On June 18, the Senate passed S.3116, legislation to strengthen primary care access across the Commonwealth. I am a cosponsor and supporter of this legislation.
This action comes at a critical moment. As many know all too well, more than 40% of Massachusetts residents struggle to find a doctor — facing long wait times or going without care altogether. The share of Massachusetts residents reporting difficulty obtaining needed health care increased by 10% in the past four years alone.
Limited access to primary care means worse health care outcomes for patients, increased administrative burdens and patient caseloads for providers, and higher costs born out throughout the health care system including those in emergency departments, which report that 40% of the patients they treat could have received care or averted a trip to the hospital by visiting their primary care provider.
The legislation passed by the Senate, led beautifully by Senator Cindy Friedman, takes meaningful steps to address these challenges. The bill:
- Invests more in primary care. The bill establishes statewide targets to increase both state and private primary care spending to 15% of total health care expenditures by 2030 (currently the state spends just 7% on primary care);
- Provides more predictable funding for practices, providing participating primary care providers with a monthly payment for each patient they serve, helping practices invest in staffing, care coordination, and patient services.
- Reduces administrative and prior authorization barriers that delay needed care and burn out providers and staff;
- Strengthens community health centers by improving reimbursements;
- Supports training for the next generation of providers. The share of medical school graduates entering primary care has fallen from 22% in 2023 to 18% in 2025. This legislation will help place primary care residents in areas with provider shortages;
- Creates accountability through reporting; and
- Protects independent practices by giving them the opportunity to opt-in to new payment models while reducing administrative burdens.
With the partnership of Senator Friedman, I was also delighted to advance an amendment to ensure we track geographic equity in access to care — so we can better understand and address disparities affecting regions like ours.
This isn’t the first time the Senate has taken action to strengthen primary care:
- We directed $400 million in ARPA funds to loan repayment for primary care and behavioral care providers.
- Recently, we directed the use of $10 million for scholarships for UMass Chan Medical School students interested in a primary care practice.
I have also been an advocate for funding for area hospitals, our region’s community health care centers, and have secured earmarks to support Baystate Health System’s primary care residency program in Greenfield, as well as local primary care practices.
There is more work ahead, but this is an important step toward a stronger, more accessible primary care system for everyone in Massachusetts. As this legislation moves to the House, I remain committed to advancing thoughtful, equitable solutions that ensure every resident — no matter where they live — can access the high-quality primary care they deserve.
