Does anyone have any info on the Mass. law the required health coverage for everyone?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

I heard this story on NPR and remembered it today and wondered whatever happened with this law.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19266657

David

[bicentennial_baby]

1. What do you want to know?

Other than the fact that for many people, it totally sucks. We studied it in depth in my Health Economics course last semester. I'm in MA.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

3. Why does it suck? What are the problems? Are there affordable solutions to those problems?

[bicentennial_baby]

4. The cheaper plans have large deductibles

"Affordable" is relative concept in MA. Seriously.

The major problem is that MA can't pay for it. They used two different orgs. to calculate the expected costs, and then split the difference between them. Whoops. Waaaaay off.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. Why have the costs been so high?

[sandnsea]

2. Various problems

I recall lots of waivers for people who couldn't afford any of it. More expensive than forecast, I think. But a lot of people do have health care who didn't before.

I supported this law, btw, although I don't at a federal level. The state can move quicker than the feds, when things aren't going right. I also figured they'd be forced to raise the funds to insure everybody since it was the law, or fix the failures they were confronted with. I think we need a few of these programs before we implement mandated anything nationwide.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. double check, but I think there is a waiting period for pre-existing conditions

I did a little research, since I don't have health insurance, and was wondering what I could do
if I got sick. Eventually I will get sick, at least its likely.

I had a really bad gall bladder attack a few years ago, and was about to get surgery.
They made me wait a week and hadn't scheduled surgery, and I just decided to see if I could
make it without surgery.

After eating nothing but cream of wheat and mostly no fat foods for a few months, it appeared that
I could do without the surgery. Change of diet stopped the pain and the symptoms.

Anyway, some folks are desperate.

I think there is some sort of set up in San Francisco, itself, but dont' have time to do research.

Good luck.

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. Aren't those health policies offered by private companies?