Western Massachusetts advocates helped make this new law possible

BOSTON (WWLP) – Governor Healey joined dozens of lawmakers and advocates to celebrate the signing of a long-term care industry reform bill at the State House in Boston on Thursday.

This bill includes estate recovery, which will prevent some healthcare companies from seizing all of a disabled person’s assets to pay back medical costs after they die, leaving some assets to be passed down to their families.

Joe Tringali, who was a quadriplegic and an advocate for estate recovery, worked at the Stavros Center for Independent Living in Amherst for over 30 years.

Although Tringali died last December, his partner of 22 years came to this bill signing to honor his legacy and lifetime of pushing for the rights of people with disabilities.

“This meant a great deal to us on a personal level as well as on a social justice level in terms of representing people who are often underrepresented.,” said Kathy Edgell, Tringali’s partner and a fellow advocate. “And it means the world to me.”

The founder of the Stavros Center, Chris Palames, met Joe Tringali when they were in Massachusetts General Hospital together in the summer of 1968.

Palames also advocated for the long-term care bill, and he says long term care reform has always come from Western Massachusetts.

“I think one of the things, just for a long, long time, Western Mass has always been the center for major disability reform,” said Palames. “Western Mass all the way!”

Governor Healey told onlookers at the ceremony that advocates’ personal stories and hard work are what got this crucial bill across the finish line.

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