Monday, March 30, 2009
Massachusetts's Health-Care Program - WSJ.com
If you watched the Republican Presidential debates last year, you probably heard Mitt Romney extol the virtues of the Massachusetts Health Care System "he" implemented.
This article seems to convey that it's not working out so well.
Hopefully, our politicians will use it as a "cautionary tale" as they consider a similar program on a National scale...
This article seems to convey that it's not working out so well.
Hopefully, our politicians will use it as a "cautionary tale" as they consider a similar program on a National scale...
The Wall Street Journal describes it's downhill slide:
"In Massachusetts's latest crisis, Governor Deval Patrick and his Democratic colleagues are starting to move down the path that government health plans always follow when spending collides with reality -- i.e., price controls. As costs continue to rise, the inevitable results are coverage restrictions and waiting periods. It was only a matter of time.
They're trying to manage the huge costs of the subsidized middle-class insurance program that is gradually swallowing the state budget. The program provides low- or no-cost coverage to about 165,000 residents, or three-fifths of the newly insured, and is budgeted at $880 million for 2010, a 7.3% single-year increase that is likely to be optimistic. The state's overall costs on health programs have increased by 42% (!) since 2006.
Like gamblers doubling down on their losses, Democrats have already hiked the fines for people who don't obtain insurance under the 'individual mandate,' already increased business penalties, taxed insurers and hospitals, raised premiums, and pumped up the state tobacco levy. That's still not enough money."
