Healthcare & Ret. Advocacy Dir. Nancy McGovern Appointed
This spring also marked the beginning of a new two-year term for the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) Advisory Council. The HPC is the state agency tasked with monitoring health care spending trends, reviewing major market changes, and developing policy recommendations designed to improve affordability, transparency, and access to care across Massachusetts.
We are proud to report that our own Nancy McGovern was appointed to serve on the Advisory Council for the 2026–2027 term.
This appointment ensures that public retirees and public employees have a direct voice in statewide health policy discussions at a time when health care affordability remains one of the most pressing financial concerns facing retirees on fixed incomes.
Mass Retirees emphasized that approximately 250,000 public retirees across Massachusetts rely on either GIC or municipal retiree health plans, with many covered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts plans. In addition, our Association continues to advocate not only for retirees, but also for active public employees who often lack representation in broader statewide health policy discussions.
During the Council’s opening discussions, we raised several concerns directly impacting our members, including the growing burden of prescription drug costs, the complexity of navigating insurance systems, and the long-term sustainability of public sector health coverage.
Underlying all of these discussions is one important reality: health care costs in Massachusetts continue to rise well above the state’s own benchmark for sustainable growth. Those increases disproportionately affect retirees and individuals living on fixed incomes.
As these conversations continue in the months ahead, Mass Retirees will remain actively engaged and continue reporting back to members on developments that may impact retiree health coverage, affordability, and access to care.
The Council’s early discussions have focused heavily on several major policy areas, including:
- Rising hospital and provider prices
- Prescription drug affordability
- Market consolidation within the health care industry
- Access to primary and behavioral health care
- Consumer transparency and navigation challenges within insurance systems