House lawmakers in Massachusetts approved a bill imposing more than $330 million in new assessments on surgery centers and other healthcare providers to raise money for struggling community hospitals, the Boston Globe reported.
The bill would require surgery centers to pay the state 8.75 percent on the total they charge commercial payers, which has the potential to increase premiums and other costs.
The Massachusetts Medical Society said a tax on surgery centers would be “costly and burdensome” and would “force many physicians’ offices to offer a decreased range of services, close, or sell to a larger entity.”
The Massachusetts House and Senate’s formal legislative session ends July 31, giving lawmakers two weeks to make changes or approve new bills. It's expected the legislators will attempt to combine the aforementioned House measure with a previously introduced Senate bill.
Several industry groups, including Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts and the National Federation of Independent Business have criticized the proposal. Both healthcare and business lobbyists are scrambling to meet with legislators to express concerns.