Group Forms to Fight Hospital Financing Ballot Question

BOSTON (AP) — A new committee has formed to fight a proposed ballot question that supporters say would help level the playing field between large hospital chains and small community hospitals.

Backers say the question is meant to remedy the state’s unfair hospital pricing system — which they say provides excessive payments to a few wealthy academic medical centers while threatening community hospitals, driving down wages and increasing costs.

The union-backed question could appear on the November ballot.

A group called the Committee to Protect Massachusetts Hospital Care, has filed papers with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to oppose the question.

The group lists as its chairman Lynn Nicholas, president of the Massachusetts Hospital Association.

The question hasn’t gotten as much attention as proposals to legalize marijuana or increase charter schools.