JANUARY 2026

Happy New Year!

As we bring in a new calendar year, it provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on everything that CHIA published in 2025. We released 40 reports over the course of the year, including several new reporting series, such as an interactive dashboard with data from Massachusetts skilled nursing facilities, CHIA’s first-ever equity dashboard, and a report on equity in quality of care. For a full list of CHIA reports, go to our publications webpage.

In the “News You Can Use” section, we highlight results from the 2025 Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey (MHIS) as well as research briefs that were produced using combined analyses from the 2021 and 2023 MHIS.

Upcoming health care-related events that may be of interest are also featured below.

If you have questions or opinions you want to share, write to newsletter@chiamass.gov. We are always happy to receive feedback from our readers. We wish everyone a happy and healthy 2026. 

Over the past year, CHIA released several publications using data from the Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey (MHIS). The MHIS is a statewide, population-based survey that tracks and monitors health care coverage, access, use, and affordability in the Commonwealth. While national data sources can help monitor the experiences of obtaining timely and affordably health care, this survey enables the tracking of issues specific to Massachusetts.

CHIA released two research briefs combining data from the 2021 and 2023 surveys. The brief published in July 2025 examined disparities in the rates of unmet health-related social needs (HRSNs) by race/ethnicity in Massachusetts. Survey results showed that compared with White residents, Black and Hispanic residents experienced any unmet HRSN, such as food insecurity or housing instability, at significantly higher rates even after adjusting for other sociodemographic factors. The November 2025 research brief explored in more detail family medical debt in Massachusetts. Findings showed that cost-sharing—especially deductibles—is the most common source of medical debt for residents in the Commonwealth.

In December 2025, CHIA was excited to release the results from the 2025 MHIS, which was fielded from January to April 2025. Recent survey results found that 97.9 percent of residents report having health insurance at the time of the survey. More than a quarter of residents, however, went without needed health care services due to the cost of that care.



In the 2025 survey, new questions were included on behavioral health care, tax-advantaged health spending accounts (such as HSAs and FSAs), and administrative burden impacting access to care.

Go to the MHIS webpage for more information on the survey and to review these reports. 

2025 Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey Results

December 2025

CHIA published results from the 2025 Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey (MHIS) in December at a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation event. As mentioned above, the MHIS is a statewide, population-based survey to track and monitor health care coverage, access, use, and affordability in the Commonwealth. CHIA uses MHIS data to analyze health care equity in Massachusetts with a focus on racial, ethnic, and economic equity for residents and their families.

CY 2024 Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Database Release

December 2025

The calendar year (CY) 2024 All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) is ready for public application from CHIA. This year’s release includes 2020-2024 data with a 6-month run out through June 2025. Data in the MA APCD represents the most comprehensive source of medical claims, pharmacy claims, dental claims, member eligibility data, MassHealth enhanced eligibility data, provider data, product data, and benefit plan data from private and public payers on behalf of Massachusetts members.

Hospital and Hospital Health System YTD Financial Performance Report

December 2025

In December, CHIA published the most recent year-to-date hospital and hospital health system financial performance report with data through September 30, 2025. Each quarter, CHIA updates this report on the profitability, liquidity, and solvency of hospital health systems and their affiliated acute hospitals as well as the profitability of affiliated physician organizations.

Skilled Nursing Facility Performance Dashboard

January 2026

CHIA has published the latest interactive dashboard on skilled nursing facilities operating in Massachusetts. This centralized dashboard includes key measures at the industry and facility levels to increase transparency of financial and quality performance. For the first time, the dashboard now contains information on management companies, including total margin.

Users can filter data by additional characteristics, such as geographic region, tax status, management company affiliation, to customize their experience depending on interest. 

HFY 2024 Hospital Profiles

January 2026

Yesterday, CHIA published its latest comprehensive overview of Massachusetts hospital performance for hospital fiscal year (HFY) 2024. The latest Acute Hospital Profiles and Non-Acute Hospital Profiles provide information about Massachusetts hospital characteristics, services, payer mix, utilization trends, top discharges, and financial performance over a 5-year period through HFY 2024. The profiles are also accompanied by separate interactive dashboards for acute and non-acute hospitals, allowing users to filter results by individual hospital, hospital type, and hospital health system.

This section includes events and announcements of interest to our community, organized by CHIA, other Commonwealth agencies, and others.

Massachusetts Health Policy Commission Board Meeting

Thursday, February 5, 12 PM

Virtual

The Health Policy Commission (HPC)’s 11-member board meets approximately every 6 weeks throughout the year to review the agency’s major workstreams and other topics related to health care cost containment and reform. Major reports, statutory regulations, and publications are authorized by a majority vote at these meetings. Meetings stream live on the HPC’s YouTube channel.

CHIA Data User Workgroup

Tuesday, February 24, 3 PM

Virtual

These ongoing meetings are designed for data users and other interested parties to connect with CHIA to discuss analytical techniques and best practices in research using CHIA’s MA APCD and Case Mix databases. For more information, including past presentations and user support materials, visit the data user workgroup information page or the CHIA Data page.

Massachusetts Health Policy Commission Benchmark Hearing

Thursday, March 12, 12 PM

Massachusetts State House (Boston) and Virtual

The HPC will hold a public hearing to determine whether the health care cost growth benchmark should be modified for calendar year 2027. Under the framework set forth in Chapter 224, from 2023 and beyond, the health care cost growth benchmark will be set equal to potential gross state product (PGSP), or 3.6 percent, unless the HPC determines that an adjustment to the benchmark is reasonably warranted. In that case, the HPC Board may choose to modify the benchmark to any amount.

The hearing will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

CHIA Oversight Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 25, 2 PM

Virtual

CHIA’s appointed Oversight Council meets quarterly to discuss agency priorities and agenda-setting. The next meeting will stream live on CHIA’s YouTube channel.

Primary Care Access, Delivery, and Payment Task Force

Wednesday, April 16, 10 AM – 12 PM

Virtual

The next meeting of the Primary Care Access, Delivery, and Payment Task Force can be livestreamed on the HPC’s YouTube channel. This task force was charged with studying and making recommendations to improve primary care access, delivery, and payment in the Commonwealth. See the task force website for more information.

CENTER FOR HEALTH INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS

www.chiamass.gov