Massachusetts Health Care Payment Reform Requires Consumer Rate Transparency

On March 12, 2013, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance began implementing health care payment reform legislation adopted in 2012 that requires consumer rate transparency. The law, Massachusetts Act 224 Of 2012: "An Act Improving The Quality Of Health Care & Reducing Costs Through Increased Transparency, Efficiency & Innovation," was signed in August 2012, and became effective on November 4, 2012.  The law's nine key provisions will force health plans and provider organizations disclose negotiated rates for medical procedures and set a cost growth benchmark as part of a broad approach to reduce health care cost growth in the state . . .