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HD 2148

An Act reducing emergency department boarding

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marjorie Decker

Massachusetts bill to reduce emergency department boarding times by requiring hospitals to move patients from ERs to inpatient beds or discharge more quickly.

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Bill Summary · HD 2148

Legislative bill overview

HD 2148 addresses the practice of "boarding" in emergency departments, where patients are held in ERs waiting for inpatient hospital beds rather than being admitted or discharged. The bill aims to reduce this bottleneck by establishing requirements for hospitals to decrease boarding times and improve patient flow through emergency departments.

Why is this important

Emergency department boarding creates dangerous crowding, delays care for new emergency patients, and increases costs for hospitals and patients. This widespread problem has worsened post-pandemic, directly affecting emergency care quality and contributing to patient safety risks when ERs exceed capacity.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Hospitals may argue that reducing boarding requires substantial investments in staffing, inpatient beds, or infrastructure, potentially raising healthcare costs
  • Competing demands: Balancing aggressive boarding reduction targets against other hospital priorities (like psychiatric hold patients, lack of community placement options) may be unrealistic
  • Enforcement mechanism: The bill's specific penalties or oversight authority for non-compliance could be viewed as either too weak (by patient advocates) or too punitive (by hospital associations)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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