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BOSTON (AP) — Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has signed into law a bill aimed at avoiding a battle over a health care pricing ballot question.
Baker's action Tuesday comes after the House and Senate approved the proposal Thursday — a day after the compromise bill was unveiled by Baker and top Democrats.
The Campaign for Fair Care, which pushed the ballot question, has thanked lawmakers for quickly approving the bill.
Backers of the question say the state's hospital pricing system unfairly provides excessive payments to a few wealthy academic medical centers while driving down wages and increasing costs at community hospitals.
The bill includes a new $45 million Community Hospital Reinvestment Trust Fund.
Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo has said the bill signed by Baker could avert a "costly and divisive ballot initiative."
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