Good News For Universal Health Care In Massachusetts?

Good News For Universal Health Care In Massachusetts? in Individual Health Insurance

There’s been a lot of debate of whether or not the health insurance mandate in Massachusetts is doing any good.

Supporters of the law point to numbers, like those reported by the Boston Globe, that show a heavy increase of residents who have health insurance plans.

According to report from the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, over two-thirds of residents who were uninsured in 2006 now have coverage.

The Globe article also reported that the state is actually saving millions of dollars because the number of emergency room visits has drastically gone down.

“This shows a cultural shift in public attitude, where people understand that as a community, by everyone getting health insurance, we are improving the health of everybody,” said Brian Rosman, research director for the consumer advocacy group, Health Care for All.

But critics of mandate laws say it significantly raises insurance premiums, reduces health care access, and relies on inefficient government bureaucracies to run health care.

Critics also argue that such laws make it more attractive for residents to hop on government coverage, rather than find a private health plan.

The report, however, showed something different.

Almost half of the newly insured Massachusetts residents got their coverage through an employer or found a plan in the individual market.

Still, costs for Commonwealth Care, the state-subsidized health care plan, are steadily increasing. The state has even asked for $11 billion in federal funds to help finance the plan over the next three years.

What’s your take on universal health care in Massachusetts?

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