RIGHT WING IN PANIC MODE As Affordable Care Act Roll Out Working

[pampango]

15. And the Democratic legislature (85% majority) in Massachusetts.

U.S. Senator from Massachusetts Edward M. Kennedy, who had made universal heath coverage his life's work, gave Romney's plan a positive reception, which encouraged Democratic legislators to work with it.

The legislature amended Romney's plan, adding a Medicaid expansion for children and imposing an assessment on firms with 11 or more workers who do not offer health coverage. The assessment is intended to equalize the contributions to the free care pool from employers that offer and do not offer coverage. The General Court also rejected Romney's provision allowing high-deductible health plans.

Romney vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a $295-per-person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance. Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. However, the state legislature overrode all of the vetoes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorship_of_Mitt_Romney#Health_care

The Democrats in the Massachusetts legislature made many improvements in romney's healthcare proposal. He vetoed all of them. They overrode all of his vetoes. With an 85% majority they could pretty much pass or reject whatever they wanted. So this was more a Democratic law than a republican one.