Massachusetts House Approves FY27 Budget as Home Care Rate Reform Moves to Senate
Massachusetts House Approves FY27 Budget as Home Care Rate Reform Moves to Senate
The House finalized a $63.4 billion state budget this week, but Alliance-supported reimbursement reform language was not included in the final proposal.
STATE BUDGET & ADVOCACY UPDATE
Massachusetts House Approves FY27 Budget as Home Care Rate Reform Moves to Senate
The House finalized a $63.4 billion state budget this week, but Alliance-supported reimbursement reform language was not included in the final proposal.
The focus now shifts to the Massachusetts Senate, where budget negotiations and healthcare funding discussions are expected to continue over the coming weeks.
The Massachusetts House approved a $63.4 billion FY27 budget amid warnings from legislative leaders about a difficult fiscal year ahead.
Last night, the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a $63.4 billion fiscal year 2027 state budget following several days of debate focused heavily on the Commonwealth’s projected fiscal challenges.
While lawmakers added approximately $81 million in new spending during the amendment process, legislative leadership repeatedly emphasized concerns about revenue pressures and long-term budget stability heading into FY27.
Unfortunately, the Alliance-supported amendment aimed at reforming rate-setting methodologies for home health, continuous skilled nursing, and home care programs was not included in the final House budget proposal.
The amendment, supported by the Home Care Alliance and the Enough Pay to Stay Coalition, sought to create a more transparent and sustainable framework for determining reimbursement rates tied to the actual cost of delivering care in Massachusetts communities.
Although the amendment was not adopted in the House budget, advocacy efforts generated strong legislative engagement and helped continue the conversation around long-term sustainability for care at home providers.
Attention now turns to the Massachusetts Senate, where the Senate Ways and Means Committee is expected to release its own FY27 budget proposal within the next week. Legislative leaders are reportedly hoping to complete Senate budget debate and passage before Memorial Day.
The Alliance will continue advocating for reimbursement reform, workforce investment, and sustainable funding structures that support provider stability and patient access to care at home throughout the remainder of the budget process.
What Comes Next
Watch for additional Alliance advocacy alerts as the FY27 budget process moves to the Massachusetts Senate.