Partners HealthCare appeared before Massachusetts regulators to explain the reasons for skyrocketing healthcare costs, saying it is not to blame. David McGuire, Partners vice president for system contracting, told Division of Insurance officials that rising insurance costs are a national phenomenon, not solely a state problem caused by higher reimbursement rates paid by insurers to Partners hospitals. Instead, he cited inadequate rates paid by Medicare and Medicaid, the government insurance programs, which increase costs for everyone else, the Boston Globe reports.
