Employer Coalition on Health Launches in Massachusetts

The Employer Coalition on Health (ECOH) was launched to address concerns on rising health care costs in Massachusetts. ECOH is led by Eileen McAnneny, former head of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. Innovo Benefits Group President Eric Gulko sits on the ECOH Board of Directors. 

Concerned about the rising cost of healthcare in Massachusetts, the Employer Coalition on Health (ECOH) has formally launched, advocating for employers large and small across the state in the important policy conversations surrounding the future of healthcare affordability in the Commonwealth. 

The Employer Coalition of Health will amplify the employer voice with state lawmakers and regulators representing the concerns of the employer community while working to address the drivers of rising health care costs. 

In the coming months, ECOH will focus on regulations and legislation to: 

• Strengthen the Health Policy Commission’s (HPC) tools for cost containment. 
• Address underlying health care cost drivers identified by the HPC to bend the health care cost curve. 
• Reduce the financial burdens that the government shifts to the commercially insured and on health insurance purchasers. 
• Promote greater transparency of prices to reveal the large price variation that exists between providers. 
• Encourage the adoption of health insurance products that better reward value-based care options and providers who deliver efficient and effective care. 
• Prioritize behavioral health, primary care spending and advance health equity within the Cost Growth Benchmark. 

ECOH represents a combination of trade associations and large and small individual businesses, from across the state led by Eileen McAnneny, the former head of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. 

“We believe employers in Massachusetts need a strong voice for healthcare affordability on Beacon Hill,” said Eileen McAnneny, President of the Employer Coalition on Health. “For us to maintain the economic engine our employers provide for the state, we must reduce the cost of healthcare. If we’re going to remain competitive as a business-friendly state to prevent more employers from leaving and to attract new employers, we must work together to bring costs down.” 

Health care costs in Massachusetts are 27% higher and cost $2,171 more per capita than the national average, according to the Health Policy Commission. Though employers pay most health insurance bills, ECOH believes the purchaser perspective is underrepresented in the health policy decision-making process on Beacon Hill. 

“As a small business, we are doing everything we can to offer good health insurance benefits to our employees, but businesses need state officials to do more to address health care affordability challenges," said Erin Calvo-Bacci owner of CB Stuffer chocolate store in 

Swampscott. “These efforts are necessary if we want to achieve a more affordable, equitable, and sustainable healthcare system for everyone in the Commonwealth.” 

“We know how important great healthcare benefits are to our employees,” said Mark Cohen, President and CEO of OPRYSystems in Wilmington, a business member. “To attract and retain top talent, it’s critical that we offer best-in-class health benefits. At the same time, those costs jump every year, and they have a big impact on our bottom line. We fully support the work ECOH will do to help bring down those costs down.” 

Founding Coalition Members

Trade Associations 

• Retailers Association of Massachusetts 
• The Massachusetts Restaurant Association 
• The Massachusetts Food Association 
• Massachusetts Society of CPAs 
• Massachusetts Association of Health Plans 
• North Shore Chamber of Commerce 
• Connect2Commerce – Springfield Regional Chamber 
• National Federation of Independent Business 
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts 
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission 
• Wellpoint 
• Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) 

Employers: 

• 126 Self Storage, Ashland 
• Allaracare, Danvers 
• Blackstone Productions, Inc., Uxbridge 
• Bucatino, North Falmouth 
• CB Stuffer, Woburn and Swampscott 
• Century House, Peabody 
• Clements Marketplace, Plymouth 
• Conlin’s Pharmacy and Medical Equipment, Methuen 
• Cove Risk, Braintree 
• Egger’s Furniture. Middleborough 
• Electric Time, Medfield 
• Lees Market, Westport 
• LukeJackson Benefit Solutions, Brockton 
• Lyons & Volpi Leather Co., Boston 
• M. Steinert & Sons, Boston 
• McCarthy & Associates, Weymouth 
• Newburyport Bank, Newburyport 
• Night Shift Brewing, Everett 
• OneDigital, Beverly 
• OPRSystems, Wilmington 
• Panera Bread, Newton 
• Phil Beaulieu & Sons Home Improvement, Chicopee 
• Piantedosi, Malden 
• Pilot House, Sandwich 
• PK Law Boston, Bridgewater 
• Quarterdeck, Falmouth 
• Roche Bros., Mansfield 
• Sentinel Group, Wakefield 
• Stead Properties, Melrose 
• Thompson-Liston Associates, Boylston 
• Unicare, Woburn 
• Village Forge, Concord 
• Waitt Funeral Home, Brockton 
• Westside Finishing Co., Holyoke 
• Worcester Scale Company, Worcester 

For more information about the Employer Coalition on Health, please go to www.massecoh.org.