Whether in the provision of health care delivery, clinical research, development of new technologies and pharmaceuticals or the education of our nation’s health care professionals, the importance of the health care industry to the economy and identity of the New England region cannot be overstated. With more than 11 percent of the region’s workforce directly engaged in health care, we have the highest concentration of health care employment in the nation. In addition to the advances made in medicine, the health care industry is a vital part of the region’s innovation economy and continues to play a significant role in the economic development of the region.
The members of our Health Care Committee include health insurers and plan providers; community, rural and teaching hospitals; drug and medical device manufacturers and suppliers; independent physician organizations; non-profit think tanks; and trade groups and associations representing all of the above. In short, the committee represents a microcosm of the industry as a whole. The NEC staff contact for the Health Care Committee is David O’Donnell.
Some examples of the Council’s recent work on health care issues:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), and tasked the board with reducing the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending. Under the PPACA, the IPAB will make proposals that are to be implemented by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
NEC Health Care Committee members had several concerns about the creation of the IPAB. In particular, the PPACA restricts the ability of Congress to change fiscal targets set by the IPAB. The new law further restricts the ability of future congresses to enact certain Medicare-related policy changes unrelated to the IPAB. In short, the Council is concerned that Congress needlessly delegated authority to an executive branch agency.
In June 2011, the Health Care Committee wrote to members of the New England Congressional delegation urging them to either repeal the creation of the IPAB, or to amend the IPAB to function as a more traditional advisory board.
Following the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the New England Council has been committed to assisting our members in navigating the implementation of the sweeping legislation. The Council has closely monitored new regulations under the Act as they have been released, and provided members with detailed summaries of key provisions of the new law and its corresponding regulations. Those summaries were compiled into a comprehensive report on the new law
As the health care reform debate unfolded in Congress in early 2010, the Council took part in several forums on health care reform, including one hosted by the governors of Vermont and Massachusetts at the request of President Obama, as well as Senator Kerry’s roundtable discussion among health care leaders to help determine the best course of action on national health care policy.
The New England Council took an active role in advocating for the interests of its members as the sweeping legislation was crafted. As the Senate Finance Committee considered including a tax on medical devices and diagnostic products, the Council weighed in against the proposed tax out of concern that it would ultimately increase costs for consumers, physicians, and hospitals. The Council also urged Congress to require the Institute of Medicine to study geographic variations in Medicare payments.
The Health Care Committee also prepared a policy paper on the public option issue that was provided to members of the New England Congressional delegation. Committee members also met with Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and author of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, in a private Capitol Hill meeting to discuss the Council’s position on the public option.
Recognizing the significant impact of chronic disease on long term health care costs, the New England Council has focused on efforts to promote wellness and healthy lifestyle choices in order to prevent diseases like diabetes and other chronic disorders. Many New England Council members have programs within their own workplaces to promote wellness, and also sponsor community programs that support wellness and disease prevention, particularly among children and young adults.
In October 2010, the New England Council partnered with member Novo Nordisk, a global health care company that specializes in diabetes care, to host a forum on the economic burden of chronic disease. The event featured remarks from NBA Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Dominique Wilkins, a diabetic who has dedicated himself to diabetes education and prevention efforts.
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