BOSTON—State Senators Jason Lewis and Pat Jehlen and State Representatives Michael Day and Michelle Ciccolo joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to enact a supplemental budget bill that prioritizes care for the state’s most vulnerable populations by strategically targeting $234 million to support fiscally-strained hospitals and community health centers.
The legislation addresses a widening funding gap in the Health Safety Net program, which pays acute care hospitals and community health centers for necessary medical care for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured Massachusetts residents.
Reckless federal policies and funding shortfalls have exacerbated the fiscal strain on these vital institutions that serve people most in need, but this funding will provide critical relief to hospitals and community health centers, distributing aid based on criteria that directs funding to vulnerable populations most in need of assistance.
“While chaotic policies from the Trump administration put our American public health system at risk, Massachusetts stands firm in our support of science-based health policy and our financial support of hospitals and community health centers,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “This funding will provide critical services to those who need it the most as rising healthcare costs continue to strain our communities and healthcare institutions.”
“Many local hospitals and community health centers are struggling financially right now but will benefit from this infusion of state aid,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. “This funding will help to ensure that our healthcare system can continue to meet the needs of our residents.”
“This important relief package will help ensure that our financially strained hospitals and community health centers can keep providing high-quality care in every region of our Commonwealth,” said Representative Richard Haggerty. “With all the uncertainty around health care funding or just general financing at the federal level, this targeted money will help our residents get the care they need and deserve while supporting the providers who serve them every day. I want to thank Speaker Mariano, my colleagues in the Legislature, and the Governor for signing this critical funding into law.”
The bill allocates $199 million for eligible high public payer acute care hospitals across the Commonwealth through an approach that maximizes federal financial reimbursements, stabilizes the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, and makes targeted payments to hospitals to maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars.
An additional $35 million will be used to relieve community health centers, which continue to support the Commonwealth’s greatest share of vulnerable populations while facing federal funding delays, Medicaid cuts, and rising pharmaceutical and other medical costs.
After passing in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the supplemental budget was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey on September 22, 2025.
