EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
OFFICE OF MEDICAID
ONE ASHBURTON PLACE, BOSTON, MA 02108
MAURA T. HEALEY KATHLEEN E. WALSH
GOVERNOR SECRETARY
KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL MIKE LEVINE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR MASSHEALTH
September 25, 2024
Secretary, Matthew Gorzkowicz
Executive Office for Administration and Finance
State House, Room 212
Boston, MA 02133
Chair, Michael J. Rodrigues
Senate Committee on Ways and Means
State House, Room 212
Boston, MA 02133
Chair, Aaron Michlewitz
House Committee on Ways and Means
State House, Room 243
Boston, MA 02133
Dear Secretary Gorzkowicz, Chair Rodrigues, and Chair Michlewitz,
Section 93 of Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2023 states:
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and
finance, in consultation with the secretary of health and human services, may transfer not more
than a total of $25,000,000 from the prescription advantage program in item 9110-1455 of
section 2 and the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established in section 66 of chapter 118E of the
General Laws in fiscal year 2024 to support the Medicare Saving or Medicare Buy-In programs
established in section 25A of said chapter 118E; provided, however, that not less than 45 days in
advance of the transfer, the secretary of health and human services shall certify in writing to the
house and senate committees on ways and means the amount to be transferred and an
explanation of the amount of expected savings to those programs resulting from the transfer.
I hereby certify that for state fiscal year 2024, the transfer from the prescription advantage program in
item 9110-1455 to the General Fund should be $0, and the transfer from the Health Safety Net Trust
Fund to the General Fund should be $7,700,000. When the Medicare Savings Program eligibility changes
took effect on January 1, 2020, some individuals became newly eligible for MassHealth coverage of
Medicare cost sharing, while others became newly eligible for federal Part D prescription drug benefits.
The certified transfer amount reflects the estimated reduction in demand on the Health Safety Net as a
result of this coverage expansion. I hereby request that Secretary Gorzkowicz initiate the transfer from
the Health Safety Net with the Office of the Comptroller.
Sincerely,
Mike Levine
Assistant Secretary for MassHealth
Cc: Kathleen E. Walsh, Secretary, Executive Office of Health and Human Services