Thanks to the untiring efforts of maternal health advocates, Bill H.4999 passed within the Massachusetts state legislature on August 15, 2024, and was signed by Governor Maura Healey on August 23, 2024. Emily Anesta, President of the Bay State Birth Coalition, declared that this bill “has the potential to significantly improve access to high-quality, personalized maternity care for countless families across our state.”
Despite Massachusetts having some of the best hospitals and healthcare services in the country, these benefits are not equally available to all people, particularly vulnerable populations.
Healthcare remains on many minds as we start this new year. Our legislators are hearing some of the concerns and are trying to make some modest improvements.
We clearly have a shortage of doctors in the Commonwealth and it’s even more severe in rural areas like Western Mass. This is due to many factors, including Covid, retirements, and caregiver burnout. There is no easy solution for this, but there is a simple step that could help. One way Massachusetts can make it easier for doctors to come practice here would be to increase physician “portability” by joining the Interstate Medical Licensing Compact (IML Compact).
Pausing to savor partial successes is one way to sustain ourselves in the struggle to preserve democracy and build a fairer, more sustainable country. It's been a hell of a week, even if we're working for so much more. Enjoy it!
