Massachusetts officials are sounding the alarm over a possible loss of federal money for certain health care programs, and advocates said its impact has already hit community health centers.
State health care officials see a likely limited impact on spending associated with Steward Health Care’s acquisition of a physician network in the Worcester County and Springfield areas and have opted against conducting a full cost and market review of the transaction.
As Massachusetts seeks to secure another $1 billion annually in Medicaid funding by renegotiating a federal waiver, state health officials on Tuesday contemplated moving health care spending into housing and nutrition.
Health care expenses totaled $57 billion in Massachusetts last year and the rate of increase was once again higher than what state officials had hoped for, according to a new report on Wednesday that nonetheless pointed to some encouraging developments in the fight to rein in soaring medical costs.
