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SD 2535

Resolve addressing EMS and health care services shortfalls in southeastern Massachusetts

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Paul Feeney

Directs DPH and EOHHS to assess EMS and health care gaps in SE Massachusetts, map closures, current capacity, future needs, and EMS transport times, with a detailed report by 12/31

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 2535

Summary: Resolve addressing EMS and health care services shortfalls in southeastern Massachusetts (SD 2535)

Overview

  • Bill: Senate Docket No. 2535 (Senate) / Senate No. 1536, introduced 2025; title: Resolve addressing EMS and health care services shortfalls in southeastern Massachusetts.
  • Status: House concurred (as part of the legislative process). Not a statute creating new mandates, but a concurrent resolve directing state agencies to assess and report.
  • Geographic focus: Southeastern Massachusetts, defined for this measure as the counties of Plymouth, Bristol, and Norfolk.
  • Purpose: To identify and document gaps in emergency medical services (EMS) and health care services in the region and to determine needed capacity to serve the current and future population.

What the bill would do

  • Direct the Department of Public Health (DPH), in partnership with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), to assess EMS and health care service vulnerabilities in the specified region.
  • Require a comprehensive report to the Legislature that includes: 1) A list of health care services that have been eliminated or closed since January 1, 2015 (covering acute care, behavioral health, community-based care, long-term care, maternal health, post-acute care, primary care, or other services), with:
    • The number of individuals served
    • The payer mix of affected patients 2) A list of existing health care services currently permitted by the department in the region (covering similar service categories), with:
    • The number of individuals served and payer mix 3) An assessment of the needed level of health care capacity based on current population and online services, including an estimate of additional resources needed across service types (acute care, behavioral health, community-based care, long-term care, maternal health, post-acute care, primary care, etc.)
  • Add a data-driven component on EMS response metrics, by working with local EMS providers to determine:
    • The average length of time from a 911 call to arrival at a receiving facility, per municipality
    • Data collection from each EMS provider to support this metric

Key provisions and details

  • Agencies involved: Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS).
  • Data focus:
    • Service closures/eliminations since 2015 (and impacts on access)
    • Inventory of currently permitted services and their utilization
    • Capacity needs aligned with current population and service availability
    • EMS transport time metrics by municipality
  • Deliverable: A formal report with findings and relevant data to the clerks of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate.
  • Deadline: No later than December 31, 2026.

Who is affected

  • Health care providers and facilities in Plymouth, Bristol, and Norfolk counties (and by extension, patients served in southeastern Massachusetts).
  • EMS providers (hospital-based, municipal, and private) operating in the region.
  • State agencies: Department of Public Health and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Initiation: Requires collaboration between DPH and EOHHS, plus engagement with local EMS entities.
  • Reporting timeline: The findings and data must be submitted to the clerks of both the House and Senate by December 31, 2026.
  • Legislative actions: Referred to Public Health (2025) with House concurrence indicated; status suggests active consideration within the 2025-2026 session.

Bottom line

This resolve creates a structured, data-driven assessment of EMS and health care service shortfalls in southeastern Massachusetts, aiming to map past closures, inventory current capacity, estimate future needs, and quantify EMS transport times to inform policy and potential interventions.

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

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