2023-04-04 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Financial Services
2023-04-04 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Financial Services
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Good
morning, everybody. Hope you all can hear9 me okay? Am I unmuted, tremors, and all set? Okay. So welcome back. Everybody. This is the Joint Committee Financial Services. And it's great to see people here in person. We also have people online, a number of people are at home, not only committee members, but we have people who wanna testify or at home. So this is the purpose of this is just to introduce yourselves. We have no bills before the committee34 today. This is an introduction to our new committee members who all have introduced themselves in a in a minute. But this was done years ago as a way for new members to meet you all. People that have before this committee a lot, some of you are new to testifying. But this is an opportunity for you just to say hello to the committee members. For51 the new committee members to say hello to53 all of you. The conversations obviously can continue after today in regard to to specific legislation. But today, it's just an introductory
hearing user word hearing, but it's actually just a meeting between us and all of you, us saying hello to you, introducing you, and welcome you back welcome you all back to
us.
And introduce my new committee members. I'm fortunate that I have a returning member, my senate counterpart, senator Paul Feeney. I'm very blessed to have him with me last term.
And
back again this year, so senator Feeney.
Benovio? Thank you, Trem Murphy. It's great to see everybody. As the chair said, there'll be plenty of time for testimony when it comes to individual bills. Every bill we'll get here in the session, there is a lot to consider But this is96 a great tradition from this committee, the joint committee of financial services. If you really have an information, we'll get together, hey, how's it going? Catch up. And again, for some of the newer members to to get to know you. I know we see107 a lot of the same faces throughout the session. There are a lot of a lot of111 different topics that this committee we'll consider it. So it's important for us and just kinda, you know, get to get to sail over each other and kick off the hundred and 90 third session120 appropriately. So thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to get together this morning and looking forward to the work that we have ahead of
us. Thank you, senator. And with that, I'd like you to do some of the committee members that are here And instead of me introducing you, want you to introduce yourselves and to represent and we represent, we'll challenge you from. So we'll start down the end
here.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, both chairs house and senate. Good morning. My name is Sally Kerns. I represent the thirteenth Essex District, Danvers, West Peabody, part of Middleton, part of top field part of Wyndham. Glad to be here. It's my second term on this committee. Thanks so much.
Welcome. Thank
you. Thank you, Mr. chairman Jay Calavera, state senator from the new Hampton Hampshire and Worcester State Senate District, which is in and around the Springfield area in Western Massachusetts. I spend a hot minute in the house for 1 term and believe it or not, this is actually my first in person public hearing even though I spend 1 session in the legislature. So I'm happy to be here in person, Chairman Feeney and and Chairman
Murphy.
Good morning. My name is state representative Mike Soder. I represent the eighth, what's the district, the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Millville, 3 precincts in Oxbridge, and 1 precinct in Medway. And I will be serving this term. I got elected in 2018, sworn in in 2019,
and it's an honor to be serving as the ranking minority on this committee with you, Mr. sheriff. Well, thank
you.
Good morning. My name is Ryan Hamilton. I'm a freshman rep from the fifteenth Essex District, which encompasses Haveral and methuenen. As a freshman, this is my first official committee hearing. So I'm happy to be here today and look forward to the upcoming session.
Hi
there. I'm Steve Owens. I'm a state representative from the 20 ninth Middlesex District, which is most of Watertown and parts of West and North Cambridge.240 I'm a second term representative, and this is my second term on the committee. Very happy to be back. Mr. chairman. Mr. chairman, And this is my first time seeing a lot of you in person, but I remember you from the from the teams meeting. So looking forward to a great session. Thanks.
Thank you very much. Welcome. And do we have any members at home right now who would like to be recognized?
So
if you could just raise your hand, we can recognize you at home, feel free to say hello if you're online.
Tremors.
Good morning, Mr. chairman. This is Simon Cottaldo. May I proceed?
Hi, Shaul. We got you. Yep. Yep. Look.
Alright. Thank you so much. My name is Ami Kattal Belay, and proud to represent the fourteenth Middlesex District, which includes parts of Concord, Chelms word in Acton and all of the town of Carlisle. I'm serving you my first term. And I'm sorry, I can't be with you today. I have a couple of obligations in the district, but I'm very happy to be part of this committee and looking forward to the
session. Thank310 you. Welcome, Simon, congratulations on your first committee annual with my other colleagues here for the first committee here and congratulations. Any other colleagues? Either reps or senators at home? Would like to say hello? Hello? Community members
first. Hello, Mr. chairman. This is Smitty Pigottile from the third Berkshire district. I won't name the towns because I have too many. I represent 18 communities, but it's great to be here with you again this new session.
Smitty, welcome back. Thank you very much. Anybody else online? Many members online that left us alone?
K.
Alright. We think that's it for introductions. So welcome everybody. Exciting to see you all either in line or in person. We look forward to a great session. And again, this purpose of this is just for people to introduce themselves. There are no bills before the committee. So we we would ask we a lot of people who've signed up for you would ask you you'd keep things to 2 minutes from maximum, and that's just to say hello. If you wanna mention the bill, that's fine. We don't wanna get into the merits of each bill because that will happen when375 the bill comes up for hearings. We don't wanna duplicate377 the process here. So With that, I think that's everybody381 at this point who've enthused himself.384 So I'll I'll refer to the list if anybody if you need any comments to make at this point to him. No. I'm ready
to jump right in. We've had many people out of some chair seats on an we do we do wanna get through everybody. So
let's go. Let's get into it. So I'll call the first person that is signed up. Shane Blondell, Office of the attorney general, Shane. Are you with us so?
Welcome.
You're sitting the standard now. You're the first 1 to go, so the bar is gonna be set very high. I can tell.
No pressure. Hold on. Yeah. I'll I'll see
what I can do, and I'll try to keep it keep it short and keep within your your time frame.
So thank you chairman Murphy chairman Feeney. My name is Glenn Kaplan. Shane came over with me, but I'm I'm
Shane, if I wanna come up, Shane?
No.
GLENN KAPLAN - OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL - I'm the Chief of the Insurance and Financial Services Division in the attorney general's office here testifying on behalf of the Office of attorney general, Andrea Campbell. So I we have written testimony, so you all have it. So if you wanna get in more detail to what we do, I happy to answer questions. But otherwise, I would say the best thing to do is take a look at that. But let me give you a big overview really quickly. So in my division, what we do is we handle financial services issues for the AG's office. What that469 means is we bring consumer protection cases472 against the insurance companies, banking institutions, investment companies, etcetera.
And we spent a lot of time working on insurance issues that have to do with people getting coverage, a487 lot of time with subprime auto loans and other lending issues. And a lot of time on student loans.493 Student loan servicing is a big one that we spend time on. We just finished in this last cycle. Case against Navient that was, like, $1.8 billion case nationwide, helped a lot of consumers in Mass. So that's the main thing we do is the consumer protection work. We also do mediation work though. So while those cases are about helping lots of people really do a small amount, of fact. So it's like what case that shows a lot of people.
The mediations are one on one. We do thousands of those a year helping consumers who need to navigate issues they have with services companies help them to save or get restitution for millions of dollars. We have a specialized universe student loans, and the state student ombudsman is also in in our division. We do false claims cases to help towns and cities. So if any of the towns or cities in your districts have been ripped securities providers. so there have been other problems. We can get that money back for the state. We do that too. And we do insurance rate cases. Is the other big thing that we do.
So when insurance rates are set, the AG's office has the right to trigger what's basically a a trial, an administrative trial to test whether those rates are excessive. We're the only ones that have the ability to appeal if an excessive rate is otherwise approved by the commissioner. We're in the middle of a worker comp rate case right now. And, you know, we we we try to do what we can to represent the public interest in in those hearings. The only other thing we do is we're here as a resource to all of you. So if on any policy issue, we can help if you have constituents who need assistance please send them our way. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Gabe, thank you very much. Any questions for Gabe? Successful. I'm excited, sir.
REP SOTER - Thank you. I appreciate it. I represent 62% of my district as senior citizens. And the biggest challenge that we're having right now is a lot of security frauds. Issued. 1 particular issue that came across our desk just a few months ago was a massive amount of of entirety, money got stolen. Take it because it's it's right612 now in the whole financial world right now, everything is just so much uncertainty. Are are you building618 up your staff to the point where we can aggressively go after these particular cases and and handle these cases because I got a failing with everything going on. We're gonna see a lot more of this some point.
KAPLAN - Yeah. I mean, I I based on what's been coming in, we've been troubled by the increase. A lot of it has638 been that people are going into sort of more being lured into more aggressive types of investments. There's been a lot of crypto for all that's been happening too. There's also been a lot of stuff that's been happening because of security issues on the accounts, and the issue about whether the companies are doing a good enough job to help protect that money. So it's there are lots of pieces to it in addition to the actual fraud itself. But, yeah, our office has been, you know, concerned about it, and we are looking at it and, you know, I'm I'm hopeful that we can do more to help you.
SOTER - And I would just add that. I just hope that we can because it's very concerning when you have somebody who's worked their whole entire life to save everything they have. On the other side of the phone, feeling totally helpless that you can do anything. So I'm hoping that we have a a better678 working relationship going forward as far as getting these things done and and and and kind of realizing we have a problem. We need to be685 beep that area up in your department. So Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thanks, miss Lauren. Thank you very
much. And next up, Lauren Peters?
Hey, Lauren. Welcome.
Morning.
WARREN PETERS - CENTER FOR HEALTH INFORMATION & ANALYSIS - Good morning, Chairman Feeney, Chairman Murphy and distinguished members of the Joint Committee on Financial Services. My name is Warren Peters, and I'm the newest executive director of the Center for Health Information Analysis, formerly known as CHIA. I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here today to not only introduce myself in my new capacity, but731 also introduce some of CHIA's work as it relates to this committee and some of our upcoming priorities.
CHIA was established in 2012 as the agency of record for Massachusetts Health care information. CHIA serves as the Commonwealth's primary hub for healthcare data and analytics and is charged with objectively reporting Our healthcare system's annual performance against our state's cost growth benchmark as well as other key metrics including costs, quality and access. CHIA fulfills this mission through its rich data assets, robust analytic resources, and independent reporting of health care data to support policy development and the state's provision and purchase of healthcare services.
The agency's executive director is appointed by the attorney general, the state auditor and the governor for the term of 5 years. And CHIA is overseen by a council consisting of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Administration Finance, representatives from the offices of the attorney general, state auditor and other experts in the healthcare industry. So just a little bit about our data assets. So CHIA receives approximately 8000 annual data file submissions from more than 1500 data smitters per year. Which the agency uses to source and maintain several core data assets.
These include the state's all parent claims database, what we call as816 APCD. The most comprehensive source of health care claims from public and private payers in We have our mixed database, which captures patient level, details on every hospital, inpatient discharge and emergency department visit. We have comprehensive provider, financial reports, health plan expenditure reports, and a variety of surveys, including our statewide employer and household surveys that assess healthcare coverage access and affordability levels.
Each of these data assets enables CHIA to shine a light on different facets of the healthcare system and it is really only through this multipronged approach that we can provide a comprehensive view about care landscape here in the Commonwealth. Is major that are most pertinent to this committee. So each year, CHIA calculates the growth in Total Healthcare Expenditures, what I referred to as THE, because we have an acronym for everything, as compared to the state's cost growth benchmarks, except by the Health submission.
This important metric is calculated from expenditure reports submitted to CHIA by health plans and is publicly reported in our annual report. The annual report also includes trends in enrollment, premium growth and cost sharing and information on employer insurance product offerings and the impact on affordability through corresponding survey data. Specifically, CHIA conducts two biennial comprehensive surveys of households and employers that offer important insights into decision making around insurance and products.
It is from these surveys that CHIA generates the estimate that is about 97.66% of residents here in the Commonwealth are enrolled in some insurance product. CHIA also regularly reviews bills that would require state license to health insurance carriers to cover certain health benefits. What we cover or what we call mandated benefit bills. These bills are referred to CHIA by legislative committees, including this joint committee, as well as other committees that evaluate health insurance legislation.
In accordance with statewide, CHIA evaluates the impact of mandated benefits bills by conducting medical efficacy analysis and an estimate of the effect that the proposed mandated benefit will have on the cost of health insurance premiums. CHIA works with actuaries to conduct these reviews a process which typically spans 3-4 months depending on the complexity of the analysis. And to develop these cost calculations, CHIA received input from legislative sponsors and970 the intended scope of the legislation. And consults with the health plans regarding current coverage and other measures relative to the977 proposed mandates. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Ron, if you just grab a long shot. So we're981 limited to Sure. 2 minutes.
PETERS - So over the course of the legislative984 session, CHIA is in regular communication with referring committees and leadership to ensure that these bills are reflective of your legislative priorities. So in closing, I just want to sort of thank you again for the opportunity to test find, renew CHIA’s commitment to partner and serve as a resource for this committee in the legislature more broadly. And I look forward to our work together. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Lauren. Any questions for Lauren? No. Thank you very much. Let's talk sometimes to limited to 2 minutes, but we're gonna
talk
any time to talk this session. So today, There's a timer up on the screen. I'll put it up for you because sometimes it's hard to gauge along the talking. But thank you very much, Lauren. So if anybody wants to testify, just try to stick to the 2 minutes so we get to hear from everybody today. That'd be great. So next up is Michael Best. Michael?
Are you online? Are you a person?
Whoop.
Is the channel only for Michael. I just wanna recognize senator and Mike Moore has joined us at Vice Chair on the Senate side for this committee as well.
Welcome.
Welcome. Welcome, senator.
So if you're called in your online, just raise your hand and we can recognize you. There's a lot of people online. So you just direct issue by raising your hand, and we'll call on you. Michael Best, do you want there,
Mike?
I will try to do a saddle and get back to you. Liz Friedman? Lish Friedman?
Last call, Liz Friedman. Liz, you there?
K.
Chris Stark.
This is Chris. Welcome back, Chris.
See you, Mr. chairman.
Good to see
you.
CHRISTOPHER STARK - MASSACHUSETTS INSURANCE FEDERATION - HB 957 - Chairs Murphy and Feeney and members of the committee. My name is Christopher Stark, and I am the executive director of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation. The Federation's the leading voice of the property casualty. Insurance market in the state. We represent more than 80% of the auto and medical malpractice markets and over 6% of auto and workers' compensation markets. With 24-member insurance companies and four national trade associations, many of our companies are domiciled here in the Commonwealth as well.
Much has changed since the last time that we were together to have this informational hearing, inflation, frequency, and severity of claims from both natural and human catastrophes and1153 general market pressures are significant problems facing the property casualty industry, not just in the commonwealth, but nationally. For two years in a1161 row now on our highways, We have exceeded record high deaths from motor vehicle accidents in 2021. We broke an 11-year record and in 2022, we broke the 2021 record. So together with this committee, your colleagues on the joint committee1178 on transfer patient.
We hope that we can work together this year as we make safety on our roadways a top priority moving forward We're also committed to engaging with this commit committee on the wide variety of issues that will be before you. And as we did last year,1195 to the chairs and the members will provide a full1198 written briefing prior to the first committee hearing on the full scope of all of the issues We have five bills on our proactive agenda this year, but one that I just wanna highlight is H.957,
Which allows group marketing for insurance products to continue into 2030. That is important for consumers to keep a vibrant marketplace in Massachusetts. And again, overall, while we are facing challenges, the insurance market remains dynamic and ever changing. With each new challenge comes new opportunities. But thanks to the competitive market that1238 we have across all lines, there remains affordable options1241 for our consumers. So we look forward to working with all the members of this committee and and Mr. chair. If there are SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Thank you, Chris. Any questions with Chris? See, none. Thank you very much. Thanks,
sir.
I see Mike, Mike, best. Mike, I called you a minute ago. You wanna come up and testify? Alright. Welcome back.
Just a moment.
MICHAEL BEST - NATIONAL CONSUMER1267 LAW1267 CENTER1267 -1267 To1267 chairs1267 Murphy1267 and Feeney. All members of the joint finical Services Committee. Thank you so much for the invitation to speak to you all today. My name is Michael Best.1274 I'm a senior attorney at the nonprofit at Boston based National Consumer Law Center. We were founded in the 60’s as the technical support services for legal services, and we also do a lot of policy work. My brief, over the last couple sessions here in Massachusetts and in other states has been1290 to do a proactive slate of pro-consumer bills that will help blowing on people. With a focus on debt collection issues.
As in past sessions, we have the debt collection fairness act in front of the committee out of this year, which is now H.1107 S.629. This is a really strong bill that will sort of update our debt exemption bills and make sure that, you know, folks have enough wages, even if a debts in collection, to be truly paid rents, take care of necessities, lowers the interest rates on judgments. We have the highest in the nation at 12% just us Rhode Island and Vermont, I believe. So really a really good1327 strong build that'll help make sure that, you know, working people who1331 a tough time that debts in collections aren't pushed over financial precipice.
We wanna thank the chairs Murphy and Feeney over the last session, have done a huge amount of work to bring us together with the other side and face to face meetings to hammer out and work on a compromise. You know, I think with the the good ammunition to have a good compromise that we're not all totally happy with, but that'll be good for consumers and still palatable to industry. So we're really thankful for that work, particularly from us Representative Murphy, who we needed staff and bring a huge amount of time over this. And we look forward to working with you all over this coming session. I think we're really close on this bill. And it's something that we can move over to finish line this session. That'll be really good for working people. And I'm happy to answer any questions. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Alright. Thank
you, Mr. Stine. Any questions from Amazon made? Seeing that. Appreciate it. Thank you, everyone. Okay. Alright. Next up, we have Deborah Souza, Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association.
Welcome.
DEBORAH SOUZA - MASSACHUSETTS MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION - Chairman, Feeney and Murphy, and the committee members, thank you so much for having this informational hearing. My name is Debbie Souza. I am the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association. And I am joined today with Darryl Caffee Oh, he'll introduce himself in just a minute, but he serves on our cochairman of our legislative committee and also serves as our Board of Directors.
We represent about 179 community banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders providing mortgage financing and servicing for consumers in Massachusetts. An important part of our job is advocacy, making sure that their voice is heard both legislatively and regulatory. We also have a foundation that we is member funded and we provide grants for affordable housing initiatives as well as homebuyer counseling and education. I'm going to turn it over to Darryl at this point.
DARRYL CAFFEE - MASSACHUSETTS MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION - Thank you Good morning and thank you, Chair Feeney and Chair Murphy and Financial Services Committee for the opportunity speak before you this morning. I just wanna speak briefly about affordability and delinquency, which we're seeing throughout the Commonwealth here. But in particular, in the town that I'm from, Shrewsbury. You'll see this in the pack we provided, but Shrewsbury currently has an average listing price of 577K and an average sales price at about 509000.
While that data1491 may lead to one to believe that homeownership is becoming more accessible1495 from a pure listing to sale1497 price perspective. The reality is the challenges are more significant now than probably ever. I fear this next purchase season's gonna be one of the most challenging for first time homebuyers. To give you a brief example, I recently worked with the client looking to purchase first time home for about 375K. They ended up offering over 50000 above asking, only to find themselves competing with 41 homebuyers and losing out on that purchase to an all cash offer.
Just be mindful that oftentimes first time homebuyers are in no position to make all cash offers. That typically comes from seasoned investors that are either reinvesting in the community and renting out or individuals that obviously are cash flow good from their families. So just think through the challenges that presents, both for minority homeownership and for those in LMI communities. Also, I'd like to speak briefly1546 about delinquencies. We surveyed our MMBA members. And what we learned was on average, serious delinquencies are currently around 0.2%t.
And that is a decline quarter over quarter for the last 3 quarters. That is in part of the flexibility that many community lenders and credit unions have had and have leveraged and also reflection some of the programs the state already has such as have, which has been really, really helpful. And I believe many community banks are taking a step forward and promoting that too. Our customers that are facing those challenges to help them overcome those issues. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
SOUZA - In closing, just to let you know how often we're going to be seeing you. So we are tracking 188 bills that relate to the mortgage industry and you have 24 of them. And they range in all topics from flood to foreclosures. There is one brand new issue that we'll be calling all of you to see if we can set up an appointment so that you can understand our community banks and credit unions
What about six months ago, there was a problem with adjustable rate mortgages hitting a subprime threshold in Massachusetts. We notified we worked with a division of banks. They quickly revised the regulatory bulletin but there's a piece of legislation that we need as a fix to correct the problem. So, bring a new issue, and so we'll be contacting you. And in the meantime, thank you so much for this hearing. And if you have any questions at all for the mortgage industry, just let us know we're here. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you,
Deborah.
Thank you, Darrell. Thanks. Sounds like you have season tickets to the to this committee list. Just before you get are there any questions from members or from
any
okay. I'm seeing that. Thank you again. We'll see you soon. Alright. Next up, Liz Friedman, I believe we called once. Is Liz did Liz make it a?
Yes.
Absolutely.
I'll close your online.
Yes. I am. Can you see me? Can you hear me?
Can you hear you loud and clear?
Excellent.
LIZ FRIEDMAN - GROUP PEER SUPPORT - HB 1075 - SB S673 - Well it's wonderful to be visiting you from Sunny Western, Massachusetts. Good morning, committee members, chairs. My name is Liz Friedman. I am the CEO of Group Peer Support, an organization based in1689 Western Massachusetts and working across the state as well as nationally bringing mental healthcare, group mental healthcare to communities that are in need. We work with the Department of public health, the1702 Bureau of Substance and Addiction Services since 2018, bringing critical mental health care to those in recovery and those who are struggling with addiction.
We also recently received an ARPA grant ARPA funding from all of you, which we are very grateful for. In which we are working in a partnership with the Betsy Lehman Center for patient safety in bringing critical mental healthcare to frontline healthcare workers again through support groups. And I'm here today to talk with you about a bill that we filed this session called an act Insuring Support Groups are part of the pathway of care following annual mental health wellness exam. That's age H.1075, S.673.
And the reason that we filed this bill is because of the important work that the legislature did in passing the Mental Health ABC 2.0 bill and bringing important policy forward that would allow for there to be mental health checks, annual mental health checks for And I know that you'll be looking at this issue and that that that is an ongoing process. One of the things that we are very concerned about is what we know we'll find when we start to do annual mental health checks, which is that many, many people are struggling. We know that the mental health rates have been off the charts.
We've been seeing this, oh my goodness, weekly in the Boston Globe and other publications across the Commonwealth. Articulating the mental health crisis and our backup in rooms across the state are really preventing us from being able to access all kinds of care that people need at critical times because we don't have enough mental health resources and we don't have enough mental health workers. One of the things that we at group peer support are very concerned about is the insurance coverage1823 for group based mental health support. And that we need to increase this access so that we can build a referral1831 pipeline.
Currently, when folks1834 need care and I'm sure this is touched, Many of you on the committee directly. It's certainly touched me and my family with mental health crisis during the COVID pandemic. We can't get the care that we need. So when we bring group mental health care to the community, we increase access greatly. So I'm I'm glad to be bringing this to your attention. I see my time is1858 out, and I wanna be respectful of your time. Look forward to talking to you more about this. Over the next two years and working together. Thank you so much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Did you are you still did you still did you hear me?
Yep. Well, good. Yeah. Can you hear me okay? didn't hear any follow-up after I finished.
Oh,
sorry. I know. Thank you very much. We appreciate the testimony.
Oh, thank you so much.
Thank you. Is Todd Brown1910 out out there?
Online.
Yes. I am here. Okay. You
can hear me okay?
I can. Welcome, Todd. Thank
you.
TODD BROWN - MASSACHUSETTS INDEPENDENT PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION - Thank you. Chairman Murphy, Chairman Feeney, members of the committee. My name is Todd Brown. I am the executive director. Of the Massachusetts Independent Pharmacist Association. And we have a couple bills that will be before you. This session but I just wanted to take a couple moments talking about pharmacy benefit managers because you're probably gonna see around 30-35 bills this session trying to regulate these entities.
The drug distribution and drug payment system that we use is broken. And this legislation aims to try to put some safeguards in, some reasonable restrictions in, in order to fix. This system. There are three pharmacy benefit managers that control 80% of the market. And the system they've created is lacks transparency, and therefore, lacks accountability, and is overly complex so that it makes it difficult to change the system. And as independent pharmacists, we see it because we know what drugs cost.
We know what we're paid. Through our own individual1997 insurance, we can see what the pharmacy benefit manager bills the insurer. And so we are privy to this information where a lot of people aren't and have a unique perspective. And so there's gonna be several pieces of legislation designed to make the payments more equitable across this system. Stock pharmacy benefit managers from steering business to their own companies and lowering costs for employers, consumers, everybody involved. The good news is that there's enough money in the2035 system to fix this.
We're not looking to do anything that's gonna create to spend more money. Most states that have already gone down this road have saved money by implementing pharmacy benefit management reform. And so we look forward to working with the committee to get this done because we just can't continue on the path we are on And as you all know, healthcare expenditures are ever increasing. We need to get a control over this and one of the easier ways is by putting in reasonable regulations on these pharmacy benefit managers. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you.
Howard Bauchner:
Chad.
Thank you. Any
questions for Todd?
I
see none. Thank you very much. John Gollambiewski?
John Golambiewski,
property
insurance underwriters,
John, are you on the
line?
John Golan Busky. Let me try to get back to
you.
Robert Thomasino.
Might be together, maybe testifying?
Yeah. Good morning. Okay. Just2123 a second. Thank you. Yes, Mr. Golubiewski will not be appearing today.
ROBERT TOMMASINO - GENERAL COUNSEL AT MASSACHUSETTS PROPERTY INSURANCE UNDERWRITING ASSOCIATION - And I am here remotely and I appreciate the the chairman, Mr. chairman. Your time as well as the committee members. So I'm here as I'm senior vice president and general counsel for the mass Massachusetts Property and Trump's Underwriting Association. Otherwise known as the Massachusetts Fair Plan, Fair Plans were created typically in most states, including Massachusetts in the late 1960’s. I believe 26 states in the District of Columbia are all created these fair plans back over now over 50 years ago.
In order to actually to provide but what was defined at the time as basic property insurance to all property owners property owners who are unable to secure insurance through the voluntary property and casualty insurance market. So it's strictly for property owners, indoor residence. So for example, if if your own property in Massachusetts, home typically. It's a homeowner's policy or dwelling property policy, one to four family owner or non-owner occupied dwellings as well as residents so tenants can get insurance through us. We actually insure almost 10% approximately 10% of the entire homeowner’s market in Massachusetts.
So we do have a big share about 200000 policyholders in the state, and we do ensure property owners in every county territory within within the commonwealth. So and that basic property insurance has broadened over the years, and and the legislature has redefined the term as homeowner’s policies became more more prevalent within the within the state And so that's why and whereas our commercial property book is very, very small on to 200 policies. So I'm just here to to just remind and and and the other other comment I'll make is is that mass property insurance, mass care plan we do business with every licensed property.
And property insurance producer within the Commonwealth. So We don't have agency relationships or contracts with any individual agents. All producers are who are licensed in the Commonwealth. Are able to do business through the mass Fair Plan. And so if you have any questions, happy to respond. We have work over the course of many years with the legislature, in particular,2286 this committee. We'd be happy to provide any service we can to you all as well as your constituents and all consumers in the commonwealth. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Bob. Any questions for
Bob?
Seeing none. Thank you very much. Thank
you.
David Mariano?
Mass associated Mass Association Behavioral Health Systems. Welcome, David.
DAVID MATTEODO - MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS - THANKS, Mr. chairman. Members of the committee, center meeting. Good to good to meet you all. My name is David Matteodo. I'm Executive Director of the Mass Association Behavioral Health Systems, and our organization represents 51 behavioral health hospitals across the state. From Berkshire Medical Center has a psych unit all the way to Cape Cod and, of course, we have many in between, probably in a lot of your districts. Any, we have three kinds of hospitals.
We have freestanding psychiatric and substance use hospitals like McClain and Warren Wood and Arbor and so forth. Then we have units in general hospitals. We have about 30 of them. Many of the general hospitals have units, and then we have substance use facilities. So we have 51 facilities we we get together three times a month. We have conference calls, and I hear the issues. And we have three bills before this committee. I know we're not talking about bills, but I wanted to just introduce myself and my organization. We're a trade association. I'm the executive director in in our lobbyist and it's everything to do with inpatient behavioral health.
And long story short, I left summary actually of our issues for the staff so you guys can all see it. I won't go through them all. There's no way I could do it. But basically what happened with COVID was like the perfect storm for behavioral health. We got people who, of course, had got COVID, But a lot of our staff resigned, quit, they didn't want to, you know, do healthcare anymore. At the same time, the acuity exploded. We we see great need now. Incredible need. We have 600 people boarded on a given day. We also lost two hospitals. We lost Brockton because of the fire, and we lost Norwood because of the flood.
And they took a lot of behavioral health patients. So you know, we're struggling to meet the demand. We're down from we have 3100 licensed beds. We don't include the DMH. That's a different system. We'll only run a census of 2500. So that give you an indication. Meanwhile, we got all these people boarded. We appreciate all the help the legislature gave us class session, $400 million2448 in2448 ARPA. Will be asking again for, obviously, for budget and2452 in other assistance. But I wanted to get before the committee and offer our our organization as a resource as you hear from constituents and so forth. Feel free to contact me. And as I say, I left a summary of our issues with the staff. Thanks SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
very much.
you, David. Thanks very much. Any questions for Dave? Done. Thank you very much. Appreciate
it.
Olivia Oskert? Olivia?
Olivia Oscar.
No.
Evangelos Papa George.
Evangelos Papa George?
Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Can you hear me?
I got you. Welcome. Welcome. Yep.
LUCKY PAPAGEORG - ALLIANCE OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS - This is Lucky Papageorg of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers. I'm the executive director of the association. This association represents tens of thousands of shop owners, employees, and employees of affiliate and associated industries in the collision repair process. Our goal is to make sure that the consumers are being properly protected. Once they've had a loss, and have the ability to have their vehicles repaired properly and safely and restoring them to roadworthiness.
Associated with that process is a cost and part of that cost out of the labor rates that insurers are reimbursing collision repairs to perform the chores that they have to do and accept the liability of repairing these technically advanced vehicles. I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to yourself, Mr. chairman Murphy, and senator Feeney, And to the new members of the committee, we worked well in the last session. We have submitted the exact same language dealing with setting a minimum reimbursement to the consumer, the claimant, when they've had an automobile loss.
We've got a great bipartisan support again this session with post sponsors on that bill. And we look forward to working with you as we go forward in this current session. On with us today, I just wanted to introduce him. I'm not sure if he's gonna be able to speak or not, but is our new legislative chairman, Ray Bell Sido, He's the owner operator of Arne's Auto Body in Charleston, Massachusetts. Again, thank you for the opportunity, and2607 we look forward to work with you in this current session. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Lucky. Does Ray want2612 us to speak? Ray is Ray Bell c to on the online? Welcome to speak, Ray, if you are.
Yeah. I'm online.
Would
you like to say something you don't have to? But would you like to
RAY BELL SIDO - ALLIANCE OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS - You know, lucky pretty much call it. If I start talking, I'll get into too much minutia. So Thank you very much. And I look forward to I2633 wanna thank you for this opportunity, and I look forward to working with all of you in the weeks and days ahead. Okay? Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Ray. Thank you, lucky. Any questions? Representative?
REP KERANS - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just briefly, I wanted to say thank you the lucky2650 and give a shout out to my local auto body guy who reached out to me his dad is by constituent actually. Mr. Dowling and his son, Don, and laid out your issue very clearly recently. So just wanted to give you a2669 shout out. Thanks. Nice to meet you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you, representative.
Lucky, Ray. Thank you very much for your testimony. Thank you again. Nick French Alakis? Hi,
Nick.
NICK FYNTRILAKIS - MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AGENTS - HB 1006 - SB 606 - Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Chairman, Feeney, Chairman Murphy, thank you for the opportunity to address the committee. Certainly, we'll try to be short and sweet. I am the president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents. We represent thousand independent insurance agencies across all corners of the Commonwealth. Our members are small to midsized businesses. For the most part, we do who have some large corporate owned businesses as well, but they employ almost 10000 people across Massachusetts.
And provide about a billion dollars of economic activity to the Commonwealth. Most importantly, they protect consumers, working with consumers to ensure that they have the appropriate protection for themselves and their families relative to property and casualty insurance for the most part. But some do offer life, health and other products, financial products as well. But for the most part, it is property and casualty insurance. In addition to doing that as obviously their primary objective. They are also very engaged in their communities. Many of our members.
You'll see out on the fields coaching or active in the soup kitchen or whatever the case might be contributing charitable contributions to their communities and are very2764 active and we're very proud of that. On average, they probably contribute2767 about $9 million annually to charity. So we are basically looking to have a level playing field for them as they compete with direct riders of insurance at the national level and in a variety of other competitors. What's important to us is to ensure that they have a level playing field and that it's fair Many of the issues that we'll speak to you about and speak to the committee about are very consumer friendly.
I would say that all of our initiatives align with2798 the best interest of consumers who2800 are our customers. And those are the things that2803 we'll discuss with you over the course of the next session. Just 1 bill that I want to point out, our priority legislation House Bill 1006 Senate Bill 606 relative to compulsory automobile insurance limits. These limits are antiquated. They were instituted back in the seventies. And they do not represent what it takes to ensure appropriate protection.2826 So that is our priority legislation. We'll talk to you in more detail about it. During this session. But thank you all very much for the opportunity to come before you today. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you, Nick. Any questions for Nick? Seen none. Thank you very much. David Reed? David Reed.
Before I line, David, I David? Yes. Can you hear me? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
DAVID REID - RECEIVABLES MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL - HB 268 - SB 629 - Good morning, chairs, Murphy and Feeney of the committee. My name is David Reid, and I'm General Counsel to the Receivables Management Association International, also referred to as2863 as RMAI. RMAI is a nonprofit trade association, which represents more than 06:20 companies that purchase or support the purchase of receivables on the secondary market. Our members include debt buyers, law firms, collection agencies, banks, credit unions, and2880 FinTech companies. We have membership headquartered in all 50 states. RMAI is known for operating the industry's national self right notary certification program.
Wwhich holds our members to standards that meet and in most instances exceed the requirements of state and federal law. RMAI launched this self regulatory program 10 years ago with the strong encouragement of both the consumer financial protection bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. RMAI continues to support the passage of house bill 268 by representative Chan regarding the licensure of passive debt buyers. And Senate Bill 629 with amendments concerning debt collection judgments by senator Eldridge. After eight years of negotiation, we hope this will be the year that both of these bills get passed. Thank you for the opportunity to introduce or reintroduce RMAIto the committee. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, David. Any questions for David?
See, none. Thank you very much. Thank you. Ashley2942 Blackburn?
Health care for all. Hi, Ashley.
Good morning. Good morning.
ASHLEY BLACKBURN - HEALTHCARE FOR ALL - Thank you, Chairman Murphy and Chairman Feeney and members of the Committee for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Ashley Blackburn, and I am the Director of Private Insurance and Prescription Drug Reform at Healthcare For All. Healthcare For All is a statewide organization that advocates for health justice in2969 Massachusetts by working to promote health equity and ensure coverage and excess for all. We provide direct consumer assistance through our toll free helpline that takes over 20000 calls a year staffed by enrollment counselors in 5 different languages.
Our counselors work to enroll Massachusetts residents into health coverage every day. We know right now across the common, well, 40% of residents are struggling to afford the care they need, including one in four residents who have not filled a prescription who have cut pills or skipped medication doses because they can't afford3002 it. We also know that there are barriers to critical services such as postpartum visits or dental care, disproportionately impacting people of color in the state. These are more than just statistics. We hear from callers on our help line and community members every day about challenges they face affording or accessing the3020 care they need.
This is why this session Healthcare For All is advocating for several priorities before the committee that would make care more equitable accessible and affordable. Those proposals include lowering prescription and drug costs and reducing co pays for people with certain chronic conditions, strengthening the division of insurance rate review process, expanding a universal postpartum home visiting program statewide, enhancing consumer cost protections under the new dental medical loss ratio, simplifying the health insurance prior authorization process.
And requiring state regulated health insurance plans to offer certain preventative services without cost sharing to enrollees. Which is currently a requirement under federal law under the Affordable Care Act that is being challenged in the federal court system right now. We will also be monitoring any legislation in the session that might adversely impact consumers in the Commonwealth. While I am here representing healthcare for all today, we have a number of committed staff who are working on this diverse set of issues, and we hope to be a resource for you this session. Thank you for your time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Ashley. Any questions to fractionally?
BLACKBURN - Yes. You know what? I actually looked this up right before I came up here because I thought that might be a question. It is 1800-272-4232. You can also find more information about the helpline on our website. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Ashley. Thank you. Thank you. Jason Eluvia, Mass Association of Health Plans.
I
think you're on line,
Jason.
Jason, can you hear us okay?
Okay.
Are you there?
Jason?
I'll get right back to you, Jason.
Cali Boudugly Boudugly Eric? Sorry, Cali. I know him where
he'd have
killed you name
there.
Oh. Yeah. Hello, Larry. Welcome, Kate. Kelly. Appreciate your comment here
today.
KELLY BUGLIARI - CONCERNED CITIZEN - We've had been adjudicating for a bill before the committee for a number of years. But first, I’ll just talked about the brand new processing in Massachusetts So it's We are nonprofit organization that's been in the state of over 40 years. We were established by a big future parents his children and suffered a virus injury, and they reached that point where they've been looking for more services and they're diswiring. They're not in the state. So originally, please, we have 30 days established for brand association and one year later the association of Massachusetts was established.
So we do a number of different things. We have the two offices, one's in Westborough, and then we probably have satelite office in Pittsfield. Again, our mission is to create a better future for a future than five of the military, to speak a survivor, to speak only levels, And the things that we do are prevention, education, support, and if I have a sick.3230 Last week, we had our annual conference in person 600 people came over two days. It was an amazing experience, and it was just a wonderful opportunity for people to network again and learn more about brain injury and the different issues that they've affected mobile.
We also have our prevention programs. We have a piggy head covering the host of schools. So a little bit on hold these last three years. Will bring the risk program, which then helps to treat people to then purchase from parts system, then then deploy your UI. Right? As them in thing on students' time here. Harish meant to have to speak, and Dave, anyone thought brain injury. We advocate for a number of bills. One, we've been with the employer cleaning for a number of units that are almost up to 10 years before the community. So we'll get more into it in future, obviously, with all3291 of your offices. And most important thing I'd like to talk to you about the early today.
It's taking to standard training for setting forward and being part of the private range you mentioned. It's a program that started almost four years ago. There's a comprehensive work to the state of the Union's people with Airburn usually. The work is put on a delay because of COVID. And said it about how the camera was on the initial length of her time, and he knew if I'm on a position that boy. Take your scraps. This report that we have to be released next Friday to the background on the video form. I will be coming to all of your offices with the report vendlessly with 1 recommendation of the rapport with the passage of the cognitive rehabilitation bill, which is 1 that's before your committee. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Kelly. Any questions for Kelly?
Thank you.
Okay. Go back to Jason. I think Jason's
having
Text on difficulties hearing us. Maybe, Jason, are you on the
line?
And
see you're on, but it might be that you can't hear us or we can't hear
you.
Okay.
I'll try to get back to you again, Jason. Ed Smith, real estate by association.
Can
you hear me?
I can. Welcome
Ed. Oh,
ED SMITH - REAL ESTATE BAR ASSOCIATION - Hi, Mr. chairman. Thank you for this opportunity. I I represent the real estate buyer association from Massachusetts. And we have worked with the committee over a number of ideas on different issues. III did share with your staff the roster of the folks who lead the real estate borrower association. I thought it might be useful for you to see who are the people who for whom I represent. And also, for your information, we have a number of sections in various areas that may not be obvious. To even through many lawyers.
Traditional real estate conveyancing certainly has been a a priority the association of the development involved in other areas,3426 environmental and renewable energy, affordable housing, commercial real3431 estate3434 condominium governance and so forth. And we hope to be a resource to the community3439 And I wanted to point out 1 issue that we've been very involved in the last year. A lot so much with this committee but it would be a lot of great interest to a number of y'all constituents. The I I listened to Deb Souza earlier from my mortgage bank as Deb's my friend
And we were part of a coalition that advocated for remote online authorization, which is we just recently signed into law by governor Healey. And this is this is a an an an issue that was promoted by a3473 number of plays in real in the not3475 just real estate, but in the finance services industry broadly. So we're very glad after a long effort to bring this to fruition. And The list of of members of this coalition is quite long. And by many of those would be familiar to folks and we were very glad to have been successful in getting this past.
Massachusetts joins 40,3500 43, 44 other states. Finally, to be able to authorize the use of remote online authorization for for for application tool any number of financial transactions that previously required in person notarization. And so we finally have joined if you will, the 21st century and be able to use this in Massachusetts. Not only for business, but for consumers as well. And But if there are any questions, I'd love to respond to them from members of the community. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Ed. Mindy, questions for Ed? I see none. Thank you very much. Thanks for your
testimony. Sure. Thank you, mister
Chiu. Emmanuel Dave Baross?
Emmanuel Day Barros?
Emmanuel Day Barros?
No? Okay.
Kathleen Doyle?
Kathleen Doyle.
No.
Eric Galco.
Sure, Murphy. Can you hear
me? I can. Welcome,
Eric.
ERIC GULKO - NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BENEFITS AND INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS - Thank you. Thank you, Chairman, Murphy, Chairman, Feeney, joint committee members for hosting the event. My name is Eric Gulko. I'm a small business owner. I'm an employee benefits broker. I help other small businesses with their company health insurance plans. I'm here on behalf of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals. Our acronym3615 is NABIP, which really rolls off the tongue. But that's what we're here representing NABIP We represent employee benefit brokers.
Their employer clients and the employees who receive workplace benefits. Our members are on the front lines each day working to ensure that local businesses and residents have us to affordable healthcare. In addition, our leadership has been increasingly active in government relations in Massachusetts, having been appointed to the Health Connect to board the Merge Market Advisory Council as well as the Health Policy Commission Advisory Council. We're increasingly test find in front of various legislative and regulatory bodies often submitting written comments.
We serve as subject matter experts on topics ranging from behavioral health telehealth overall healthcare cost control. We really try to take a balanced approach to all healthcare matters. So on one hand, We wanna make meaningful change to allow better access to healthcare for our employees. Yet we also know that every time the legislature passes a healthcare mandate,3672 Insurance carriers simply pass through that cost onto small businesses and their employees. Such a careful balance we try to walk. But if we can do a little bit to help people better access health care.
If we can help a small business and their employees better manage its next health insurance renewal, If we can address some underlying issues, for example, help a doctor's office realize the savings of telehealth, and then share some of that savings with the patients, While these small, singular wins in healthcare can add up to be something really impactful and long lasting, so we'll continue to work on healthcare challenges right alongside you and others who strive to be reasonable, practical, and want to make a positive impact over time. Thank you, and I got 10 seconds left. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Nice job. So thank you, Eric. Appreciate any questions for Eric.
Job.
SOTER - Thank you. I just have to say that's probably one of the cleanest desks that I received. I just as as we move forward and when you're you're coming to us, can you just please just be very specific on the challenges that people that you're representing as part of the employers because I think that's 1 of the biggest things that I keep hearing is that it's a challenge for employees to offer health benefits moving forward because there's so many different in coal. So I would just ask as you move forward to any of the bills that you're targeting. Could you please just make sure you have very clear specifics as you come forward?
GULKO - We'll do that. Thank you. Thank you for that feedback. And we'll also try to get feedback from other business groups too. We know the small business community is often not well represented, so we're gonna try to help. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Eric. Appreciate your testimony. Luke
Dillon?
Welcome, Luke.
LUKE DILLON - LIFE INSURANCE ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS - Thank you. Good morning. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee and staff. My name is Luke Dillon. I'm3794 the President and CEO of the Life Insurance Association of Massachusetts, also known as LIAM. LIAM has been servicing the residents of Massachusetts for quite some time. As a matter of fact, one of our companies was chartered in 1861. LIAM member companies are a strong contributor to the Massachusetts economy through jobs. Investment and benefits. Last year alone, life insurers paid almost $6 billion to Massachusetts residents and benefits that works out to about $316 million a day.
We have a number of bills3840 that will be coming before your committee. While we're advocates, as in the past, we also serve as resources to the committee by providing you with information as you deliberate on these bills. I will try to be short. I just wanted to introduce a couple of the people that you'll be dealing with as well as me. Today here, our legislative council, Bill3868 Malloy, and also our legal intern, Alex ACrowley, And also out out in the virtual land is our General Counsel, Jenny Erickson As I said, we've dealt with your committee over the years. And obviously, we look forward to dealing with you again. As he delivered the many bills of interest to us. Thank you, SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Luke. Any questions for Luke? Thank
you
very much.
We're
staying in the Luke's for now. Luke and TELUS. Yes.
Good morning. Can everyone hear me alright?
Yes, Luke. Welcome.
LUKE ENTELIS - GETAROUND - Thank you very much. Good morning, Chairs Feeney and Murphy and members of the committee. My name is Luke Entelis and I'm Regional Head of Public Policy and Council at Getaround. Getaround is a digital marketplace that connects car owners with people who need safe convenient and affordable vehicles to live and to work. It's free to join. There are no monthly fees and it's completely contactless. Our patented Getaround Connect technology allows guests to book cars on demand with outstanding in line, meeting in person to pick up keys.
Getaround provides insurance during trips and our platform enables hosts car owners who share their cars on our platform3944 to supplement their incomes. We launched in Boston in mid 2107, since then there have been over a hundred and 30000 Getaround trips in Massachusetts, and we've expanded our services across the Commonwealth from Lawrence to Brockton and as far west as Amherst. On his last day in office, former mayor Walsh proudly announced our partnership with the city of Boston, which aims to help achieve the goal of having every home in Boston be within a 10 minute walk of shared vehicles.
When cars are affordable and accessible to everyone, communities benefit from the increased economic activity that comes with improved mobility. But for some, owning a car can be undesirable or cost prohibitive. And many areas particularly smaller cities and rural areas are underserved by3987 mass transit options and by rental car companies. Car sharing with Getaround means more cash in the3992 pockets of both hosts and guests and more money staying in their communities. Peer to peer car sharing also has significant community benefits. It can lead to less traffic, more available parking, the increased use of public transit, and other commuting options.
Car sharing also helps the environment by accelerating the adoption of energy efficient vehicles and by limiting emissions. Studies show that when peer to peer car sharing is available in a community household emissions can be reduced by up to 40% As a leading peer to peer car sharing platform, Getaround supports laws that protect consumers, provide certainty in terms of insurance obligations and allow our guests, hosts, and their communities to safely and confidently enjoy the benefits of peer to peer car sharing.
For these reasons, we strongly support the national council of insurance legislators or end coils peer to peer car sharing program model acts, the product of compromise amongst peer to peer platforms like Getaround, insurers, traditional car rental companies, and other stakeholders. We are really looking forward to working closely with the committee as Getaround and the peer4055 to peer caution industry continue to bring value to Massachusetts communities. Thank you so much for your time this morning. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you, Luke. Any questions for Luke? See, none. Thank you very
much.
Bridget Quinn. NFL CIO. Welcome,
Bridget.
BRIDGET QUINN - MASSACHUSETTS AFL-CIO - We have about half a million union members and their affiliates that belong to the AFL-CIO. And we like to say that we serve as the unified voice of working people. Folks that are in unions and yet to be organized. So, because we do believe every worker deserves a union. So, in terms of your the committee, we look forward to continuing to work on issues and ways that we address the gig economy here in Massachusetts. Which as we know is the future of work. It's not just the future, it's the now of work.
But we want to take great care when we address issues such as misclassification. We want to ensure that drivers both TNC and DNC are properly classified under our laws and they have the rights and privileges that extends to them simply by being classified correctly as employees. We want to make sure that we are protecting our communities in our municipalities and giving ensuring their municipalities have the ability to regulate these companies that fits best for their city and town. And we also wanna make sure that we're holding big tech accountable.
Which means that4173 putting them under the auspices of DPU, making sure that Companies that come in here cannot just raise their rates for no reason, there has to be sort of an accountability to how folks are operating here in Massachusetts. And we welcome any business here in Massachusetts, but we want to make sure they're playing by the rules, and that means paying into workers' comp, into UI. And being a responsible corporate partner here at Massachusetts. So thank you4198 for the time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
4199 Thank4199
you, Bridget. Any questions for Bridget? See, none. Thank you very much. Thank
you.
Paul White. Did you wanna go? Thanks to 5, Paul. I don't know if you're here just observing or if you wanted to test the file.
Very briefly, Mr. Chambers.
PAUL WHITE - THE KAROL GROUP - Thank you for the opportunity, Senator Feeney. I’m delighted to see all the members, and4221 thank you for bringing us back together again. It's been a while since we've had an in person heatering. I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself Paul White and from the Carol group in Boston, where it's 6 Beacon4234 Street down down the way from the state house, and we represent the Bank of America here in Massachusetts. And the Bank of America is a major player in all financial matters in the United States and worldwide.
But interestingly enough, the predecessor of banks which are part of Bank of America, started in Massachusetts. Way back in 1784, the Massachusetts bank was chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And since then, you know, we've had different names. Leading up to our current name, it was Bank Boston, Shamrock, New England Merchants National Bank, Bay Bank, Fleet Financial, and now Bank of America. Bank of America has almost 4000 employees in Massachusetts We have 1.6 million digital clients in the Commonwealth, 160 financial centers, and 961 ATMs.
And the bank is a very active player in all matters involving the nonprofits and community organizations throughout the Commonwealth. And we're very active and happy members of the Massachusetts, the Bankers Association. I know you'll be hearing from their president shortly. We work closely with mass bankers and all financial institution matters. Delighted to have this opportunity to just say hello, hope that we can be a resource along with the Mass Bank Association for the issues of the company for the committee, of which there are many. Thank you so much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Paul. Any questions for
Paul? Sheena, thank you very much. Thank you. Paul Bocannowski?
Bigger online. Bob, can I help you, miss? Yes,
sir.
Auto
dealers. Welcome back. Welcome back, Bob. You
hear me okay? Yes, sir.
ROBERT O'KONIEWSKI - MASSACHUSETTS STATE AUTO DEALS ASSOCIATION - Great. Mr. chairman, good to see you, set a chair as well and4342 through you to the committee members. Thank you for the opportunity today just to say hello once again for another wonderful session. Matt, I mean, the Executive Vice President, of the Massachusetts State Auto Deals Association. We represent the 427 franchise dealerships across the commonwealth, the four dealers, the Toyota dealers, Chevy dealers, etcetera. We have over 20000 employees at our stores.
The small business men and women who own and operate the franchise dealerships represent almost 20% of the retail economy. In terms of our economic output. There's a number of issues that span a whole host of committees up at the legislature. As it relates to financial services, obviously, our dealers work very hard to get consumers into vehicles. There's a lending process that's often involved with that. We have other financial issues that operate within the scope of the dealership, including the sale of the aftermarket products, service contracts.
For example, that will be before this committee again this year. We also have a number of our dealers have auto body shops. So the auto body shop industry is very important to us as well as various pieces of that, including the the rate at which insurance pay, labor rates are compensated back to to the repairs as well as the consumers. So again, thank4437 you for the chance to speak today. We'll be4440 before you want a number4441 of issues throughout the session and look forward to working with you when the committee members, you know, productive session. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Bob. Any questions for
Bob?
See none. Thank you very much. Thank
you.
Jeff Perkins?
Mass Medical Society?
Mr. chairman, can you I think you're on line. Yep. Hey, you are. Welcome,
Jeff.
JEFFREY PERKINS - MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY - Thank you, Chairman Murphy, Chairman, Feeney and members of the committee. Thank you for the4476 opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Jeff Perkins. I'm the legislative and regulatory affairs council for the Massachusetts Medical Society. The medical Society is a professional association who'll over 25000 physicians, residents and medical students across all clinical disciplines and organizations and practice settings here in Massachusetts.4494 Medical Society is committed to advocating on behalf of patients to improve patient care and health outcomes.
Equitable access to timely comprehensive affordable high4505 quality healthcare and on behalf of physicians to support the medical profession and the practice this medicine. We look forward to engaging with you on several important issues related to healthcare and public SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
health, including affordability and accessibility of care for patients, telehealth and reducing administrative complexities such as prior authorizations. I would like to highlight for the committee a court that the medical society recently released earlier in March, which on physician well-being and the survey, which accompanied the report had some worrying data for us to digest.
It paints a worrisome picture about the stability of the physician workforce. So it's 55% of physicians reporting experiencing symptoms of burnout. This impacts the healthcare system overall and patient access to care. I'll be happy to send a copy of the report to the committee so you can all see that. Than that. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today. I'd like to offer the medical society as a resource to the committee. We're available to you and your members you have any questions relative to any matters on healthcare that come before you this session. And thank you again for the opportunity to introduce ourselves today. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Jeff. Any questions for Jeff? See none. Thank you very much.
Aaron Vega?
Aaron, City of Holyoke?
Are you in line, Aaron?
Nope.
Henry Rose?
Henry Rose?
Henry Rose?
Frank O'Brien?
Frank, are you on line?
I am, Mr. Chairman. Thank
you. Good
evening. You're welcome.
Welcome.
FRANK O'BRIEN - AMERICAN PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE ASSOCIATION - Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Frank O'Brien. I'm a Vice President with the American Property Casualty Insures Association. And I've been privileged to be before this committee for a number of times over many years. APCIA is a national property casualty insurance company trade association. We have over 1200 members. Many do business in the Commonwealth and several are located here. Members of the Association include companies like Amica, Dyko, progressive travelers, Hanover, and many others.
Chances are that your homeowners insurer or your auto insurer or your business insurer is a member of this association. Because together, we write only three quarters of all of the property casualty insurance sold in the Commonwealth, including substantial percentages of both the personal and commercial lines policies. I'm directly responsible for 4 states. Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont are also lead our efforts at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, the Latta Organization.
Which is particularly familiar to the house chair. I also help manage our efforts in several mid Atlantic and southern states. And I can tell you my Boston accent goes over really well in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Jackson, Mississippi. I tell you this for two reasons. First, we can provide and have provided to the committee in the past a national and regional perspective. Many of the issues that you'll be dealing with this session are issues in other states too. Inflation, climate change, cost, fairness issues are all matters that will come before this committee in one way or another
And they have been before your colleagues in many other states as well. Secondly, While we will try to be helpful, we are advocates and make no apologies for that, but we will not put our credibility at risk, and we will endeavor to provide the committee with the most accurate information possible. I look forward to working proactively and effectively with the committee as we deal with the many challenges you're gonna be facing. Thank you, Mr. Jam, and I'm happy to answer any questions. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Frank. Any questions for
Frank?
See none. Thank you very4790
much.
Agent Velasquez,
cooperative Credit Union Association.
Jessica Avery. Welcome, Jessica and Adrian.
ADRIAN VELAZQUEZ - COOPERATIVE CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION - Good morning, Chairman Murphy, Chairman Feeneyand team members of the committee. My name is Adrian Velazquez. I'm the Sheila Bocasse Officer of the Cooperative Credit Union Association. With me to with me here today is Jessica Avery, our director of advocacy. We are here representing the Massachusetts Credit Unions. An association of 160 state and federally chartered credit unions owned by over three million members in the Commonwealth. So what are credit unions?
Credit unions are member on not for profit financial institutions. We, credit unions, are4850 democratically manage institution in which each member has a say with their vote. Credit unions are your family members, your policeman, your neighbors, your firefighters, your nurses, your teachers, your high school students, and your local government employees.4871 In essence, credit unions are your community members. Here to talk about who we serve. My colleague, Jessica Avery.
JESSICA AVERY - COOPERATIVE CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION - Thank you. Credit Union serves 3.3 million members and employ over 8000 people full in part time across Massachusetts. We are also the lifeline to underserved communities with a long history of supporting our most critical communities low and moderate income communities, especially those in gateway cities. Often, while larger financial institutions see those underserved communities as a liability.
We are here for them because they are part of our fabric. For instance, in 2002, handsome Credit Union established a no money down mortgage for qualified4921 buyers. This oftentimes will also have communities living in a financial4928 desert or facing institutional barriers to capital. This leads many vulnerable individuals to turn to high interest rate or predatory lenders. In Springfield, a gateway city with over 20% of families living in poverty. Pioneer Valley Credit Union provides loans at lower rates than competitors.
While educating them on how to financially empower themselves. We also educate our high school students through access to online interactive programs for money planning and preparation such as Metro Credit Union's MoneySense, credit unions like Polish National and Chicabee, Saint Jean and Ravier, and Central Run-in-one in Trusbury have branches inside of the high schools. We are proud members of the Massachusetts community. And I now turn to Adrian to say why we are here.
VELAZQUEZ - So why are we here? There are historical reasons why we're here. For instance, in 1909, this body passed the first credit union law in that instance. That law serve in 1934 as the Federal Credit Union Act, FDR took that law and make4994 a national during the the the the pressure era. Here we are asking to you to continue that legacy of supporting our mission, which is people, helping people. And with that, I thank you for your time, and we are here to answer any question you might5009 have. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Jess Green. Adrienne, any questions for the panel? Nope. Thank you very much. Thank
you, Mr. chairman. Thank
you.
Tim Olson, Pew Chad will trust him Olson?
Hello?
I think you're in line. Yep. Hi, Kim. Welcome.
Thank you. 1 moment.
KIM OLSON - THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS - Good good morning, and thank you, Chairman Murphy, Chair Feeney and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify. My name is5038 Kim Olson, and I am the senior officer on the retirement savings project at The Pew Charitable Trusts. Pew is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy organization. This testimony is a summary of my written comments. In Massachusetts, 1.2 million private sector workers 43% of the private sector workforce lack the lack access to retirement savings at work.
A 2016 Pew survey of businesses found that employers want to offer a retirement plan, but many report that they cannot. The Commonwealth faces a variety of challenges because workers are not saving enough. Preliminary results of a study Pew recently commissioned indicate first, the number of Massachusetts households with residents aged 65 and older is expected to increase from 762000 to just over 1.12 million by 2040. Second, as these demographics shift, a shrinking population of working age taxpayers will need to cover the costs for the financially vulnerable.
And third, over the 20 year period ending in 2040, insufficient retirement savings will result in additional state social assistance spending via programs like Medicaid of nearly $14 billion. But there's good news if Massachusetts households save an additional $215 per month that could erase that additional taxpayer burden. So how can households save more and avoid these outcomes? They answer is expanding access to workplace savings by creating an automated savings program. 12 states have adopted automated savings programs and 6 of those programs are active.
Together, these programs are already serving 148000 employers and 650000 workers and they have amassed over$750 million in assets in just the last 5 years. Pew has worked with legislators on recently introduced legislation that would create an automated savings program in Massachusetts. So we thank you for your opportunity to provide our views, and I look5162 forward to your question. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Kim. I see J. P. Aubrey and Matt Golden today with you also testifying. Okay.
Yeah.
JP Aubrey. JP, are you there?
Yes.
I'm here. Can you hear me? Welcome.
Yes.
JEAN-PIERRE AUBRY - CENTER FOR RETIREMENT RESEARCH - Thank you, Chairs. Murphy and Chairman Feeney and the the members of the committee for allowing me to testify today. I my name is JP Aubry. I am director assistant director of research at the Center for Retirement Research, locally right in Boston College. So just down the road. What I I'm going to submit written testimony as well,5198 but just here to quickly discuss some of the some of the findings that we do in our research that we found in our research about time and security.
Which is kind of our major issue, and we hope we can be a resource to the committee as they consider bills on that topic. The center's National Retirement Risk Index measures to percentage of today's workers that might be at risk of falling short of their standard of living when they retire. And since 2004, we found that risk is about half.5226 So we're saying half of5227 all Americans will be at risk of having to lower their standard of living in retirement. And the need for retirement income is only growing. Right? So the retirement spans growing longer.
People are living longer, but they're not working that much longer. Retire retiree health costs are rising,5244 and the availability of retirement income is declining. Social Security, as we get giving you less than it used to. And half of private sector workers, most importantly, don't have another retirement plan through their employer. As Kim was mentioning. And so those with those that do have a plan, they usually don't end up with enough. And Many of those that don't have a plan. They work for small employers and are more likely to be low earning, women, and other marginalized groups.
You know, the federal government has had some programs to try to help ameliorate some of these issues, making it easier for part time workers to get in 4 0 one's. Or in facilitating ways for small employers to make plans, but those really haven't moved the needle. But States have started to step in. And so where Kim has pointed out that there are 6 states now with active and running plans, and we hope that we can help on of the committee understand more about their retirement security challenge and what these states are doing as they consider bills going forward. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, JP. In in Matt Matt Golden, would you like to also testify in Matt?
MATHEW GOLDEN - VESTWELL - Yes. Thank you, Chairman Murphy. Good morning. My name is Matt Golden. I'm with Vestwell. Vestwell is a private financial technology company. And we act as the program administrator for five state run auto IRA programs that Kim and JP mentioned. And so We partner as the program administrator to help employers register and facilitate payroll deduction for their employees and to provide all the communications to employers and employees to sign up and participate in state run auto area programs. I'm a resident in Massachusetts. I live here in Hanover and just wanted to offer my assistance as this committee in the House and the Senate can centers, this bill going forward. So thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you, Matt. Any questions for the panel? See you, none. Thank you very
much. Thank you.
Daphne Murphy,
Mass Bagger's Association?
Welcome, Kathleen.
5383 KATHLEEN5383 MURPHY5383 -5383 MASSACHUSETTS5383 BANKERS5383 ASSOCIATION5383 -5383 Good5383 morning. Good morning. Chair Murphy and Chair Feeney and Members of the Committee. My name is Kathleen Murphy. I'm President and CEO of the Massachusetts Bankers Association. I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to appear before you today. Our members are FDIC insured institutions across the Commonwealth. They employ about 70000 bank employees and are in and operate in over 2000 branches across the commonwealth. We come to this committee quite a bit.
Advocacy is our top priority, although we also are involved in training and education programs for our members. And financial literacy efforts in communities across the Commonwealth. Wanted to spotlight just 2 things in terms of our industry leadership. 1 seems like maybe it was a long time ago, but the paycheck protection program that was put in place to help small businesses during the pandemic is something that our members were very involved in. In fact, they made over 113,000 loans to preserving 1.1 million jobs. And also, those loans help to support 73%of the small business payroll across the Commonwealth.
And then most recently, with the closure5455 of Silicon Valley Bank, our members stepped forward. They were communicating very early with their clients. And explain that they were here to help. They've opened accounts for Silicon Valley Bank customers. That was a very unique situation. That bank was not a member of our association, very focused and concentrated in their assets and their investments. And so our members are FDIC insured institutions. They range among the smallest institutions to the largest, the vast majority of our members our mutual institutions.
And they have really served in a really important role of settling the concern that had arisen when the FDIC stepped into close. To close that bank on March the tenth. So they are continuing to reassure5503 their customers and are there as a resource. And I mentioned that because if you have clients or I'm sorry, if you have constituents that have a concern related to that in terms of their business and their focus, please let us know we can help them find an institution that can help them. As I mentioned, we have many issues that come for this committee and look forward to being a resource to you. And to the staff as you work through those issues. And5528 thank you for the opportunity today. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Kathleen. Any questions5531 for Kathleen?
She
and none. Thank you very
much.
Bob Wolfsburg. Bob Wolfsburg. I think you're online.
Yeah. Hello? Hi, Bob.
Good morning. Good morning.
BOB WOLFBERG - PLS FINANCIAL SERVICES - HB 1106 - Good morning. Chair Murphy and Chair Feeney. My name is Bob Wolfberg. I am the president of PLS Financial Services. I had the opportunity to work with many5557 of you over the past years, but to those5559 of you new to the committee, PLS is the largest licensed community financial service provider in Massachusetts, and we are fully licensed and regulated by the individual banks. We operate more than 200 community financial service centers in 12 states, including 11 in the Commonwealth. Our customers relying us for financial services.
Including our free money5582 orders, discount check cashing, money transfers, prepaid debit cards and bill payment. We are a discounter and charge 1 of the lowest check-in rates in the contrary approximately half the industry average. Additionally, our money orders are free compared to the $1.75 to $2.40 fee charge, but a US post office. PLS employs approximately 4000 people nationally, including about a 150 people in the Boston area. Our employees are from the communities we serve. We pride ourselves on promoting our leadership from within and from the communities we serve.
For example, our Vice President of Operations for the Northeast United States, which includes Massachusetts, began his career at PLS as a teller. In the previous session, PLS test testified5635 in what is now house 1106 relative to money transmission by5640 the division of banks, We look forward5642 to working with the committee again in this bill when it comes up for the hearing to fine tune the legislation to account for some issues. That are very specific to our particular licensing structure here in Massachusetts. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you for the opportunity to introduce myself and PLS today. And I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank
you, Bob. Any questions to Bob? Seeing none. Thank you very
much.
Thank you. Sandy Mospret?
Climate action? Sandy, are you on online?
Sandy Musk prep? Climate action?
Matthew Burrard. Matthew?
Matthew Burad Napa.
Good morning, Tim Murphy. This is Josh O'Gara. I'm actually gonna be stepping in for for Matt this morning. So thank you for the invitation, and good morning.
Thank You. Welcome,
JOSHUA O'GARA - NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS - Good morning chairman Feeney. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. And as I said, my name is Josh O’Gara. I'm the state president with the National Associate some insurance and financial advisers. NAIFA was actually founded here in Boston back in 1890. So we have a long history of advocating on behalf of our clients. We have about 400 members here in the state and about 20000 members across the country. NAIFA members really cover the entire spectrum of the financial services industry.
Myself, I run a insurance and employee benefits practice in Woburn, but we have every all different types of advisors if it's, you know, just insurance agents, financial advisors, investment advisors, financial planners, So the reason I bring that up is is we're here to be a resource for the committee. If there are questions that I don't have the answer to, I know there are somebody within the organization that can help answer any questions that you may have around any sort of subject matter in the financial services. Arena. We do have three bills that have been filed this session.
So we will be having Meaning is to discuss those, one bill pertaining to to continue education credit here in the state. Another bill requiring brokers to be notified when insurance companies are going to lapse in insurance policy currently. That can happen without us being notified. And then our requirement to turn around medical records in a timely fashion for underwriting purposes. Again, we'll be scheduling meetings individually with everybody on the committee, but thank you again for the time this morning and look forward to working together. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Josh, thank you very much. Any questions for Josh? None. Thank you very
much.
Kelly. I'm sorry. Molly Goodman, the Midas Collaborative. Molly Goodman.
Molly Goodman.
Bill Lair, United Way, to Manamak Valley? I built.
I've taken it wrong. It's a well
I will. Sorry. Will.
Not a problem at all.
Welcome. Anybody with you, Will?
No. My5860 other members of my5861 team unfortunately didn't make5862 it there in Narrowborough.
Okay. Thank you. Welcome. Thank
you.
WILLIAM LEHRER - UNITED WAY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY AND MERRIMACK VALLEY - HB 1023 - SB 628 - Hi. Good morning. Chairman Feeney members of the committee, and Chairman Murphy and Chairman Murphy, members committee, and you could see you again. My name is Will Lehrer. And I am the director of policy in the United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley. As you may know, this year, we've we've been working to redesign our organizational strategy focused on ensuring access to financial well-being is universal, a product. Race, ethnicity, and income level in the Commonwealth.
We have identified five areas of focus for this new vision, safe and stable housing, early education at school time using young adult pathways, but importantly for the committee, economic inclusion and wealth building. I wanna highlight it for5909 the things that our United Way is doing in community to support that support that goal. We are furthering financial literacy, stability, and well-being to families and individuals to save the way that they want to, they're to their self define financial goals. We provide unrestricted grant funding, technical assistance.
And capacity building to financial empowerment agencies and their financial posters across Eastern Massachusetts. United Way has consistently looked at two for low cost high quality professional development. Her coach is piloting a national certification training for for this IFRS financial services. Along with training, we provide monthly community practice sessions spark new partnerships and5959 sharing best practices with financial coaches. In Boston, we support collective impact with Boston Bill's credit.
To increase financial mobility for those who have been denied access to economic mobility because of historic and systemic racism and bigotry5976 throughout the through the direct service system change. And safe and affordable financial products. We work with partners to assess pilot and scale effective strategies or black Latino and low modern income communities to achieve their financial dreams. This year, we have 1 important bill, which is excuse me,6001 H.1023 S.628.
It's a6007 financial urgency match savings bill. We've spoken to many members of the committee about it already, and we look to, you know, post that this year. Very excited about it. Working on it with the the latest collaborative to Molly. That was the previous member. Mhmm. Unfortunately, it's not here today, so it could not make make the change. But it's thank you to the committee for giving me a chance to speak today, and I look to look forward to working with you all going forward. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Will.6032 Thank you very much. The question I need was Yeah. The question to Will. So,
SEN FEENEY - Mr. Chairman I just wanna mention, Will said the rest of the team's down on Alvaro. Exactly. Breaking ground in about two hours on a commenced boiler positive project in a shot of it. So, hopefully. I'll sync it to be down there and reach anywhere from back.
LEHRER - Yeah. Because steel will be down there and, Carlos. So. Thank you so much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you,
6052 Will.6052
Bob, Paul Andreio.
Hi, Bob.
Welcome back.
BOB COLANDREA - ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM - Chairman Murphy, Chairman Feeney, members of the committee. My name is Bob Colandrea with you know, health science professor at the University and the director of the athletic training program and also the government affairs committee chair and a vice president of the athletic trainers in that Massachusetts. The athletic trainers in Massachusetts represents the interests of the approximately 1500 of licensed athletic trainers in the commonwealth.
Most of you are probably familiar with the athletic trainer as a healthcare provider who runs on being able to an athlete's engine during practice or game situation. However, over the last 20 years now. Political training profession has services have been sought out by other entities within healthcare such as doctors, offices, and rehabilitation clinics. And our services were also being sought after by different industries and public safety entities like police and fire departments. Our legislative agenda, this session is to work to bring our licensure regulations up to 2023 standards.
Not 1983 standards when we first attend licensure. And we'll be working with this committee specifically on a bill for insurance reimbursement for our athletic trainers to6140 work in the hospital and rehabilitation clinics. Our goal with that reimbursement is that we'll actually be to expand our athletic training services out into air to high schools at a reduced cost to the school systems. Our bill was before this committee last session that was reported favorably. Hopefully, we can achieve that same goal this year and be a resource to you if you have any questions on that goal discussion. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Bob. Miss Jennifer can join us now with us. Okay. I
wanna
make sure we6166 didn't miss her. Okay. Thank you for today. Any questions for Bob? None. Thank you very much.
Mike Faribanian?
So
Mike?
Welcome,
Mike.
Yeah. That display.
MICHAEL VARTABEDIAN - INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE - SB 666 - HB 1099 - Good afternoon, Chairman Murphy. Chairman of Feenie, members of the committee. I wanna thank you guys for the opportunity here to speak to you today. My name is Michael Vartabedian I am the district 15 assistant directing business representative of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace. I'm also speaking here today on behalf of Roxana Rivera, the assistant to the President and the Executive Vice President of 32BJ SEIU. Whom we are working with in partnership and who has reviewed this testimony.
Our unions are working hard to and the exploitation of tens of thousands of hardworking Massachusetts workers who drive for Uber and Lyft. We've been working with the drivers across the state for two years to determine what they would like to see. First and foremost, drivers want a union to have a voice in the job. With the union, they can fight for better weight, better working conditions and be protected against being arbitrarily thrown off the platforms. They want to earn enough to be able to feed their families. They want the basic protections of all employees in mass that Massachusetts in Massachusetts.
And get including fair wages, workers compensation protections, discrimination protections, and paid sick and family leave. There's only one bill before you do this session that gives these workers all these rights and protections. S.666 and H.1099. Even when the attorney general's lawsuit is successful and these workers are declared employees under state law. They still will not have the right to unionize under federal law. Massachusetts has faced this problem with workers in the past, including home health care, home health and childcare workers. And the legislature has stepped in to give those workers the right to form a union under state law. Y
You need to do that again for these drivers. Our bill does not classify workers as independent contractors, It does not address6316 whether drivers are considered independent contractors or employees under existing6320 legal tests. Our bill does not undermine the state attorney general pending lawsuit or the ABC test or carve these drivers out of state employment laws. It adds gig drivers into existing standards. They currently enjoy none of these. But with the improvement to these improvements to those standards, while the pending litigation plays out and that we guarantee that they are covered in the meantime.
There's a belt and suspenders approach. We're all concerned that employees are always look employers are always looking for ways to cut their workers out of state protections. Because our bill expressively covers workers, under state law, employment provisions,6366 and gives them6367 an easier path to unionization go be it will discourage employers from trying the same tactics to their workforce. We have seen with the recent court ruling California that when the companies go to the ballot, they win. Massachusetts legislature has an opportunity to win for the worker and we urge you to seize it. Thank you for your time today. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you,
Mike. I have other people in the panel that would that were for sure. Signed up to speak.
BEVAN - DRIVERS DEMAND JUSTICE COALITION - Good morning. My name is Bevan. I'm a technicianist union, and the Drivers Demand Justice coalition. I'm fighting for the writer for the ride shared driver just to spill because we need voice on the job. I have been protesting in in support of this legislation was my fellow drivers for Months and have been hoping for a bill like this for years. I usually work 60 to 70 hours. It wasn't always like this. But over the past few years, few years, I have had to work longer hours just to make the same money I used to make in less time. As a mother of three child, I want to be able to afford to spend time with my family too.
Driving is my livelihood. I am it's my career. That rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft don't don't have to provide us with basic work protections. Unemployment insurance, most importantly, the rights to a union. And there are actively trying to silence our voices in Massachusetts and also all over the country. We we so we remain unable to organize a union The majority of over and lift drivers in our states are immigrants and people of color. Please let us have the voice too. We look forward to discuss our view further as we ask, please to stacked up with thousands of hardworking moms and other peoples in messages such residents and supports that Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you.
Good morning. My name is Elizabeth Lopez, and I'll be transferring for him.
JEFFERSON SANTOS - DRIVERS DEMAND JUSTICE COALITION - He said that, good morning. My name is6522 Jefferson Santos, and I'm currently an Uber driver and a Lyft driver. I'm a driver that have been that has been deactivated since the month of November? I depend from Uber and Lyft. His family also depends on them. He had just purchased a brand new vehicle to pursue his job as an Uber and Lyft driver. He spent over $59,000 on that vehicle. And Uber decided to deactivate his account. And now he doesn't have enough income to cover his expenses. Prior to that, he had a car accident. And because of the result of a car accident Uber and Lyft is, like, the most assessable job where he can meet his needs as as father for his family. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
PEDRO CASTRO - DRIVERS DEMAND JUSTICE COALITION - Good morning. My name is Pedro Castro. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to or opinions I've been an Uber driver since 2012. And ever since, we've been fighting for our rights and will be the service Uber and Lyft drivers. And in the past6653 few months, we have to double the amount of hours that we had to work in order to cover our expenses. Thank you for the past few months we've been organizing with other drivers coming here to the state house, talking to legislators and senators.
Because we do wanna organize all of the drivers to defend ourselves and have a union that will speak up for us and give us what we deserves as workers. We are hundreds of thousands of drivers coming from all different countries,6744 all different cities in the state of Massachusetts. And with this built, is the only opportunity that6751 we have to organize ourselves speak up for what we deserve. And hopefully, we can unionize and get something better for other drivers as well. We will all work together to pass this this allegedly sorry. And thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate this SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Like I said, that's it for the panel. That's it. Okay. Like, thank you to you into the panel. Any any questions for the panel? Thank you for taking your time out of the day today. Thank
you. Thank you. We look forward to working with you guys. Thank
you.
Ellie Moe, Ellie Mulp Peter. Ellie Mulp Peter Academy of Lactation Policy.
Hi there. Can you hear me okay?
Yes. Hi, Ali. Welcome.
ELLIE MULPETER - ACADEMY OF LACTATION. POLICY AND PRACTICE - HB 1045 - SB 713 - Great. Thank you so much. Thank you, Chairman Feeney and Chairman Murphy and members of the committee for the opportunity to introduce myself today. My name is Ellie Mulpeter, and I'm the director of the Academy of Lactation. Policy and Practice. And we are the certification body for the certified lactation counselor or the CLC professional credential. We do have two bills referred to the Committee House Bill 1045 and Senate Bill 713 team, which we do support. Our mission is to promote breastfeeding and equitable access to lactation care and services.
We do so by providing the CLC certification program, which identifies a qualified lactation care professional. There is a consensus that there are significant benefits to healthy breastfeeding from mothers and babies. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, type 1 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome and6868 among other conditions. Breastfeeding can also reduce a mother's risk of breast and ovarian cancer. There was a consensus also that breastfeeding rates are lower than optimal in the United States and in the commonwealth. In addition to health benefits, increasing breastfeeding rates are estimated to produce significant cost savings, and I won't go into all6888 of those.
But just to sum up a few optimal breastfeeding could prevent around $19000 worth in lifetime medical costs of childhood obesity. $2.88 billion in medical costs for ear infections in children, $500 million to $1 billion annually. For cases of necrotizing, necrotizing enteric colitis, that one's always a mouthful. And in terms of protecting parents who have given birth, it can prevent breast cancer type two diabetes and hypertension, which we know are billions of dollars in medical costs. So6927 we know that knowledgeable and competent lactation support is needed to increase low rates of breastfeeding in the US.
We're supporting legislation that provides for reimbursement by private health insurers and mass health to support qualified lactation care providers. As of today, there are6943 928 CLCs. I see amount of time, but 928 CLCs in the Commonwealth, and it's our firm belief that we do need more qualified lactation support providers, so we do support their reimbursement. So I just wanted to say thank you. We work forward to working you all, and I'm available as a resource to ask any questions. I do have a colleague Eugene Curry who was signed up on a panel with me, but I'm not sure if that came through. So if it's if it's available, I would6970 love for him to be able to just speak to a couple other points. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Sure. Eugene, are6975 you on the line?
EUGENE CURRY - ACADEMY OF LACTATION. POLICY AND PRACTICE - I am on the line. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Chairman, Feeney, and Vice Chairman, Moore and Committee members. I just wanted to add to Ellie's comments that the interventions to promote healthy breastfeeding were included in the broad range of prevented service is covered by the Affordable Care Act as recommended by the preventative service task force.
As you you probably know on Thursday of last week, a Federal District Court judge in Texas held by federal agency action to implement those recommendations was unconstitutional. While this decision is almost certainly going to be appealed, We think that it really illustrates the need for individual states such as the commonwealth to take action to ensure the availability of these preventative services including support for healthy breastfeeding. I'm available to answer any questions. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much. Any questions for the panel? C9. Thank you very
much. Thank you.
Jeff
Perkins, Mass Medical Society?
Jeff, are you on line, Jeff, Jeff Perkins, Mass Medical Society?
I knew he was online. Did he you see him anywhere?
Oh, he did?
Okay.
Patrick, Kate.
Branger.
Welcome,
Kate.
Welcome.
I'm
really really
KATIE FRANGER - UBER - Thank you for hosting this informational hearing and the opportunity to introduce my myself. My name is Katie Franger, and I'm on the Northeast public policy team at Uber. And I'm here today to demonstrate our limit to working with policymakers on a host of issues this session. Firstly, Uber is cloud to be a partner of the Commonwealth since launching in 2012, Uber's platform has7111 connected millions of people with7113 rides. Picking them up from the airport, getting them home safe, rescue a night out, to work, to doctors appointments, and everywhere in between.
Uber drivers have truly become a vital part of connectivity and community in Massachusetts. And in the year 2022 alone, Uber's platform saw 43 million trips and over 25000 individuals who earned income through the platform. Throughout the years, we have seen this committee in particular lead the way in establishing a strong regulatory structure. 1 that ensures public safety and most notably during the debate eventual during the debate and eventual passage in the 20 team landmark legislation creating a permanent framework for TNCs in the Commonwealth. And while we're proud of Uber's rides business that has become an important piece of the transportation ecosystem here.
The service has also expanded to include delivery. Which has become another popular tool and resource in the commonwealth, increasing food options for base saters everywhere and supporting the growth of small businesses, especially during the past few years during the pandemic when we all had to learn how to travel and enjoy our cities differently. In more recent years, Uber and Lyft partnered with the MBTA to provide rides for the systems paired to trans program. Reducing per trip costs by over 80%t while also increasing7207 ridership and higher levels of7209 customer satisfaction. And as we look forward.
The company is listening to drivers and eager to build a historic set of benefits and protections unique to their needs. We're also diligently acting on our commitment to by 2030. And we're dedicated to being partners in Massachusetts efforts to reach this state in particular exemplary goals. So basically, that's I'm here today just to show you that we share your goals and wanted to come to the table to emphasize that we are eager to be part of creative problem solving that it takes to pass important legislation that impacts all residents in the state. And I hope you see me and our platform as a collaborator and solution oriented. And pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to working with you this session. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Kate. Any questions for Kate? See you now. Thank you very much. For Mass Medical Siding, anybody besides
Jeff, I
had
I had Jeff here twice, but doctor Ted Coliano says he retired now
or
Okay.
Okay. So Jeff, that's it. I'm asked about it, but just Jeff, okay, get him down twice here. Thank you.
Hey.
Pierce Haley. Is Pierce on
line?
Anybody from Enterprise? Rent a car online.
Okay.
Manaji Coggins,
American College of Nurse Midwives,
Bargy Coggins.
I've
run through the list once, and
I
don't wanna miss anybody. We don't wanna miss anybody. Is anybody in the room7329 here that has it testified
yet?
Okay. Anybody online that is sun specified that is not testified
yet? On
the first run through, there's probably, I don't know, 10 or 12 people that didn't7344 answer, so I don't wanna miss anybody. I know it's hard at7348 home. You get away from your computer and all of a sudden your name is called. It's Murphy's Law, which I live by. So That's good. So anybody online that like to testify?
Speak now or, you know, leave about Not the year to testify. So
And any colleagues of ours, whether it be the House or the Senate that might be online that might wanna say something.
I think
all the members of the committee have been identified, but I didn't know if there's any colleagues of the House or Senate that maybe out there that might wanna way in. I see there's a couple of reps that had signed up,
but I'm
not sure if there's I've been scanning for senators and reps, but I haven't seen7388
any
So that's if a testimony for today? Senator Feeney, Giovanni. Any thoughts or comments on any of
it?
Well done. This is the Chairman open and days in the books, and we are off and running. Thank you to everybody who testified today and introduced yourself in your organizations and your causes. We have a lot of bills assigned to us, so shout out. Excuse me to the staff from Chairman Murphy's office and the committee staff as well as my staff and all the members that are involved in committee. There's a lot of work to do. We appreciate the cooperation and collaboration and looking forward to a very productive session ahead. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
So thank everybody for taking time, my day is both in person and at home. We know that how busy life is, so we do appreciate you taking the time. This is important to us because
It helps
educate us as to what the issues are, especially with our new colleagues that are on the on the committee here. I remember when we were younger at 1 point,
during
our first hearing, and I can tell you that it goes by fast in this in7450 this business. So welcome up on a round of7452 applause for our committee members7453 with their first
hearing.
But
that'll entertain a motion to close today's hearing? Go here a second. Awesome. So thank you very much everybody. Have a good
day.
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