Posted on 04/04/2006 8:49:57 PM PDT by conservative in nyc
Massachusetts is poised to become the first state to provide nearly universal health care coverage with a bill passed overwhelmingly by the legislature Tuesday that Gov. Mitt Romney says he will sign.
The bill does what health experts say no other state has been able to do: provide a mechanism for all of its citizens to obtain health insurance. It accomplishes that in a way that experts say combines several methods and proposals from across the political spectrum, apportioning the cost among businesses, individuals and the government.
"This is probably about as close as you can get to universal," said Paul B. Ginsburg, president of the nonpartisan Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington. "It's definitely going to be inspiring to other states about how there was this compromise. They found a way to get to a major expansion of coverage that people could agree on. For a conservative Republican, this is individual responsibility. For a Democrat, this is government helping those that need help."
The bill, which resulted after months of wrangling between legislators and the governor, requires all Massachusetts residents to obtain health coverage by July 1, 2007.
Individuals who can afford private insurance will be penalized on their state income taxes if they do not purchase it. Government subsidies to private insurance plans will allow more of the working poor to buy insurance and will expand the number of children who are eligible for free coverage. Businesses with more than 10 workers that do not provide insurance will be assessed up to $295 per employee per year.
All told, the plan is projected to cover 515,000 uninsured people within three years, about 95 percent of the state's uninsured population, legislators said, leaving less than one percent of the total population unprotected.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
It's another scam that punishes people who take care of themselves and rewards the reckless.
Until I had coverage through an employer I didn't buy health insurance - there was no way I was throwing away good money to subsidize homosexuals and pill-poppers.
What happens if someone doesn't want to be a part of this and pay into it?
Can they opt-out of the program and the taxes?
"Gov. Mitt Romney says he will sign."
This guy wants to be President as a 'publican?
So much for Romney in '08. I have no use for this RINO and his HillaryCare Lite.
Socialism at its best...(or worst)
Massachusetts is getting closer to becoming a liberal wet dream. It's not surprize that MA is the only state to lose population in the last census.
CommuKare, Mass. will be bankrupt within 5 years
Well....THIS should be good.....an exercise in mommyhealthcare......should prove to other states what NOT to do!
This legislation will have two effects. Business will move out of the state. The reimbursement to physicians and hospitals will more than likely will be so low that no one will accept this socialistic insurance or physicians will move out of the state if they are mandated to accept patients with this insurance.
As best I can tell from the full article, mandatory insurance for people making "too much" money will be provided by private companies.
"But I have!" screamed James Taggart, when she reminded him once more. "I have obtained for you the top priority on health care, the first claim, the uppermost ration level, I've given you all the cards, certificates, documents and requisitions — what else do you want?"
"The health care."
(With apologies to Ayn Rand)
Mitt... Mitt...
You shoulda vetoed. It would get passed anyhow but now your name is sullied.
Like car insurance? So if I sneeze on you and you get a cold, my insurance has to pay you and my rates go up?
Hey all you millions of illegal aliens, Mass. is open for medical help for you and your future babies.
Just get your butts to mass. and go to any hospital and get your medical attention at taxpayer assistance.
Hey Americans, can't afford that back operation where you are? Just get a cheap apartment for a few weeks in Mass. and get your hundred thousand dollar back operation at taxpayer expence.
Damn Joe, you beat me to it.
But perhaps the Massholes want that to happen since that sorry state is the ONLY one losing population.
Now they can have their liberal cake and eat, it as well.
More socialism, less business, higher taxes, and they can practice what they preach as a few million mexicanos come to do those jobs that the people of Boston don't want to do.
Not to worry. Many 3rd world countries will provide 'doctors' to do the jobs that Americans do not want to do.
I think they are counting on Federal money (our taxes) to ultimately pay for this socialist plan by making up the difference between taxes and "fees" collected in MA and the actual expense of "free" care. Apparently the collapse of the Soviet Union has not been reported in the Boston Globe. The comrades of the People's Republic of Massachusetts are dumb enough to keep sending Kennedy and Kerry back to Washington, so they are dumb enough to like socialized medicine.
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