Legislative Priorities 2025-2026

HCFA’s Legislative Priorities 2025-2026

Click here for HCFA’s 2025-2026 legislative priorities

Additional information about each bill is available below.

Priority Legislation

Alleviate Medical Debt

(H.419/S.214, H.1350/S.842 & H.1420/S.852)

These bills ensure that people who already carry medical debt are protected from future financial harm and prevent people from accumulating medical debt by making hospital financial assistance policies more uniform and accessible while also restoring Health Safety Net coverage.

Alleviate the Burden of Medical Debt
Hospital Financial Assistance Reform
Restoring Health Safety Net Eligibility Levels

Expand Access to Primary Care

(H.2537/S.867)

These bills increase investment in primary care by setting a statewide spending target, changing the way we pay for primary care, lowering costs for patients, establishing pay equity for community health centers, and training more doctors through a Medicaid residency program.

Expanding Access to Primary Care

Lower Health Care Costs

(H.1092, H.1361 & S.868)

These bills address rising health care costs by giving the Health Policy Commission (HPC) new authority to tackle high-cost prescription drugs, increasing flexibility and accountability in the state’s benchmark process to address hospital and health system costs, and giving the Division of Insurance new tools to push back on premium increases.

Addressing

Rising Prescription Drug Costs 

Addressing Health System & Insurance Costs
Addressing Health System, Prescription Drug & Insurance Costs

Additional Health Care Priorities

Reduce Barriers to Care by Simplifying Prior Authorization (H.1136/S.1403)

This bill simplifies the health insurance prior authorization process to provide timely, safe and affordable access to evidence-based care.

Reduce Barriers to Care by Simplifying Prior Authorization
Cover All Kids Fact Sheet

Cover All Kids (H.1403/S.855)

This bill removes immigration status as a barrier to full MassHealth coverage for children and youth under age 21 who live in Massachusetts.

Strengthen Access to Community Health Workers (H.359/S.251)

This bill requires MassHealth, the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) and private insurance carriers to cover services provided by Community Health Workers (CHWs) and establishes a taskforce to study and make recommendations to strengthen the CHW workforce.

Strengthen Access to Community Health Workers
Support Behavioral Health Prevention for Children

Support Behavioral Health Prevention for Children (H.1228/S.802)

This bill requires the GIC and private insurance carriers to cover short-term behavioral health services for children under the age of 21 without requiring a diagnosis, in alignment with MassHealth’s policy.

Enhance Access to Dental Providers (Take 10) (H.1401/S.888)

This bill establishes a pilot program in 10 high-need cities and towns to provide incentive payments to dental providers if they treat an additional 10 MassHealth members.

Enhance Access to Dental Providers (Take 10)