Publications

In the 2016 Cost Trends Report, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) reported on an increase in prescription drug claims with no cost sharing in the years following the ACA’s implementation across the three largest commercial payers in the Commonwealth. The HPC has now expanded this analysis to better understand the nature of these claims, including the extent to which they comprised claims for contraception services, which represent high-value care.

Poster presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in 2017, examining the utilization and variation in hospice use in Massachusetts

Poster presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in 2017, examining the impact of the preventive coverage mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on spending and utilization of contraception in Massachusetts

Poster presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in 2017, examining emergency department boarding for behavioral health patients

Poster presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in 2017, examining variation in prices paid to Massachusetts health care providers for the same services

In the 2016 Cost Trends Report, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) reported that 42% of all ED visits in Massachusetts in 2015 were avoidable, a share that has remained constant since 2011. HPC expanded this analysis to better understand these avoidable ED visits.

In August 2016, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) reported its findings that a substantial number of emergency department (ED) visits are for preventable oral health conditions. ED visits for oral health complaints are a particularly poor use of the health system for both patients and providers alike.

This factsheet evaluates the Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization, and Transformation (CHART) Program’s Phase 1 results and the impact of short-term, high-need investments across 28 community hospitals in Massachusetts.

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 2015.

In this annual report for 2016, 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.