An Act to prohibit inappropriate use of the state health care cost benchmark

This bill amends Massachusetts law to restrict how health care providers can negotiate rate increases with insurance carriers. Specifically, it prohibits agreements where a provider's rate hike exceeds the state's established health care cost growth benchmark. The measure directly affects hospitals, clinics, and other medical providers by setting a legal ceiling on the percentage by which their reimbursement rates can rise in any given year. By enforcing this limit, the legislation aims to control the growth of health care spending within the state's insurance system.