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Health Leaders Participate in Health Care Reform Panel

January 24, 2011

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MASS HEALTH CARE LEADERS PARTICIPATE IN INNOVATIVE HEALTH CARE REFORM PANEL ON CAPE ANN
Northeast Health System CEO Ken Hanover and MHA President Lynn Nicholas discuss impacts of health care reform on area communities and families

(Gloucester, MA) - January 24, 2011 - Dozens of North Shore business and community leaders and residents attended a recent health care panel entitled 'Health Care Reform: What does the Changing Landscape Mean to Me and My Family?' The discussion featured Northeast Health System President and CEO Ken Hanover and Massachusetts Hospital Association President and CEO Lynn Nicholas. It was moderated by Bob Hastings, Executive Director of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce.

The event, which took place on January 13th, was an opportunity to discuss the impact of health reform on Massachusetts and area North Shore hospitals and families. Hanover and Nicholas addressed a variety of topics relating to this issue, including the current hospital climate, industry trends, major issues driving the cost of health care, and potential future impacts of health care reform. During the event, which was held at Cruiseport Gloucester, attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions.

Lynn Nicholas has been a driving force in moving Massachusetts to the forefront of constructive health care reform. The Massachusetts Hospital Association President & CEO spotlighted for more than 70 business leaders and members of the Gloucester City Council the ramifications of the move from the current fee-for-service health care system to a global or bundled payment reimbursement model.

A move to global payments would end the practice of paying health care providers for individual procedures, replacing it with a system that attaches a fixed price to the routine health care costs incurred by a patient over a given period of time.

"Massachusetts hospitals are committed to health care payment and delivery reform, and believe that greater use of global or bundled payments for care could result in more coordinated and integrated care, which could help bring down premiums," Nicholas said. "But just as hospitals are not solely or even primarily responsible for cost increases, additional significant savings cannot be achieved solely through steps taken by those who provide care. Everyone involved - caregivers, insurers, legislators, government, business and consumers - must share in the solution."

Nicholas has served on the Massachusetts Attorney General's Task Force on Community Benefits, the Governor's Special Commission on Healthcare Payment Reform and numerous other boards, advisory committees and philanthropic leadership committees. MHA is the leading advocacy group for hospitals and health systems across the state, representing more than 90 facilities.

Both Nicholas and Hanover told the crowd that it is imperative we move now to take steps that will eventually improve health care while controlling soaring costs.

"People hear and read about health care reform every day but its effects on area communities and families are not always well understood," said Hanover. "This event was an opportunity to bring the discussion close to home and discuss how the legislation impacts costs, our community hospitals, and the way we choose our health providers. We are proud to serve the North Shore, and we are always looking for ways to better utilize our resources so we can provide the best medical care to our communities."

About Addison Gilbert Hospital
Addison Gilbert Hospital is a full service, medical/surgical acute care facility. The hospital, founded in 1889, provides state-of-the-art inpatient and outpatient care to residents of the Cape Ann community in specialties such as primary care, emergency services, radiology and mammography, cancer care, day surgery, physical and occupational therapy, gynecology, inpatient senior health services, and a variety of specialty physician services. Among all other Massachusetts hospitals, Addison Gilbert continues to score among the top hospitals in the nation for patient satisfaction in surveys conducted by Press Ganey Associates.

About Northeast Health Foundation
Northeast Health Foundation is the fundraising arm of Northeast Health System, which is based in Beverly on Massachusetts's North Shore. The Foundation works to build philanthropy for Beverly Hospital, Addison Gilbert Hospital, BayRidge Hospital, CAB Health & Recovery Services and Health & Education Services, Inc.--all not-for-profit affiliates of Northeast Health System. For more information please visit www.nh-foundation.org.

Awards & Recognition

100 TOP HOSPITALS

Beverly Hospital and Addison Gilbert Hospital Among Truven Health Analytics 2015 Top 100 Hospitals

THE LEAPFROG GROUP'S HOSPITAL SAFETY SCORE

Since the onset of the Hospital Safety Score in Spring 2012, the publicly available data showed Beverly Hospital and Addision Gilbert Hospital have consistently exceeded the standards of other medical institutions in terms of patient safety procedures in place, earning them both a Straight A’s distinction.

Our Boston Area Locations

Public Announcement Concerning a Proposed Health Care Project

Lahey Health System, Inc., located at 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805 (the parent of Lahey Clinic Hospital, Inc., 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805, Northeast Hospital Corp., 85 Herrick Street, Beverly, MA 01915, and Winchester Hospital, 41 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA 01890), CareGroup, Inc., located at 109 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (the parent of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc., 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (which in turn includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Inc., 199 Reedsdale Road, Milton, MA 02186, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham, Inc., 148 Chestnut Street, Needham, MA 02492, and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Plymouth, Inc., 275 Sandwich Street, Plymouth, MA 02360), New England Baptist Hospital, 125 Parker Hill Road, Boston, MA 02120, and Mount Auburn Hospital, 330 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138), and Seacoast Regional Health Systems, Inc., located at 25 Highland Avenue, Newburyport, MA 01950 (the parent of Anna Jaques Hospital, 25 Highland Avenue, Newburyport, MA 01950) (collectively the "Applicant"), intend to file an Application for Determination of Need ("Application") relative to a proposed affiliation involving the Applicant (the "Project"). The Applicant is submitting its Application as it intends to affiliate to create a new comprehensive, distributed, high quality and high-value non-profit healthcare delivery system to serve patients throughout Eastern Massachusetts. To facilitate the level of economic and clinical integration required to better manage the health of a broad population and meaningfully impact care delivery in the state, the Project would establish a new parent company that will function as the sole corporate member of each hospital, and will also include the participation of the organizations’ accountable care organizations. The Total Value of the Project is estimated to be approximately $5,323,154,000. There is not expected to be any anticipated price or service impacts on the Applicant’s existing Patient Panel. Any ten Taxpayers of Massachusetts may register in connection with the intended Application or amendment by no later than October 16, 2017, by contacting the Department of Public Health Determination of Need Program, 250 Washington Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.

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