation of essential services, require public hearings and create a health planning council to develop a biennial state health plan. Senator Keenan cited Quincy Medical Center and the Steward experience as motivating examples.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Representative Worrell urges action on pharmacy closures that create 'deserts' in Black and Brown neighborhoods

Doctors, unions back bill to cap hospital CEO pay and require financial transparency

Joint committee weighs new tools to rein in drug prices, expand PBM oversight

Betsy Lehman Center seeks permanent trust authority to accept federal and private funds

Sen. Keenan proposes longer notice, public hearings and a state health plan to limit disruptive hospital closures