Health Policy Commission

Watch the HPC’s new video highlighting the maternal health equity work of the Birth Equity and Support through the Inclusion of Doula Expertise (BESIDE) Investment Program. Thank you to Massachusetts State Senator Liz Miranda, BESIDE awardee Baystate Medical Center staff and their doula service partners, Springfield Family Doulas, and a program participant for sharing their perspectives on maternal health equity and the BESIDE program’s impact. “We want babies to survive. We want birthing people to survive. We also want to make sure that we have the BESIDE program in every hospital in the Commonwealth. We have a lot more work to do and I don't want to keep our feet off the gas.” - Senator Liz Miranda, Second Suffolk District, Massachusetts Learn more about the important role of doulas in improving the care and experience of Black birthing people during the prenatal, labor, delivery and postpartum period: https://lnkd.in/e3Jg6f7Y Read more about BESIDE: https://lnkd.in/eakz9Rte #MaternalHealthEquity #HealthEquity #Doulas

Last week, the 2024 HPC Summer Fellows had the opportunity to meet with HPC Board Chair Deborah Devaux. The annual Summer Fellowship Program has dual goals of helping to achieve the Commonwealth’s health care reform and cost containment goals while providing hands-on educational opportunities to the next generation of health policy leaders. Chair Devaux said of the 2024 Fellows, “They are our future, and there is a lot of good reason for hope.” Read completed projects and reflections from fellows through the Summer Fellowship Program Reports: https://lnkd.in/e7uUkNTD Learn more about the program: https://lnkd.in/e7tj3snW

Join the HPC Board Meeting this Thursday, July 18th in person at the HPC’s office or via livestream. The meeting will feature a review of recent material change notices and an update on the sale of Steward Hospitals and Steward’s physician network. Commissioners will review the HPC’s research on private equity investments and discuss policy options. Commissioners will also discuss the agency’s ongoing health equity work, and Executive Director David Seltz will share agency updates in the Executive Director’s Report. 🗓️: Thursday, July 18th at 12:00 PM EDT 📍: Altman Conference Center, 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA 💻: Livestream: https://lnkd.in/ep2yfVwP ➡️ Agenda: https://lnkd.in/eNHKvVa8 #HealthPolicy #HealthEquity #PrivateEquity

Join the HPC Board Meeting this Thursday, July 18th in person at the HPC’s office or via livestream. The meeting will feature a review of recent material change notices and an update on the sale of Steward Hospitals and Steward’s physician network. Commissioners will review the HPC’s research on private equity investments and discuss policy options. Commissioners will also discuss the agency’s ongoing health equity work, and Executive Director David Seltz will share agency updates in the Executive Director’s Report. 🗓️: Thursday, July 18th at 12:00 PM EDT 📍: Altman Conference Center, 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA 💻: Livestream: https://lnkd.in/ep2yfVwP ➡️ Agenda: https://lnkd.in/eNHKvVa8 #HealthPolicy #HealthEquity #PrivateEquity

Last week, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) joined health policy and health services researchers at the AcademyHealth 2024 Annual Research Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. HPC staff delivered a podium presentation and presented six posters at #ARM24, including: ➡️Spending and Affordability Implications of Enduring Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in Massachusetts ➡️Not Throwing Away My Shot: Shifts in Where People Get Flu Vaccines in Massachusetts ➡️Trends in Private Equity Investments in Massachusetts Health Care View HPC posters and presentations here: https://lnkd.in/emxHPCVK

Happy 3-year anniversary to the HPC’s Cost-Effective, Coordinated Care for Caregivers and Substance Exposed Newborns (C4SEN) Investment Program! On July 1, 2021, C4SEN was launched to support Baystate Health, Berkshire Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, Southcoast Health, and South Shore Hospital’s innovative strategies for improving the quality of care for substance-exposed infants and their caregivers. Today we celebrate program awardees and their commitment to providing care for #SubstanceExposedInfants and their caregivers that is free of #stigma and #bias. Learn more about C4SEN: https://lnkd.in/ez-zRcw2

CHIA has released summary results from the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 (𝗠𝗛𝗜𝗦). The MHIS is a statewide, population-based survey used to track and monitor health care coverage, access, and affordability trends in the Commonwealth. The MHIS also provides critical socio-demographic data that enables CHIA to analyze trends across different populations, with a focus on health equity.       While Massachusetts residents continue to have a high rate of insurance coverage (at 98.3%), access and affordability issues continue to persist across all groups regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, health status, or family income. Uninsured residents in Massachusetts were disproportionately adults aged 19 to 64, males, Hispanic residents, and/or residents with a family income below 300% of the federal poverty level.    In the 2023 survey, new questions on primary care, telehealth, and behavioral health were included to capture data on the changing post-pandemic health care landscape. Results show that among the 15.0% of Massachusetts residents who reported paying for their most recent mental health care entirely out-of-pocket, the most frequently reported reasons for doing so were that the provider does not accept any health insurance or their preferred provider did not accept their insurance plan.    For the first time, the MHIS report also includes 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱. Go to CHIA's MHIS webpage to see more information and the latest results.   https://lnkd.in/eRGjUkn   #Massachusetts #healthcare #healthequity #mentalhealth

Congratulations to two HPC investment programs and their partners for receiving PNQIN of Massachusetts awards! The HPC’s Birth Equity and Support through the Inclusion of Doula Expertise (BESIDE) investment program awardee, Baystate Health and partner Springfield Family Doulas, were honored with the 2024 PNQIN Innovation Award. This award recognized their innovative work addressing unique challenges related to perinatal health with a focus on equity. The HPC’s Cost-Effective, Coordinated Care for Caregivers and Substance Exposed Newborns (C4SEN) Investment Program awardee, Southcoast Health's New Beginnings Moms Do Care Program, was honored with the PNQIN Hospital Team Award, recognizing their outstanding success in implementing quality improvement initiatives to improve perinatal health. Learn more about the BESIDE awardees: https://lnkd.in/egDsZBU7 Learn more about C4SEN awardees: https://lnkd.in/ez-zRcw2 Pictured: Baystate BESIDE team photo courtesy of Autumn Versace #PNQIN2024 #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth #PerinatalHealth

Join the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission TODAY for a virtual information session on the new Hypertensive disorders Equitably Addressed with Remote Technology for Birthing People (HEART-BP) investment program! Through remote blood pressure monitoring, HEART-BP will support birthing hospitals seeking to improve outcomes, lower costs and address maternal health inequities. Submit questions during the webinar, or in advance to HPC-HEARTBP@mass.gov. 🗓️ Info session: TODAY, June 27, 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT ➡️Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ec7j5ZP7 ➡️Register for the webinar: https://lnkd.in/evhdgwXY #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission will hold a virtual information session this Thursday, June 27th from 12:00 to 1:00 PM to offer an overview of the newly announced Hypertensive disorders Equitably Addressed with Remote Technology for Birthing People (HEART-BP) investment program, and answer questions about this opportunity.  You may submit questions in advance to HPC-HEARTBP@mass.gov or submit questions during the webinar on the session’s Zoom platform. The HPC will post written answers to questions posed during the webinar on COMMBUYS. 🗓️ Info session: Thursday, June 27, 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT ➡️Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ec7j5ZP7 ➡️Register for the webinar:  https://lnkd.in/evhdgwXY  #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity