Posted on 04/05/2006 7:05:04 AM PDT by CSM
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 10:54 p.m. EDT Romney to Sign Mandatory Health Bill
BOSTON -- Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that would make Massachusetts the first state to require that all its citizens have some form of health insurance.
The plan — approved just 24 hours after the final details were released — would use a combination of financial incentives and penalties to dramatically expand access to health care over the next three years and extend coverage to the state's estimated 500,000 uninsured.
If all goes as planned, poor people will be offered free or heavily subsidized coverage; those who can afford insurance but refuse to get it will face increasing tax penalties until they obtain coverage; and those already insured will see a modest drop in their premiums.
The measure does not call for new taxes but would require businesses that do not offer insurance to pay a $295 annual fee per employee.
The cost was put at $316 million in the first year, and more than a $1 billion by the third year, with much of that money coming from federal reimbursements and existing state spending, officials said.
The House approved the bill on a 154-2 vote. The Senate endorsed it 37-0.
A final procedural vote is needed in both chambers of the Democratic-controlled legislature before the bill can head to the desk of Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican candidate for president in 2008. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the governor would sign the bill but would make some changes that wouldn't "affect the main purpose of the bill."
Legislators praised the effort.
"It's only fitting that Massachusetts would set forward and produce the most comprehensive, all-encompassing health care reform bill in the country," said House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a Democrat. "Do we know whether this is perfect or not? No, because it's never been done before."
The only other state to come close to the Massachusetts plan is Maine, which passed a law in 2003 to dramatically expand health care. That plan relies largely on voluntary compliance.
"What Massachusetts is doing, who they are covering, how they're crafting it, especially the individual requirement, that's all unique," said Laura Tobler, a health policy analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The plan hinges in part on two key sections: the $295-per-employee business assessment and a so-called "individual mandate," requiring every citizen who can afford it to obtain health insurance or face increasing tax penalties.
Liberals typically support employer mandates, while conservatives generally back individual responsibility.
"The novelty of what's happened in this building is that instead of saying, `Let's do neither,' leaders are saying, `Let's do both,'" said John McDonough of Health Care for All. "This will have a ripple effect across the country."
The state's poorest — single adults making $9,500 or less a year — will have access to health coverage with no premiums or deductibles.
Those living at up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $48,000 for a family of three, will be able to get health coverage on a sliding scale, also with no deductibles.
The vast majority of Massachusetts residents who are already insured could see a modest easing of their premiums.
Individuals deemed able but unwilling to purchase health care could face fines of more than $1,000 a year by the state if they don't get insurance.
Romney pushed vigorously for the individual mandate and called the legislation "something historic, truly landmark, a once-in-a-generation opportunity."
One goal of the bill is to protect $385 million pledged by the federal government over each of the next two years if the state can show it is on a path to reducing its number of uninsured.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has threatened to withhold the money if the state does not have a plan up and running by July 1.
Without going back to exactly what I wrote, but since I have a photographic memory, even at my advanced age of 40-ish, I know what I said, and I said that everyone will need insurance (or catastrophic health care) if one lives long enough. Lives long enough, see, I'll say it again, lives long enough. And enough of the likes of you, as I already wasted too much time teaching you the concept of the English language.
Yeah, and why require auto insurance either.
Mit ought to veto the damn bill and make the state legislators take the blame when it bankrupts Mass...
That's what a socialist dictatorship does, tells people how to live and takes away their property (salary, financial assets, real estate, intellectual property)without due process or just compensation in order to give it to someone else. People should be reminded that the word Nazi (Hitler's party) stands for National Socialism. Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Marx and the proponents of socialized medicine have a lot in common. The Massachusetts plan will ultimately collapse, then the demagogues will want all MA residents to receive Federal medical care. Other states will imitate MA, and also fail. It's a big step in the wrong direction. Socialized medicine will destroy our economy.
You said, "How is the state gov't doing this against the principles of the constitution?"
Answer: The U.S. Constitution applies to all the States.
You said, "My guess (and it is only a guess) is that you are provided your health care through a company. In the last year I started my own business and the health care aspect of this has been a nightmare."
Answer: No, I've operated my own company for ten years, and paid for health insurance. It sounds like you might be able to find a better insurance company. ???
"The Mass. plan is an method to engage those who have resources to pay to do so. So what is wrong with that?"
A better question would be to ask what is right with that? I don't advocate the government dictation as to how I allocate my resources and I don't consider the government to be a good instrument to measure "means." All that the state of Mass is proposing is a shifting of the current costs, they are doing nothing to address the root cause of the problem.
To have it supported on FR is very sad, but not surprising considering many FR members support other aspects of socialism.
The constition enumerates certain powers to the federal gov't and the rest to the state. I don't see how states passing health-care legislation violates any part of the constitution.
No, I've operated my own company for ten years
Then get back to work! We are losing money while posting to silly message boards :)
Take notes, between the mandatory health care and the Senate Bill we are witnessing the decline of America as we knew it.
""The great banner state of liberty from the 1770s is going down (and has been for a long time) a socialistic path which is nothing more than communism/marxism light and is intended to lead there.""
MA isnt going down the path of socialism, theyve been there for over 50 years
You seem to be implying that catastrophic medical costs are limited to ailments caused by old age, and that ain't the case. There are huge costs associated with "dread diseases" such as cancer and with putting you back together after an automobile accident.
Apples and oranges really.
The only mandatory car insurance (by law) is liability. That car insurance is not for you, but the OTHER guy. Comprehensive/collision is only required by a lender with a lien (to protect what is still their property).
Say goodnight Mitt
G'night Mitt.
Orwellian speak.
Mandatory Health Bill, Kiss your FREEDOM goodby
Romney just lost all hope of being elected. What a fool this man is turning out to be, he has done some good things here in MA but this stooooopid health care thing is not one of them, poor poor Mitt, he's becoming a democrat and doesn't even know it. Tsk tsk tsk Mitt, get a grip before it's too late!
Astute observation, doing business here in the "commonwealth" is difficult enough what with all the rules, regulations and day to day BS including taxes, etc., now throw this idiotic measure in and there's no room for business growth, lawmakers in MA are trying to kill the economy in this State and much to my horror, they are succeeding.
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