April 2005
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April 2005
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Last month, the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives passed slightly different versions of legislation that would sanction embryonic stem cell research in the Commonwealth. Both the House and Senate approved the legislation by margins that would over-ride Governor Romney’s anticipated veto. A priority for legislative leaders, the stem cell bill is now being considered by a House-Senate conference committee, which will address differences in the two versions. With work on the stem cell bill nearly complete, the legislature will now likely turn its attention to consideration of universal health care legislation. Both Governor Romney and Senate President Travaglini have announced plans that would increase access to healthcare coverage in Massachusetts by allowing insurers to offer scaled down versions of health insurance plans and increasing reimbursement levels. Next on the State House agenda will be consideration and debate of the fiscal ’06 state budget and an economic stimulus package. Both measures may include tax credit and lending initiatives of particular interest to the medtech community. MassMEDIC will keep its members up-to-date on the progress and contents of these bills. The anticipated workload in the coming months will delay action on most
other bills until the fall. This will impact timely consideration of MassMEDIC’s
legislation requiring patient consent for use of reprocessed single use
devices. This legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sue Tucker (D-Andover), has
been referred to the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Health chaired
by Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham) and Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln.)
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