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Must See Video, Yes. But Important Policy Meaning For Us, Too.
Both WBUR’s CommonHealth and the Globe’s White Coat Notes have appropriately linked to this wonderful, creative and smart video, created by Gregory Warner of Marketplace. But there’s an important...
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National Health Reform Is Good For Massachusetts: New Public Health Grants...
The administration announced that Massachusetts will be receiving $3 million in federal Community Transformation Grants, to expand community-based programs aimed at improving wellness and reducing...
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Public Health Investments Pay Off
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released a policy brief summarizing four groundbreaking research studies that confirm what we already know: sustained, dedicated, adequate funding for...
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One-Two From Patrick Adminstration
This week the Patrick administration reaffirmed its commitment to health care in the Commonwealth. First, the Governor’s State of the Commonwealth speech focused on payment and delivery system reforms...
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Mayor Menino: Health care vs. sick care: Why prevention is essential to...
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston Public Health Commission board chair Dr. Paula Johnson have long been stalwart champions of public health. In a new Boston Globe online op-ed, they lay out the...
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Stay Healthy, My Friends – Join us Thursday at State House
The most interesting advocates in the world are gathering together at the State House to call for meaningful investment in public health and prevention as a part of payment reform. Civic leaders from...
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T-Minus 3 Weeks: All Eyes On Payment Reform Conference Committee. Here’s Some...
Today marks three weeks until the final day of formal legislative sessions, July 31 of even-numbered years. On July 31, 2010, the legislature enacted a major health care bill. On July 31, 2008, the...
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T-Minus 1 Week: Payment Reform and Prescription Abuse Bills Waiting Action
With one week to go and around 4 formal session left in the legislative cycle, it’s not yet time to haul out The Final Countdown. But it’s getting close. Two key bills await action – the comprehensive...
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MPHA Conference: Celebrating and Moving Ahead
The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) held its annual conference in Westborough today. Lots of happenings, so I’ll just hit the high notes. This was the first major public event for MPHA’s...
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Elizabeth Warren Named to US Senate Health Committee
Today the US Senate majority Democrats announced their committee assignments for the next Congress. While lots of attention was heaped on the appointment of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren to...
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Wellness Plan Tax Break Advances
The Public Health Council at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health today voted in favor of an emergency regulation to enact a tax credit incentive for small businesses which create wellness...
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People With Disabilities And Others: Please Fill Out This Survey From Mass DPH
[From Mass DPH:] Help influence health care in Massachusetts. The Health and Disability Program, part of Office of Health Equity at the MA Department of Public Health (DPH) is conducting a health needs...
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Senate Budget Debate Starts Wednesday – Here’s Our Amendment Recommendations
Tomorrow the state Senate will begin debating its version of the state budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins on July 1. Like the House budget did, the Senate Ways and Means version starts out with...
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Tobacco Tax Increased Today: Win – Win – Win – Win …. (how many wins do you...
Today Massachusetts increased its tobacco taxes, on both cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Back when the legislature was debating tobacco taxes in the 1990s, one legislator called it a win-win...
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Public Health Council Meets Tomorrow
The Public Health Council is meeting tomorrow (Wednesday 10/16) at the Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, 2nd floor. See the agenda here (pdf). Topics to be covered include draft...
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RWJF Reports on Massachusetts’ First in the Nation Prevention and Wellness Trust
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a report today about the Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust, passed in 2012 as a part of our payment and delivery system reform law. The Prevention...
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Congratulations to Rebekah Gewirtz, New MPHA Executive Director
HCFA congratulates Rebekah Gewirtz, who was named yesterday as the head of the Mass Public Health Association. Rebekah has been a long-time friend and ally of HCFA through her work with the state...
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DPH Listening Session, and Compassion in Action Empathy Webinar
Two Upcoming Events of Interest: The MA Department of Public Health has been holding a series of Community Health Dialogues around the state to talk about the work and priorities of the Department and...
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DPH: Asked To Do More With Less
Source: Mass Budget and Policy Center (click on chart for details) These are the weeks that the final decisions on the governor’s budget proposal for next year are being made by the administration. We...
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DPH Announces Historic Prevention Trust Grants
Huge news. Today the Department of Public Health announced the first grant awards to nine recipients from the $60 million Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. This marks a historic...
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