Gov. Maura Healey is announcing plans to ban medical debt from credit reports and impose strict new limits on social media companies targeting minors, according to remarks she prepared to deliver to a statewide audience Thursday night.
In her third State of the Commonwealth address, Healey announced policy proposals aimed at affordability and consumer protection, layering in broader political themes as she looks ahead to a reelection campaign later this year.
On health care, Healey said her administration will soon file regulations to prohibit medical debt from being reported to credit agencies, a move designed to prevent illness from damaging residents’ financial standing.
“Nobody’s credit should be wrecked because they are dealing with an illness,” says a release from Healey’s office.
The governor framed the proposal as part of an effort to confront rising health care costs. Healey pointed to investments to protect 270,000 ConnectorCare enrollees from premium increases Congress declined to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits. She also highlighted new rules eliminating prior authorization requirements for most prescriptions and procedures, with approvals now remaining valid even if patients change jobs.
Healey said a new Health Care Affordability Working Group will continue meeting throughout 2026 to develop additional cost-cutting proposals, as hospitals and health centers struggle financially and clinicians face burnout.
Another policy announcement focused on social media and children, an area where Healey said Massachusetts lacks meaningful safeguards.
She said her administration will soon file legislation imposing strict requirements on platforms used by minors, including mandatory age verification systems, required parental consent and the disabling of addictive features such as continuous scrolling and notifications during certain hours. Companies that violate the rules would face “steep fines,” according to the prepared remarks.
Beyond those initiatives, Healey previewed additional consumer protections in her upcoming annual budget bill, including a proposal requiring companies to make it “just as easy to cancel a monthly subscription as it is to sign up for one,” aligning state law with regulations issued by Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
She said her administration is also reviewing fees imposed by government and businesses to identify further opportunities to reduce costs.
Housing affordability also remained a central policy theme, with Healey announcing a $25 million investment to expand MassHousing homebuyer assistance to help 1,000 additional middle-income households purchase a first home over the next year.
In addition to quickening the pace of housing construction and turning empty offices into apartments, she also committed to lowering mortgage rates for first-time buyers using MassHousing loans by 0.55%, which her administration says would save the average borrower more than $42,000 over the life of a mortgage.
The speech also carried clear campaign-year undertones. Healey repeatedly framed her agenda as a counterweight to actions by President Donald Trump, citing efforts to protect vaccine access, reproductive care, science funding and food assistance during a federal SNAP freeze.
“In this moment, my job as governor is to provide what this federal government hasn’t: stability, security – and how about a little common sense?” she said.
Sam Drysdale is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro. Reach her at sdrysdale@statehousenews.com.
