| maleficent |
04-06-2006 08:31 AM |
Mass to vote on universal healthcare
Massachusetts to Vote on Universal Health Care
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April 6, 2006 — Joseph Landais, his wife and three children are among the more than 500,000 Massachusetts residents without health insurance.
So when the Landaises need a doctor, they head straight to the emergency room, which isn't a good solution for them or the hospital.
"My sister … broke her leg from about three years ago, and we're still paying off that bill," said Christine Landais, Joseph Landais' daughter.
"It clogs the system up, and we get a backlog," said Dr. David M. Barrett, president and chief executive officer of Lahey Clinic, which is based in Burlington, Mass. "It's not unusual for people to have to wait four, five hours for care."
Under the new system, residents who made less than $9,500 a year would get free health insurance. Those making $54,000 would pay the premium for the new health-care policy, which would be around $200 per month. Those making less than $54,000 would pay only a portion of the premium. For example, someone making $15,000 a year would pay $2.31 a week.
"Everybody pays something. No more entire free rides," Gov. Mitt Romney said. "Everybody pays what they can afford."
The new law also would require small-business owners who didn't provide their employees with health insurance to pay $300 per worker each year into a state fund. That doesn't sit well with Betty Ann Wasilunas.
"You want me to start picking up people's insurance?" said Wasilunas, who owns Vissoi Salon in Westwood, Mass. "I think it's out of this world. I think it's crazy!"
Still, many experts say after years of failed attempts in several states and by the federal government, the Massachusetts bill, which stresses individual responsibility, could serve as a national model — and that's good news for the Landais family.
How can Massachusetts afford to do this?
"We spend roughly $1 billion a year providing free health care to people who don't have insurance, and the cost of helping those people buy insurance is closer to $650 million," Romney said.
The state government would keep any money it saved in a special pool in case it incorrectly calculated the cost of universal health care, according to Romney.
"Ultimately, we believe that people having insurance will mean people can go to their primary-care physician and clinic first and that means better health-care treatment," Romney said. "People who have insurance go to the hospital far less often and have much lower charges than people without it."
Some people are speculating that Romney, a Republican, will run for president in 2008, but Romney said he's "not sure of future plans at this stage."
He said he was pleased that as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, he was able to "introduce a plan to get everybody insured, work with the legislature to come up with a plan … to get the job done."
"People want problem solving at the state and federal level," Romney said. "I hope that [this] is at least passed on to other states."
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Key Points of the Bill
Legislators say by that by providing every Massachusetts resident with health insurance, the costs of health care are actually lowered.
For instance, the way the system works now, employers who offer insurance also have to pick up part of the tab for the cost of care for the uninsured at hospitals. By having more employers provide insurance, and having fewer uninsured people, these costs to employers go down. Analysts also say that adding more healthy people -- who use less care -- into the insurance system keeps deductibles and premiums down for all.
A look at how the bill would affect employers and individuals:
Individuals
As of July 1, 2007, all individuals must have coverage.
-- Those below 300 percent of the federal poverty level (about $38,500 for a family of three), but not eligible for Medicaid, will have their private insurance plans subsidized at a sliding-scale rate.
-- Children whose families earn below 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) will be given free coverage through Medicaid.
-- Individuals with incomes below the FPL ($9,600) will have premiums waived on private insurance. (Currently most childless adults are not eligible for coverage under the state's Medicaid plan.)
-- Those who can afford insurance will be increasingly penalized for not buying coverage. In the first year, they'll lose their state personal income tax exemption.
-- Family coverage will be extended to cover young adults up to the age of 25.
-- Allows the use of "health savings accounts" with cheaper high-deductible "catastrophic" coverage plans. HSAs allow consumers to invest money and withdraw it "tax free" to cover health-care costs.
Businesses
All employers who have more than 10 employees must contribute to employee health-care costs.
-- Employers who don't provide insurance will pay an annual fee of $295 per full-time employee.
-- Encourages private insurers to offer more low-cost options.
-- Creates a "health insurance connector" to help individuals and businesses find affordable private coverage. -
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Interesting concept--- I am not sure they've answered all the questions I would have regarding it... Like is that monthly fee, per family -- (if wife works, and husband and kids don't - does the 200 cover the entire family or does she pay 400 a month - if it covers the family, then single people get screwed)
Seems like a nice idea for a guy who's going to runfor president... but in theory i don't see how it will work
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