Massachusetts legislators unveil wide-ranging health bill that includes employer MassHealth buy-in

Leo Vartorella -

Massachusetts state senators announced a healthcare bill Tuesday that includes an employer buy-in option for the state's Medicaid plan, MassHealth, according to WBUR.

Under the proposed law, employers whose employees qualify for MassHealth — the state's Medicaid program — would be able to coordinate with the program to offer similar coverage options.  However, employers would be responsible for the costs

"It's not adding any cost to the system," said state Sen. James Welch, a Democrat,  according to WBUR. "It's just creating a more flexible way for employers to offer competitive plans for their employees."

The bill requires pharmaceutical companies submit pricing information to state regulators, and it places these manufacturers under the oversight of the Health Policy Commission and the Center for Health Information and Analytics. Legislators also set a target reimbursement rate for providers, but avoided setting  a hard floor or ceiling for payers to abide by.

A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Oct. 23.

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