Top (from left to right): Conference Co-Chair Lorianne Sainsbury-Wong, Esq. of Health Law Advocates Inc.; John Polanowicz, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services; Conference Co-Chair J. Michael Scully, Esq. of Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas LLP.
Bottom: Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, speaks to MBA Health Law Conference attendees.
Photos by Marc D'Antonio.
The MBA's Health Law Section hosted its annual conference June
25. The program provided attendees with an opportunity to hear from
expert panels on trends in health care fraud enforcement, insurance
coverage of mental health care, and advocacy initiatives to improve
access to essential mental health services.
"We were so honored and excited to have Secretary Ploanowicz, a
recognized leader in health care quality and costs," said
Conference Co-Chair Lorianne Sainsbury-Wong.
Polanowicz offered insight on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) both
on the state and federal level. With 97% of its residents covered
with health insurance, Polanowicz indicated that other states will
be looking to Massachusetts for guidance particularly as we near
2014 triggering provisions of the Commonwealth's implementation of
the ACA.
The day concluded with a presentation from Representative Jeffrey
Sanchez, Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. Sanchez
discussed H.B.1051 "An Act Preventing Unnecessary Medical Debt."
The committee's proposed bill expands existing state and federal
protections for low and moderate income patients who incur medical
debt. He indicated that over ½ of Massachusetts residents who filed
for bankruptcy did so because of medical debt. One of the bills
overarching goals is to address not only acute health care costs
but also the costs associated with medical bills.