On May 16, 2017, the Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee proposed a $40.791 billion FY2018 budget. The budget, which increases spending by 3.3% over FY2017 levels, spends $280 million more than Governor Charlie Baker’s proposal and $220 million more than the House budget approved last month.

Following in the steps of the House budget, the Senate budget rejects three commercial insurance market restrictions that Baker recommended in his budget proposal. Instead, the Senate authorizes Baker to choose between implementing a new per employee assessment (fair share contribution) on companies that do not offer health plans to their employees, or increasing an existing fee used to help pay for subsidized insurance plans and medical care for the uninsured.