[thepainster]

So let me get this straight.

Employers will be forced to pay a $295 "fee" per employee but it is not a tax.

People who opt not to purchase health insurance will be required to do so.

The poor will be given health insurance with no premium or no deductible.

No one will have to pay deductibles

And everyone who currently pays for insurance will see a reduction in premiums.

Wow that is fantastic! I now need to see the they can repeal the laws of Physics. I need to get my perpetual motion machine going again.......

[dreammaker]

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.

Nice wealth redistribution plan being shoved up the wazoo of the middle-class trying to climb upwards, ain't it?

Socialists in Republican sheeps' clothing like Mitt Romney are worse than Democrats. Maybe he can run as Hillary's VP.

Romney is as much Presidential material as your latest post-coffee donation to the john.

[highlander_UW]

So MA is the first state to adopt socialism. No shocker there. If Romney has any brains he won't bother putting his name up for president...he just signed away any chance right here.

[M203M4]

As bad as it looks already, it is actually much worse. This sort of thing strengthens the hand of nanny-state proposals to control the lives of the serfs. Think about smoking, fatty foods, sugar, pop, booze, riding motorcycles, or any other (imagined or otherwise) risky behavior - oh, and don't forget about mandatory exercise. It becomes part of the government's "mandate" to control lives so healthcare costs don't get too high.

You hear all of the proposals for sugar and fat taxes? And laws mandating location restrictions for vending machines? You think seatbelt and helmet laws are bad now? What do you think will happen to all these things when you have Hillarycare (or Hillarycare lite, aka Romneycare)? Your government mandated permitted activities list will arrive in the mail shortly. Personal responsibility is so passe - let the government assist you, citizen.

[Lancey Howard]

....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

Wow! What a nightmare. So much for "President Romney".
Not happening in a million years, especially now.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"Romney to Sign Mandatory Health Bill"

Says it all, free health care (for some) will be paid for, even if they have to criminalize those who refuse it.

[kellynla]

Marx would be proud.

and if anybody needs to see what socialism in America will bring;
all they need do is look at France!

[EBH]

"Under the legislation, which is expected to be approved by Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, insurance agencies would expand health care coverage by offering state-subsidized, low-cost insurance plans with scaled-back benefits."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060405/pl_nm/massachusetts_dc_5

[headstamp]

"The vast majority of Massachusetts residents who are already insured could see a modest easing of their premiums."


When pigs fly. This is another boondoggle certain to explode into unsustainable costs.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Open Rebellion is getting closer and closer. Politicians need to be the first to go.

[Mr. K]

I SEE THIS AS A GOOD THING-

AS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WATCHES THIS DISASTER UNFOLD JUST IN TIME TO REMIND PEOPLE OF HILLARY-HEALTH DURING HER PRESIDENTIAL RUN

[Hank Rearden]

Once again, it's confirmed that voting Republican is just rolling the dice in a crapshoot, so that's why I don't.

The Republican Party has no principles; it's just the usual collection of professional-politician whores. See my FR homepage for my questions to people still ignorant enough to support the GOP.

[djf]

Hard to believe some folks in that state once dressed up like Indians and chucked a bunch of tea in the bay. Over what amounts to about a 2 cent tax...


Once upon a time...

[RightWhale]

Mandatory health insurance. Is this better than mandatory health savings accounts?

[the_Watchman]

The vast majority of Massachusetts residents who are already insured could see a modest easing of their premiums.

This conjecture is based upon the presumption that increasing the pool of insured will spread the risk. Unfortunately, as with ALL governmental meddling with the free market, there are unintended consequences. In this case, it is pretty easy to predict. Instead, they are forcing a wider collection of people to participate in the medical insurance system which will induce a larger proportion of the population to acquire limited medical services. The results will be longer lines, more delays, and higher costs for those currently participating. Back in the 1960's my father predicted the ultimate failure of the U.S. medical system. He pointed out that a system where insurance companies collect premiums for potentially unlimited services delivered by a third party was a system with no "feedback" control. The managed care programs have attempted to reign in the costs by having the insurer employ the doctor directly and stipulate precise protocols for service delivery. People blanch at having the insurers dictate the level of service and uncontrolled programs, such as Medicare, pump clients into the medical system which still causes prices to rise.

My father suggested, in the 1960's, that if government wanted to meddle in order to control health care costs, they should BAN all medical insurance programs. I believe that health care would improve if all, but catastrophic coverage, were eliminated. I do like the idea of health savings accounts which allow people to shelter health care costs from taxes. [I'd also like such an account for my food and housing and cars and ... ;-) ]

[EternalVigilance]

I'm sure that Hillary is darned proud of Willard Mitt.

A potential running mate?

[EternalVigilance]

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.

What's the punishment? Do they take away your health?

[BlessedBeGod]

He can kiss his presidential ass-pirations goodbye!

[Osage Orange]

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.

Yeah...sure, fee's aren't taxes.

Question: Do they really think we are stupid?

Answer: We sure act like we are....

[bella1]

Well, there goes his presidential aspirations.