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About the HPC's Meetings

Advisory Council Meetings

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In 2013, the Executive Director of the Health Policy Commission (HPC) convened the agency’s first Advisory Council consisting of a diverse set of health care leaders. The goal of the Advisory Council is to enhance the HPC’s robust policy discussions by allowing for varied and representative perspectives on the issues facing the Massachusetts health care market. The Advisory Council serves as an opportunity for open dialogue and engagement among a diverse group of health care industry stakeholders and policymakers and, in turn, helps inform the work of the HPC.

The Advisory Council supports the agency’s work by:

  • Providing input on the HPC’s operations and policy initiatives;
  • Contributing feedback on proposed investment priorities;
  • Facilitating connections between HPC staff, HPC commissioners, and health care industry participants and stakeholders; and
  • Serving as a network for communicating the HPC’s work to the larger community.

Membership to the Advisory Council is assessed every two years. The current term runs from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. For more information on Advisory Council membership, please email Deputy Executive Director Coleen Elstermeyer.

Annual Health Care Cost Trends Hearings

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The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) hosts the Health Care Cost Trends Hearing each year to examine the drivers of health care costs and discuss the challenges and opportunities for improving care and reducing costs across the health care system.

The annual public hearing features live testimony from top health care executives and industry leaders, with questions posed by the HPC’s Board of Commissioners about the state’s performance under the Health Care Cost Growth Benchmark and the status of health care reform efforts. 

Since 2012, pre-filed written testimony has afforded the HPC an opportunity to engage more deeply with Massachusetts health care market participants. State law requires the HPC to seek testimony from a cross-section of the market, including providers (e.g., acute care hospitals, community health centers, physician organizations), health plans, and municipalities. All written testimony is a public record and is posted with the materials for the hearing. 

Board Meetings

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Meetings of the HPC's 11-member Board are held approximately every six weeks throughout the year. At these public meetings, HPC staff presents Board members with a high-level overview of major workstreams at the HPC. These meetings often feature interagency partners or guest lecturers relevant to health care cost containment and reform. Major reports, statutory regulations, and publications are authorized by a majority vote at these meetings.

2025 Board Meetings 
Thursday, January 16 
Thursday, February 27 
Thursday, March 13 - Benchmark Hearing
Thursday, April 17 
Thursday, June 5 
Thursday, July 24 
Thursday, September 18 
Thursday, December 11

Unless otherwise noted, all Board meetings will take place at 12:00 PM and be livestreamed on the HPC’s YouTube channel.

Policy Committee Meetings

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The HPC's Board is divided into two standing policy committees: Market Oversight and Transparency, and Care Delivery Transformation.

On December 12, 2017, the HPC Board voted to replace the standing committees on Quality Improvement and Patient Protection, Cost Trends and Market Performance, Care Delivery and Payment System Transformation, and Community Hospital Investment and Consumer Involvement. Those committees were replaced with the following standing committees: Market Oversight and Transparency and Care Delivery Transformation, with the duties and focus areas as described and the appointments as made by the Chair.

Market Oversight and Transparency (MOAT)

The MOAT Committee guides and oversees the HPC’s work in promoting an efficient, equitable, and high-quality health care system by enhancing transparency and accountability for all sectors of health care. Specific focus areas for the committee include:

  • Establishing the health care cost growth benchmark;
  • Analyzing health care spending trends and drivers to assess their impact on affordability and equity across populations;
  • Evaluating provider and payer spending relative to the health care cost growth benchmark and requiring the implementation of Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs);
  • Analyzing the impact of proposed changes to the provider market (e.g. through the review of material change notices), conducting cost and market impact reviews (CMIRs) of changes likely to have a significant impact on health care spending or market functioning, and monitoring the impact of changes over time;
  • Reviewing the value and pricing of high-cost drugs;
  • Collecting data on the structure and functioning of Massachusetts health care providers through the Registration of Provider Organizations (RPO);
  • Conducting focused research on topics impacting health care costs and market functioning in Massachusetts (e.g., pharmaceutical spending, out-of-network billing, facility fees, risk adjustment, and provider price variation); and
  • Supporting residents of the Commonwealth seeking assistance with health coverage and navigation through the HPC’s Office of Patient Protection (OPP)

Committee Members
Dr. David Cutler (Chair)
Timothy Foley
Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz, Executive Office of Administration and Finance, or Designee
Patricia Houpt
Renato “Ron” Mastrogiovanni
 

Care Delivery Transformation (CDT)

The CDT Committee guides and oversees the HPC’s work in promoting an efficient, equitable, and high-quality health care system through the adoption of innovative care models and aligned payment incentives. Specific focus areas for the committee include:

  • Ensuring a consistent focus across HPC workstreams on addressing health inequities and disparities in health outcomes among residents of the Commonwealth
  • Standards-setting for accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes through HPC’s certification programs
  • Investments in health care providers to support adoption of integrated medical, behavioral health, and social needs care models; improve health equity; and address social determinants of health in their communities (MassUP, C4SEN, and BESIDE investment programs)
  • Distilling and disseminating important lessons and findings to support broader system transformation
  • Partnering with other state agencies and stakeholders to promote aligned quality measurement and improvement
  • Joining with other organizations working on similar system transformation efforts
  • Promoting the adoption of payment models and other types of incentives aligned with the HPC’s care delivery transformation goals
  • Supporting residents of the Commonwealth seeking assistance with health coverage and navigation through the HPC’s Office of Patient Protection (OPP)


Committee Members
Dr. Matilde "Mattie" Castiel
Martin Cohen
Dr. Alecia McGregor
Secretary Kate Walsh, Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or Designee