Publications

Presented at the 2026 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting

This Legislatively mandated report examines 2023 public and commercial payment rates for common behavioral health services in Massachusetts, including differences by setting and provider, and presents policy recommendations to strengthen behavioral health workforce capacity.

The Office of Patient Protection (OPP), operated by the HPC, is responsible for regulating and administering certain health care consumer protections for the Commonwealth. OPP is a resource for individuals who want to become more informed and empowered health care consumers. This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of the activities of the Office in the year 2024.

This report analyzes data and trends in ED boarding from 2020-2024 in Massachusetts, highlights policies that aim to decrease BH ED boarding in the Commonwealth, and presents policy recommendations based on the data, other states’ experiences with ED boarding, and stakeholder conversations.

The Hypertensive disorders Equitably Addressed with Remote Technology for Birthing People (HEART-BP) Investment Program awardee profiles provide an overview of the five awardee sites’ care models and highlight their health equity approaches and quality improvement strategies to improve access to care, experience of care, and outcomes for birthing people experiencing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. 

This issue of the HPC’s DataPoints explores commercial health care claim denials in Massachusetts, the vast majority of which were for administrative reasons, such as duplicate or incomplete claims or other submission errors.

In this annual report for 2025, the HPC presents new research to enhance the collective understanding of health care spending trends and cost drivers and evaluates progress in meeting the Commonwealth’s cost containment, care delivery, and payment system goals.

This issue of the HPC’s DataPoints examines rising patient cost sharing, out-of-pocket and often unpredictable health care costs that Massachusetts residents pay.

An annual report released by the HPC documenting projects and activities undertaken during the HPC's 2024 Summer Fellowship Program.

Presented at the 2025 American Public Health Association Conference and PNQIN Spring 2026 Summit