AG Report Finds Pitfalls In Mass General Brigham Expansion

MARLBOROUGH, MA — Attorney General Maura Healey has released a new report showing what impact a planned Mass General Brigham (MGH) expansion could have on existing medical facilities in the region.

MGH has proposed two new outpatient facilities in Westborough and Woburn, and an expansion of an outpatient facility in Westwood. The state Department of Public Health and the state Health Policy Commission are examining the proposals.

Healey's report says that the new MGH facilities would likely draw patients away from existing health facilities. MGH may also hurt the existing hospitals by hiring away physicians and other specialty staff.

"It is a priority of our office to ensure access to affordable health care in Massachusetts, and we have a statutory mandate to monitor trends and cost drivers in the health care market, especially when it comes to provider organizations," Healy said Thursday through a spokesperson. "This report is intended to provide important information about the potential impact of MGB’s expansion projects on health care costs. We want to encourage a robust and transparent analysis of this proposal and its impacts on health care affordability, access, and equity."

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge echoed Healey's findings in a recent letter. About 65 percent of Marlborough Hospital's patients are on either MassHealth or Medicare, government-backed insurance plans that pay significantly less for hospital services. The hospital depends on patients with regular private health plans to make up the revenue, he said.

"I am very concerned that MGB’s proposed Westborough ambulatory center is precisely located where it is easily accessible to the region’s wealthier towns, but is not nearby nor easily accessible to most low-income patients," Eldrige's letter said. "Therefore, MGB could cherry-pick commercial patients from local healthcare providers such as Marlborough Hospital, and disrupt the ability of safety net providers to remain fiscally viable."

Earlier this year, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant sought to form a Ten Taxpayer Group to oppose the MGH expansion.

"The site in Westborough is located within 20 minutes of 47 existing healthcare providers and could negatively impact current providers by reducing their services, revenue and employees and forcing our current providers to raise rates," Vigeant's said in a March letter to City Council. "This will impact our residents as well as Marlborough businesses."

The Westborough Select Board has already signed off on key agreements with the nonprofit MGH, including a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement. The outpatient facility, which would be located off Route 9 in the Westborough Office Park, still needs state approval to proceed.