"Our challenge is to sustain the great progress our world
renowned caregivers have achieved in improving quality health
care for our children, our seniors, our families, and the needy."
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-Speaker Tom Finneran
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Massachusetts is home to world-renowned hospitals and doctors, and,
over the past decade, the Legislature has increased access to quality,
affordable health care for many of Massachusetts' residents. Access
to care must be improved by making the state's health delivery system
more efficient and responsive to the consumer. The Legislature has
made great progress in reducing costs, increasing access, reversing
tobacco usage, and ensuring quality of care, but there is still a
long way to go.
Throughout his career, Speaker Finneran has been an advocate of
health care improvement programs and grants, particularly in the
area of science and technology modernization. Recently, he led the
House in working to keep community hospitals open and providing
incentives and support for community health centers, keeping added
stress off emergency rooms. This, matched with ongoing efforts to
promote, protect, and support registered nurses, has added to the
House's efforts to sustain quality care. Speaker Finneran worked
closely with the Heinz Philanthropic Foundation to establish the
Prescription Advantage program, a first in the nation prescription
drug program for Massachusetts' senior citizens and disabled to
cushion the cost of prescription drugs. This program currently covers
over 74,000 members. Under Tom Finneran's leadership, the House
of Representatives has also put programs in place that detect and
prevent birth defects; require parity in insurance coverage between
the treatment of physical illness and mental health; increase accessibility
to early detection of prostate, breast and cervical cancer; mandate
insurance coverage of many cancer-related clinical trials; and expand
our ability to care for our most needy citizens.
The Commonwealth is home to some of the world's finest medical
institutions, and due to that, about 13% of Massachusetts' employment
is heath-related. The state also has an enviable safety net for
those who cannot afford medical care. Health care costs are a significant
challenge in fostering a viable business climate in the Commonwealth.
The Legislature continues to strive to find a balance to sustain
the state's competitive business climate by keeping health care
affordable and accessible for both the individual citizens and the
businesses that call Massachusetts home.
Speaker Finneran is committed to continuing the Commonwealth's
support of health care programs for the most needy to the greatest
degree allowed by Massachusetts' fiscal situation while simultaneously
working to reduce costs in order to keep the economy strong.
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