Rising health care costs pose an existential threat to the well-being of Americans. Now is the moment for Massachusetts to defend its reputation for health care and health equity, not to be swept along with the national tide.
On Thursday, the Massachusetts’ Group Insurance Commission (GIC) will vote on changes to health care that could dramatically raise costs for the 460,000 state employees, retirees, and their dependents that the plans cover. The Massachusetts GIC acts as a central purchasing agency for health insurance plans. It’s often used as a benchmark for other state insurers in determining benefits – where the GIC goes, others will follow.
Unfortunately, rather than continuing to position Massachusetts as a leader in health care, the proposed changes would undermine health equity by making care unaffordable for working people and families. They could even end up costing GIC more in the end, as people delay care due to high costs…