Representatives made no changes to the $234 million spending proposal that surfaced a day earlier and nearly unanimously passed it Wednesday afternoon.
The vote was 148-1 in favor of the bill (H 4530) aimed at providing financial relief to hospitals and community health centers. Rep. Nicholas Boldyga, Republican of Southwick, cast the dissenting vote.
“This bill before us is more than funding. It is a recommitment to deliver high-quality health care, regardless of federal circumstances. It is a recommitment to our providers, our patients and our communities,” Rep. John Lawn, the Watertown Democrat who chairs the House Health Care Financing Committee, said on the floor.
The bill includes $199 million in relief for acute care hospitals, including $122 million in targeted payments to facilities serving low-income patients and facing the greatest financial distress. Another $77 million would be transferred to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, which helps reimburse hospitals and health centers for care provided to uninsured residents.
Community health centers would receive $35 million, including $2.5 million directed to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers for initiatives such as shared services.
The 16 amendments to the bill were all withdrawn by their sponsors, including a Rep. Michael Day amendment to ban the approval of operational or governance material change notices in cases where a private equity group is seeking to purchase acute care hospitals or community health centers.
