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Senate advances $532 million supplemental budget covering hospitals, home care and other shortfalls
Summary
The Massachusetts Senate considered a supplemental FY2025 spending bill that funds a range of deficits across state government, including major allocations for the Medical Assistance Trust Fund, home care, community health centers and hospitals; multiple amendments were considered at length.
The Massachusetts State Senate spent several hours debating a supplemental budget for fiscal 2025 that Senate Ways and Means Chair Senator Michael J. Rodriguez described as a roughly $532,000,000 package intended to “pay the bills and fund deficient accounts across state government.”
The supplemental bill, first filed by Governor Healy in April and amended by the Senate, includes a $134,000,000 transfer to the Medical Assistance Trust Fund; $60,000,000 for home care services; $43,000,000 for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT); $29,000,000 for settlements and judgments; $15,500,000 to secure EBT food benefit cards by transitioning to chip cards; and $10,000,000 for extraordinary emergency medical services costs, including $5,000,000 aimed at communities affected by the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
Senator Michael J. Rodriguez said the package also dedicates $209,000,000 in total to fiscally strained hospitals and community health centers, including $174,000,000 specifically aimed at hospitals via a tiered payment structure “focused on disproportionate share hospitals.” He told colleagues the tiered structure targets hospitals with the “highest need” and those that serve “disproportionately low income populations.”
The supplemental budget contains additional technical and implementation language, including commission extensions and ratification of collective bargaining agreements, and more than 60 amendments were filed for consideration. Senator Rodriguez described a provision creating a task force to study Health Safety Net sustainability and hospital funding.
Senator John (minority leader) and others pressed for clarity on funding sources and fiscal impacts. Chair Rodriguez answered that the money primarily comes from the General Fund, chiefly the transitional escrow account, and that “there will be very little, if any, left in the transitional escrow account” if the bill is adopted in its present form. Senate Ways and Means staff reported that FY2025 year‑to‑date actual tax collections were about $2,000,000,000 above estimates but that “that $2,000,000,000 is almost entirely comprised of non‑withheld income, i.e., capital gains and fair share surtax revenue.”
Senators repeatedly emphasized that parts of the package respond to time‑sensitive fiscal needs for hospitals, community health centers and emergency medical services. Multiple amendments were debated and either adopted, withdrawn, or rejected on the floor. Several public‑health and procurement measures were also offered as amendments during the session.
Provisions discussed on the floor and changes proposed in amendments will be subject to additional votes and committee follow‑up as the Senate continues consideration of the bill and its subsidiary items.
