Massachusetts Takes An Innovative Approach to Healthcare Coverage
April 21, 2006
In a groundbreaking joint effort, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a healthcare plan that will require all citizens to have some sort of health insurance by July 2007. The bill, signed by Governor Romney on April 12, 2006, aims to provide coverage for 95% of the state’s estimated 550,000 uninsured within the next three years. This represents a little over 8% of the state’s population.
The Massachusetts plan will require every person over the age of 18 who can obtain affordable health insurance to have it or face penalties on their tax returns. For those who can not afford insurance, Massachusetts will offer expanded Medicaid benefits, including subsidized health care premiums and a sliding fee scale for other low income people. The state will undergo a series of insurance market reforms to make obtaining insurance easier and less expensive. They are also creating a health insurance connector which will link businesses and individuals to high-quality affordable plans. A new user-friendly Web site will provide information about the cost and quality of various doctors. Parents will be responsible for dependent children up to age 25, an age group that frequently remains uninsured. Lack of insurance is one of the barriers keeping many childhood cancer survivors in this age group from attending medical follow-up.
A portion of the bill was vetoed before it was signed into law. The original plan included a fee for employers who have more than 10 employees and do not contribute to their employee’s healthcare costs. Other states have made similar efforts, but usually employers are not held responsible for health insurance coverage. In 1974, Hawaii introduced an employer mandate where business must participate in employee insurance plans. California, in 2003, passed legislation which included an employer mandate, but it was later overturned in a ballot initiative.
Part of the incentive for the program was the fact that Massachusetts, in a unique situation, faced losing $385 million in federal money if it did not lower the number of uninsured. However, this is not the first time that the state has introduced similar legislation. In the 1980’s, Gov. Michael Dukakis signed a universal healthcare plan that was later appealed.
This bold move will assist in placing healthcare issues back in the forefront. Because of Massachusetts relatively small size, low unemployment rate, and large base of employers who provide insurance, the plan has a higher chance of being successful. Hopefully, other states will carefully exam the plan and move healthcare coverage to the top of their agenda.
Related website:
Massachusetts House #4850
Related articles:
Know What House Legislation Affects You
Blagojevich Offers Plan to Aid Uninsured Children
Florida Introduces An Improved Program For Assisting the Critically Ill
<< Back
April 21, 2006
In a groundbreaking joint effort, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a healthcare plan that will require all citizens to have some sort of health insurance by July 2007. The bill, signed by Governor Romney on April 12, 2006, aims to provide coverage for 95% of the state’s estimated 550,000 uninsured within the next three years. This represents a little over 8% of the state’s population. The Massachusetts plan will require every person over the age of 18 who can obtain affordable health insurance to have it or face penalties on their tax returns. For those who can not afford insurance, Massachusetts will offer expanded Medicaid benefits, including subsidized health care premiums and a sliding fee scale for other low income people. The state will undergo a series of insurance market reforms to make obtaining insurance easier and less expensive. They are also creating a health insurance connector which will link businesses and individuals to high-quality affordable plans. A new user-friendly Web site will provide information about the cost and quality of various doctors. Parents will be responsible for dependent children up to age 25, an age group that frequently remains uninsured. Lack of insurance is one of the barriers keeping many childhood cancer survivors in this age group from attending medical follow-up.
A portion of the bill was vetoed before it was signed into law. The original plan included a fee for employers who have more than 10 employees and do not contribute to their employee’s healthcare costs. Other states have made similar efforts, but usually employers are not held responsible for health insurance coverage. In 1974, Hawaii introduced an employer mandate where business must participate in employee insurance plans. California, in 2003, passed legislation which included an employer mandate, but it was later overturned in a ballot initiative.
Part of the incentive for the program was the fact that Massachusetts, in a unique situation, faced losing $385 million in federal money if it did not lower the number of uninsured. However, this is not the first time that the state has introduced similar legislation. In the 1980’s, Gov. Michael Dukakis signed a universal healthcare plan that was later appealed.
This bold move will assist in placing healthcare issues back in the forefront. Because of Massachusetts relatively small size, low unemployment rate, and large base of employers who provide insurance, the plan has a higher chance of being successful. Hopefully, other states will carefully exam the plan and move healthcare coverage to the top of their agenda.
Related website:
Massachusetts House #4850
Related articles:
Know What House Legislation Affects You
Blagojevich Offers Plan to Aid Uninsured Children
Florida Introduces An Improved Program For Assisting the Critically Ill
<< Back
