Risk Seen in $66 Million Cut to Massachusetts Health Budget; Swift Plan Is Called Ill-Timed

The administration of Massachusetts Acting Governor Jane Swift risks reversing years of progress against disease by proposing $66 million in cuts to state Department of Public Health (DPH) programs, specialists and advocates say.

Millions of dollars invested in research, screening and education on diseases from cancer to AIDS have made Massachusetts a model of preventing health troubles from becoming costly, chronic problems, according to specialists. Now those programs are slated to be the first cut as Swift aims to close a $1.4 billion gap in the state budget.

Already cut are hepatitis C screening and school nurse programs. The proposed cuts include $17 million from AIDS prevention programs; $5 million from breast cancer screening and awareness; and $5 million from family planning and health services, including programs for teenage mothers.

"This is not the time to cut budgets; it is time to increase resources," said Dr. Richard Zane, chair of the disaster committee at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Massachusetts has been "ahead of the curve" nationally on public health spending and should work to stay there, he said. "Public health and bioterrorism prevention should be in the same current [funding] situation as the police and the military," he said.

Massachusetts Public Health Association Executive Director Laurie Stillman called the cuts "incomprehensible. This is going to devastate the public health infrastructure in Massachusetts . . . at a time when we are facing new threats of bioterrorism."

Administration officials say they have no choice but to trim the DPH's $500 million budget. Over the weekend, Swift proposed $700 million in spending cuts and letting go 5,000 state workers. DPH officials insist there will be no skimping on spending to prevent and detect bioterrorism, and respond, if necessary.

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