Healthcare Workers Praise Draft Report Produced by Provider Price Variation Commission, Reaffirm Commitment to Implementing Recommendations

March 7, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Nikko Mendoza | nikko.mendoza@1199.org | 617-990-2487
Laura Wareck | lwareck@oneillandassoc.com | 617-646-1037
Twitter: @1199mass

Healthcare Workers Praise Draft Report Produced by Provider Price Variation Commission, Reaffirm Commitment to Implementing Recommendations

Boston, MA (March 7, 2017) – Following today’s final meeting of the Special Commission on Provider Price Variation and release of its draft report, Tyrék D. Lee Sr., Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and a member of the Commission, issued the following statement:

“We are proud to have joined healthcare advocates, providers and policy makers on the Provider Price Variation Commission in an important discussion to address the unfair way Massachusetts hospitals are reimbursed for care. The draft report is the result of robust dialogue and thoughtful debate among all Commission members and offers comprehensive, detailed recommendations to tackle a broad variety of issues related to provider price variation.

While the report takes a significant step forward to identify warranted and unwarranted factors for price variation as well as policy recommendations to address them, much work still needs to be done to further reduce socioeconomic disparities and strengthen our community and safety net hospitals.

As thorough as the report is, it will be meaningless without action – we remain steadfast in our advocacy for the development and passage of legislation to level the playing field for and address the needs of community and safety net hospitals throughout the Commonwealth.

We thank Governor Baker, Senate President Rosenberg and Speaker DeLeo for hearing our call to continue the debate about the Massachusetts hospital financing system by creating this Commission last year. We applaud Chairman Sanchez, Chairman Welch and their staff for their leadership and hard work to achieve the Commission’s goals. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure the Commission’s recommendations move from words to action.”

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Representing more than 56,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 400,000 workers across the East Coast, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union.