Posted on 01/28/2008 8:50:12 AM PST by Ol' Sparky
(CNSNews.com) - According to recent reports, the cost of Massachusetts' health insurance mandate will rise 85 percent, or $400 million, in 2009. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), meanwhile, has been on the presidential campaign trail praising the program he put into place.
According to The Boston Globe, the cost increase is largely due to an increase in the number of people signing up for state-subsidized health insurance. State and federal taxpayers are likely to shoulder the cost increase.
"Essentially, the people who signed up under the mandate were the people who were getting subsidies," said Michael Tanner, director of health and welfare studies at the libertarian Cato Institute.
Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate at Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, added, "What we've seen happen in Massachusetts is that lots of people are signing up for subsidized care," although "just 7 to 8 percent of the people who have newly signed up for health insurance have enrolled in a program they must pay full price for."
Tanner told Cybercast News Service that the state will likely need to raise taxes to cover the additional costs.
Romney, however, has been campaigning on the health insurance plan as a success.
"We put in place a plan that gets every citizen in our state health insurance, and it didn't cost us new money," he said during the Republican debate in New Hampshire on Jan. 5. "It didn't require us to raise taxes."
"Mitt Romney likes to brag that he got universal coverage in Massachusetts without a tax increase," said Tanner. "I don't think that's going to be true for long."
Romney said he would not mandate at the federal level that every state adopt Massachusetts' plan, "but what I would say at the federal level is we'll keep giving you these special payments we make if you adopt plans that get everybody insured," he said during the debate.
"I'd say each state needs to get busy on the job of getting all our citizens insured," he added. "It does not cost more money."
"It didn't cost any more money while he was governor because it wasn't in effect while he was governor," said Tanner, noting that Romney is likely to drop the issue while campaigning.
"He's in a bit of a bind. It's his signature accomplishment," he said. "Mitt Romney has found out that you can't be a little bit pregnant on government-run healthcare. It's hard to tell everyone you're the heir to Ronald Reagan while you're touting Hillary Clinton's health care plan. There is no material difference between the two."
Balber said the new cost estimates have proven Romney wrong. Her state of California has a similar plan that would mandate residents buy private health insurance and subsidize coverage for those who could not afford it.
"The proponents for this measure take a very low estimate for the number - 5.6 million - for the number of uninsured in California. Broadly, 6.5 to 7 million is considered the reasonable estimate," Balber told Cybercast News Service.
"California is also facing a huge budget deficit, so the idea that they are going to be able to take on the enormous new expense of this Schwarzenegger health care plan on top of this budget deficit they are facing is absurd," said Tanner.
Romney's campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article.
But, the same types will be whining if he gets in office and behaves like lying RINO he is.
Oy vey...
The argument underlying the story is a little bit like being alarmed that the number of people showing up to a Patriots game in the hour before kickup is up 85 percent from those who arrived an hour earlier. It’s a new program.
Are you telling me, that if the government subsidizes something and makes the price artificially low ... are you telling me that people will actually demand more of it than they would if they had to pay the actual cost??
If true, this could revolutionize the study of economics.
Surrounded by Sen. Kennedy and other beaming Democrats
who just cannot believe their luck at owning such a fine, trained, docile pandering RINO Governor.
Sen. John Kerry to Don Imus on RomneyCARE: "I like this health care bill".
Sen. Hillary Clinton on RomneyCARE: "To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable."
Wondering here if the CNS is shilling for Huckabee... Just askin’.
But he’s a Conservative dotcha know...
What say ye Barbara Anderson?
“State and FEDERAL taxpayers are likely to shoulder the cost increase.”
Oh, joy.
We all get to bear the burden of this liberal boondoogle.
I will NEVER, EVER, vote for Romney. I don’t care who his is up against.
Right now in IL there's crap in the basic, 'basic coverage', from all Insurance Companies that many don't want nor need. I had a heck of a time getting the 'Basic Blue' plan from Blue Cross for our HEALTHY 24yo daughter. I kept getting packets on their Gold Plated plans and kept calling and saying NO we don't want this. I finally found a Broker who understood I meant 'Basic Blue' - period. It then took only ten minutes tops to get her signed up for that plan. And this Gold Plated stuff is typical because someone's lining their pockets, like the pols from kickbacks ... oops, I mean 'Campaign Contributions'.
It would prolly be the first time in decades that Congress actually used the Commerce Clause for what it was intended.
It's a new government program. There. Fixed it.
I'm sure you as a conservative know that it will grow smaller over time, less costly and with increase quality and innovation. Right?
I hate McCain more than I like Romney.
Can’t have that, that is discrimination.
Yet, government insurance is world wide telling people after they pay/tax in, they’re too fat, they smoke, although AIDS, illegals and politically correct groups are welcome.
If true, this could revolutionize the study of economics.
Including but not limited to, $50 abortions.
I'll wait and see how this shakes out before considering voting for him.
Why bother with Hillarycare Lite when we can have Hillarycare???
Socialism on parade.
Where did you get the fascism picture? Is it available in a poster? I’d frame that and put it on the wall.
Pictures are worth 10,000 words....good post.
Thanks for posting. Ol’ Sparky, you are a great American.
So, you are saying that a majority of conservative voters all over the U.S. should truly do what on November 4, and how will it truly succeed in defeating all “leftist” politicians at every political level on November 4?
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