Vital Signs
Massachusetts Medical Society
Novemeber 2001

Legislator of the Month
Senator Frederick E. Berry
District Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, Salem
Committees Senate Ways and Means (Vice Chair), Insurance, Counties, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, State Administration
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The Massachusetts health care system has a well-deserved reputation of providing unparalleled health care to citizens across the Commonwealth and the nation. The commitment and talent of our physicians is a major reason for this reputation. As a legislator, one of my foremost goals is to build on the strengths of the health care system in Massachusetts.

Toward this end, I maintain close working relationships with administrators and staff of the two major health care facilities located in my district, the North Shore Medical Center and North-east Health Systems. I know that both facilities and their providers are severely burdened by untimely payments from insurers for the quality services they provide.

For this reason, I have files S.475, a comprehensive bill that would improve the timeliness of payments to health care providers. Provisions of the legislation include

  • Requirements for timely payment by the Division of Medical Assistance to physicians and mandated implementation of electronic claims processing by July 1, 2002.
  • Restricting commercial insurers from unilaterally modifying contracts with providers.
  • Requirements for commercial health insurers to respond to electronic claims within 15 days and allow providers up to one year to dispute denial of payment.