State Hosts Hearing on Health Care Cost Trends From COVID-19

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) will host the 2020 Annual Health Care Cost Trends Hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020.

The hearing, a public event at which policymakers and health care stakeholders convene to discuss challenges and oppor­tunities in improving health care in the Commonwealth, will be available live on the HPC’s YouTube channel. The virtual event will focus on examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health care system and residents of the Commonwealth and discussing considerations for the future. More information on the hearing, including a registration link, program booklet, and full agenda, can be found here.

The hearing will feature pre-recorded remarks from Governor Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey, which will be posted on the HPC’s website after the hearing.
 
Dr. David R. Williams, a social scientist focused on social influences of health, will be the keynote speaker. He is the Florence Sprague Norman and Laura Smart Norman Professor of Public Health, Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Professor of African and African American Studies and Sociology at Harvard University.
 
The hearing will feature a video presentation highlighting the voices of those throughout the Commonwealth who have been most impacted by the pandemic. The video will be posted on the HPC’s website after the hearing. 
 
The hearing will include two hour-long panels featuring health care leaders and clinicians with a range of perspectives and experiences on the impact of COVD-19.
 
Discussion Panel 1 - 10:15 AM
  • Dr. Damian Archer, Chief Medical Officer, North Shore Community Health Center
  • Dr. Thea James, Vice President of Mission & Associate Chief Medical Officer, Boston Medical Center
  • Dr. Steven Strongwater, President and CEO, Atrius Health
  • Ms. Deborah Wilson, President & CEO, Lawrence General Hospital
Discussion Panel 2 - 11:15 AM
  • Dr. Madeline Aviles-Hernandez, Outpatient Services Director, Gándara Center
  • Mr. Andrew Dreyfuss, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
  • Dr. Shari Nethersole, Executive Director of Community Health, Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Dr. Thomas Sequist, Chief Patient Experience and Equity Officer, Mass General Brigham

 

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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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