By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff
Now that both the House and Senate have released their plans for reining in
health care costs -- the former with stronger regulatory controls and the latter
encouraging hospitals and doctors to continue efforts to cut costs themselves
-- consumer advocates and interest groups are taking sides, staking out their
own ground or mulling over their options.
Here’s a look at some of the official statements that have rolled in:
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization had been arguing for a
stronger bill than either chamber proposed, with a goal of curbing
growth in health care spending to two percentage points less than
the gross state product, a measure of economic activity. On
Wednesday, though, the group’s president, Reverend Burns Stanfield,
said it supports the House’s spending target of a half percent less than
gross state product.
“We estimate that the House target saves employees and employers an
additional $11 to 12 billion over 10 years, compared to the Senate version,”
he said. “We will be urging the Legislature to adopt the House’s version of a
TME, [or total medical expenses,] spending target.”
