Report on annual hearing of the Department of HealthCare Finance and Policy

  Complex system requires complex changes Consumer involvement needed, perhaps through tiered plans Standardization and transparency in price and quality reporting needed Coordinated care, medical homes, bundled payments—all mean rewarding value and outcomes rather than services IT is critical A slow transition is needed     In June, the Department of Healthcare Finance and Policy …

MA Law unfair to Independent Contractors – needs to be changed

Hi Will – as an intellectual Property worker (software engineer/designer) married to a consulting artist (Powerpoint/photoshop specialist) I’d like to call to your attention the following article and urge you to support reform of this well-meaning-but-misguided piece of legislation. I’m guessing that a fair amount of your constituents fall into the “independent consultant” definition — this potentially …

Restrictions on Police Powers Put Public Safety at Risk

On the evening of February 5, 1988, Natick, Massachusetts police officer William Geissler observed a vehicle drive through a red light at a high rate of speed. Driving a marked police cruiser, Geissler quickly caught up to the vehicle which pulled over soon after when he signaled for it to do so. Upon approching the …

Do Current Shoplifting Penalties Fit The Crime?

In Massachusetts and many other states, businesses are legally allowed to assess civil penalties against individuals whom they have caught shoplifting within their establishment. These penalties are in addition to any legal ramifications, such as fines, that a court may place on someone when they are found to be guilty of shoplifting. Currently the Commonwealth …