Massachusetts stands as a model for other states in America which aim to make health insurance cover accessible and affordable to all its people.
According to a panel of experts the state of Massachusetts stands as a model for other states in America which aim to make health insurance cover accessible and affordable to all its people.
A series of debates by the panel analyzed the elements of state health reforms organized by the Kaiser Family Foundation and National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. They felt that many reforms done by Massachusetts were very specific to that state.Earlier in the year, President Bush had disclosed his own plan for universal health care but the latest thrust came from Massachusetts. Mitt Romney the state's former governor and Republican presidential contender joined with a Democratic legislature in 2006 to execute the country’s first statewide universal coverage plan. The state requested its residents to buy and maintain health insurance if they don't already have it.
Following Massachusetts closely on its heals are California, Texas and New York with their own specific proposals. Though a case study cannot be provided by Massachusetts for implementation it can certainly set an example of the kind of bipartisanship necessary to arrive at any sort of agreement.
Jon Kingsdale, executive director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority said that it had taken three years for them to reach a plan that everybody could agree upon. He also added that the biggest challenge that they face now is to sustain the political support. He said that approximately 94% of Massachusetts residents had some form of insurance going into the new plan and felt they were lucky to start with a higher base. Massachusetts also has the highest underlying costs of care in the country
Karen Pollitz, project director of Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University stressed on the affordable health coverage that should be available everywhere.
Source-Medindia
JYT
