CIR members are standing against corporate greed to ensure hospital resources are directed toward quality patient care and frontline healthcare workers, rather than executive pay—which for Boston hospital executives has ballooned to nearly $15 million in combined salaries.
On June 2, CIR members testified at the Massachusetts State Legislature in support of S.899 and H.1398, legislation that would cap hospital CEOs’ pay at 50 times that of their lowest-paid worker. These bills are a first step in creating a more transparent and accountable healthcare system in Massachusetts and help guarantee that hospitals reinvest in their staff and services over inflated executive salaries.
“Our healthcare system is held afloat by hospital workers ranging from clinical to custodial to logistical, not by C suite executives,” said Dr. Safwan Elkhatib, an anesthesiology resident at Brigham and Women’s hospital, in his testimony. “As a state that already stands at the cutting edge of healthcare education and research, we should work to ensure we lead the country in equitable healthcare dollar allocation.”
Dr. Sarah Brown, a primary care resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, emphasized in her testimony that capping CEO pay could mitigate the damage of recent “cost-saving” cuts to important services and programs, such as tobacco cessation, hospital chaplains, and domestic violence support.
“[Masschusetts General Brigham] CEO Anne Kilbanski makes six million dollars per year,” said Dr. Brown. “Three million dollars could return to patient-facing programs and providing a living wage for all employees. We must halt the transformation of hospitals from places of protection and healing to profit machines.”
Members were joined by Worcester City Councilor Jenny Pacillo and Massachusetts AFL-CIO Legislative Director Lindsay Kenney, who also testified in support.
This legislation, introduced by Senator Michael Moore and Representative James O’Day, is led by Doctors for Massachusetts, a collaboration between CIR and SEIU Doctors Council to unite Massachusetts doctors, patients, unions, and community members to demand better working conditions, fair pay, and patient-centered health care.
