The Massachusetts Senate passed legislation Thursday evening to reduce the state’s healthcare costs by $150 billion over the next 15 years, according to a Boston Globe report.
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The state senate passed the bill in a 35-to-2 vote after spending two days debating 265 amendments to the bill. It now moves to the state House, which has proposed its own bill to curb healthcare costs.
The Senate bill aims to limit growth in healthcare costs by limiting state spending on healthcare to no higher than the annual growth of the state economy. Additionally, the bill would create a new state agency to monitor healthcare spending.
Part of the bill seeks to change the state’s medical malpractice system and reduce unnecessary litigation by establishing a 180-day waiting period before negotiations can begin.
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