Rural Healthcare Eyes MA Reforms

"Before, a doctor's office would not be reimbursed unless the doctor did the work or they would get paid at a much lower rate than what the actual costs were. Now they will get paid for it as they should. It will reflect the quality of the care you are getting more so than who is providing the care."

"It's a validation,"  Pignatelli says, "that they are providing the same quality care as their primary care physicians and it is enhancing the opportunities in rural areas where it is very difficult to attract a primary care physicians."

The Massachusetts Hospital Association has taken a guardedly supportive view of the legislation while stressing that it is still reviewing the fine print. Anuj Goel, MHA's vice president of legal and regulatory affairs says it's hard to predict the effect on healthcare delivery in Massachusetts until the state actually interprets the provisions and implements the law.