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3 health-related takeaways from Gov. Healey's proposed budget
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
ICE has ended its surge in Maine, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced in a statement this morning. You can read more on that breaking news here.
Now, to the news here in Massachusetts:
On Beacon Hill: Health care spending is typically the biggest chunk of the state budget. But this year, it's also shaping up to be the biggest challenge, as budget writers try to respond to both ballooning costs in the sector and cuts by Republicans in federal government. "Faced with an array of bad decisions, we tried to make the very best decisions, and that took care of the people that we thought needed most to be taken care of," Healey told reporters during a press conference yesterday afternoon, as she unveiled her nearly $63 billion spending proposal for the fiscal year that starts this July. Here's a look from the WBUR newsroom at how the spending bill tries to address various challenges on the health care front:
- Coverage cuts: Healey's proposed budget includes eliminating coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for people on the state's Medicaid program, MassHealth. As WBUR's Chris Van Buskirk reports, it was somewhat of a surprise move. However, it comes after private insurers also recently began rolling back GLP-1 coverage, which they said was a major driver of rising health care premiums. Healey's budget would also cap dental benefits under MassHealth at $1,000 per year. Currently, they're uncapped.
- Compliance costs: Meanwhile, WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey reports that Healey's budget includes an extra $30 million just to cover the cost of complying with President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" over the next year. That includes $21 million to upgrade computer systems needed to determine who is eligible for MassHealth, as the feds phase in stricter rules for recipients. (The $30 million is just the start. Healey's administration projects the 2025 law's cuts will begin costing the state $1.5 billion annually once it is fully phased in next year.)
- Biotech boost: Healey's budget would also give another $50 million to the state's life sciences industry, mostly in the form of tax incentives. As WBUR's Zeninjor Enwemeka reports, local biotech leaders say they've been pummeled by federal funding cuts and policy changes, and need more investment amid increasing competition from countries like China. " We really want to see more of that early stage investment starting to flow," MassBio CEO Kendalle Burlin O’Connell told Zeninjor, adding that the money would help companies "extend their science [farther] down the pipeline."
No interest: Following reports that major Massachusetts utility companies planned to charge interest on the deferred part of this winter's reduced bills, Healey says she's convinced them to reverse course. The governor's office said last night that she spoke with company leaders yesterday and got them to agree to waive interest charges.
- Catch up: The Healey administration is spending $180 million to cover a 15% reduction in electricity bills for nearly all utility customers for the months of February and March. Additionally, she had gotten the state's largest utilities to delay collecting 10% of gas and electric bills for those two months until the off-peak season. Until yesterday, National Grid and Eversource were planning to collect up to 6.75% interest on those deferred charges, according to WCVB.
Throwing shade: Fenway Park isn't the only local ballpark with changes afoot beyond left field. The Triple-A WooSox announced yesterday that they're building a new canopy over the left field deck area at Polar Park in Worcester for the coming season. The idea is to give the deck, which is popular for big group events, some shade from the sun, rain or snow. (Click here to see renderings of the renovated space.)
- Meanwhile: To celebrate its fifth year in Worcester, the team also announced former Red Sox (and Yankees) pitcher Roger Clemens will throw the opening day first pitch on March 27. As a bonus: Clemens will throw it to Worcester native Rich Gedman, his longtime catcher in Boston.
In Harvard Square: The Cambridge staple Charlie's Kitchen is "closed until further notice." The restaurant posted a video on social media yesterday showing major water damage on its second floor, caused by what owner David Oshima told The Boston Globe was some sort of "appliance malfunction."
P.S.— Last night at 8 p.m. was the deadline to remove space savers across Boston. That includes your chairs, your mattresses, your cautionary warning signs, your skeletons, your TV satellites or any other questionable objects you used to temporarily lay claim to a little shoveled out slice of public property.
