Gov. Patrick Signs New Health Care Cost Bill

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill Monday that is intended to reduce the spiraling cost of health care.   WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports.

   Governor Patrick said the new law builds on the landmark 2006 health care reform law, which was the model for the 2010 federal law. It aims to save $200 billion over  the next 15 years, by imposing limits on health care costs based on the total growth rate of the state’s economy.  To accomplish this, healthcare providers will be encouraged to take a more coordinated, less piecemeal  approach to patient care, introduce efficiencies, such as  electronic record keeping and cut down on unnecessary testing.  Businesses will be offered tax breaks for introducing employee wellness programs , that focus on preventing such things as obesity, diabetes and asthma.