MA health leaders say they can control costs themselves

A group of influential health care executives and academics is finalizing a proposal that would allow Massachusetts hospitals and insurers to try to control rising medical costs on their own for three more years, in an effort to head off more immediate state action. If they do not succeed, only then could they face possible outside controls. The plan is being developed by the Eastern Massachusetts Healthcare Initiative, which includes the state's largest hospital and physician networks, such as Partners HealthCare, and insurers including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts.