Status Report on Issues Related to Health Care Reform Implementation Raised by the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

December 13, 2007 The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General released a status report on issues related to health care reform. The report discussed steps under consideration to manage financial and clinical issues related to the population of newly-insured people. Other topics addressed by the repot include: enrollment backlogs, waivers and appeal mechanisms, hospital and physician rate increases, quality standards and performance benchmarks, the impact of merging non-group and small group insurance, and complaints related to auto-assignment. The report also reviewed steps that could help the state manage health care premium increases and improve the bargaining position . . .