Senate continues to reduce health care costs

BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) - The Massachusetts Senate continued discussion on legislation that aims to reduce soaring health cares costs by $150 billion over the next 15 years.

The Senate began Thursday morning with over 150 proposed amendments that suggest different cost-cutting measures and ways to make our health care system more efficient. 

They approved one that prohibits random transfers of patients into different payment systems without the consent of their doctor or hospital.

They rejected a number of amendments supported by Republican lawmakers that deal with the creation of an independent state agency that monitors health care spending.

Bruce Tarr says, "One of the problems with the bill as its currently drafted is it creates not one, but two new independent agencies with their own budgets. That's directly at odds with the notion of this bill trying to reduce of contain costs because it actually adds costs to the system."

The Senate also rejected an amendment that would introduce single-payer health care to Massachusetts.

A system where all health care is publically financed by taxpayer dollars.