Joy to Massachusetts

[Sindawe]

Mass. Pols OK Mandatory Health Insurance

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 4, 2006

Filed at 4:09 p.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) -- Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that would make Massachusetts the first state to require that all its citizens have some form of health insurance.

The plan -- hailed as a national model and approved just 24 hours after the final details were released -- would dramatically expand access to health care over the next three years.

If all goes as planned, those already insured will see a modest drop in their premiums, lower-income residents will be offered new, more affordable plans and subsidies to help them pay for coverage, and those who can afford insurance but refuse to get it will face increasing tax penalties until they obtain coverage.

The measure does not call for new taxes but would require businesses that do not offer insurance to pay a $295 annual fee per employee.

The House approved the bill on a 154-2 vote. The Senate endorsed it 37-0.

A final procedural vote is needed in both chambers before the bill can head to the desk of Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican candidate for president in 2008. Romney has expressed support the measure but has not said whether he will sign it.

''It's only fitting that Massachusetts would set forward and produce the most comprehensive, all-encompassing health care reform bill in the country,'' said House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a Democrat. ''Do we know whether this is perfect or not? No, because it's never been done before.''

The cost will rise from an estimated $316 million in the first year to more than a $1 billion in the third year, with much of that money coming from federal reimbursements and existing state spending, officials said.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Massachusettts-Health.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

If all goes according to plan... Yea, right.

Note the add wealth redistribution (aka subsidies) for those who can not afford health insurance, the the promise of increasing tax penalties for those who chose to do with out insurance.

 

[KIDGLOCK]

Thank god , the goverments here to help!!:banghead:

 

[ArmedBear]

If you have property in MA, sell it now. There will soon be no business there worth speaking of.

Now even CA has a more attractive business environment, and the weather still doesn't suck.

And since when did making something mandatory to purchase make it cheaper? Didn't happen with car insurance. Why would it happen with health insurance?

The notion that most people will see lower premiums is not just wishful thinking; it's a bald-faced lie.

 

[wild billz]

no new taxes, just increasing the cost of products and services within the state: "The measure does not call for new taxes but would require businesses that do not offer insurance to pay a $295 annual fee per employee." That should be a real help to everyone.

 

[ArmedBear]

Guaranteed way to increase the number of entry-level jobs: charge businesses a $295 "fee" per job.

 

[Freddymac]

Hello socialism

who needs capitolism? who needs privately owned companies? ...UGH!

 

[xd9fan]

baby boomers

If there is one thing the "greatest generation" failed on, it was teaching their children about the dangers of socialism/collectivism that they fought so hard against.

 

[Maxwell]

Vote the bastards out already.

 

[News Shooter]

OK OK

Maybe this state is out of control when it comes to taxes and limitations on freedom, constitutional rights and free enterprise, but you've got to admit....



it IS snowing on April 4th

 

[mbrosch]

Whachya want or whachya need?

One thing about a Democracy; people get what they deserve.

 

[geekWithA.45]

I'm aghast.

If Romney signs this, he can kiss flush his POTUS aspirations down the can.

 

[KriegHund]

So they are essentially bribing people to get health insurance.

Now, i think everyone shoudl have health insurance if they can afford it...

But this is just plain wrong!

 

[Tokugawa]

How to bankrupt your state 101. Predictions- the state will mandate the cost and coverage of the plan. Insurers will leave the state in droves. The high risk patients will be ever more concentated with the remaining insurers. The cost of insurance will go thru the roof. Low income people will flock to Mass. for the coverage, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE SICK. This will overload the system to the point where it will collapse. This is perhaps the dumbest idea I have heard in a really long while. Absolutely, 100% garandamteed to implode. If you ever wanted to see the law of unintended consequences in action, take your seats for a grandstand view.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Yippee! Free health care for everybody!

 

[Cuda]

What would you call it.. Extortion

The measure does not call for new taxes but would require businesses that do not offer insurance to pay a $295 annual fee per employee.

If Romney signs this he will be commiting political suicide.

C

 

[jerkyman45]

I live right below those Marxists, in Rhode Island, what worries me is how long before this crazy sentiment starts spreading to other states. Lord knows that the left wing state governments in the north east and out on the west coast will jump on this idea like a starving dog on a T-bone. What the hell happened to the good old days when America hated communism?

 

[xd9fan]

Baby boomers are the most selfish generation ever. When will they learn that Govts cant control prices and can never complete with the free market. They could care less how much the future generstions will be effected and how much it will cost us. Its about them and them only. Baby bloomers.......free your children and grandkids from the economic slavery you are placing them in.
Healthcare needs to be released to the free market. But then this is the generation that does not trust me with my Social Insercurity money either......go figure

 

[ArmedBear]

They could care less how much the future generstions will be effected and how much it will cost us.

Bingo.

They'll surely cause more damage before they die off. Too bad those drugs weren't REALLY as bad for them as they told us when WE were kids and they were soccer moms.

 

[SomeKid]

If any of those legislators had bothered reasearching what TennCare did to us, they wouldn't have been so happy to pass it. Then again, maybe they would.

On the plus side, once the state gets desperate for money, it might be possible to get some shall issue passed (ok, I know, not a chance). More than likely, you'll see ammo and gun taxes rise. Because after all, guns cause people to be injured, tax those horrid things! It will improve the peoples health after all. We may very well get to see a great example of idiocy at work.

 

[xd9fan]

Its about dependency...which equals control.

 

[cbsbyte]

I fail to see how this has to do with gun rights or politics. Would people try to keep this board topics pretaining to something about firearm poltics and not health insurance.

 

[Pilot]

baby boomers

If there is one thing the "greatest generation" failed on, it was teaching their children about the dangers of socialism/collectivism that they fought so hard against.

You said a mouthful. How did this happen?? We GAVE THE BABY BOOMERS TOO MUCH. Now they feel ENTITLED. That is Socialism. I'm a Baby Boomer and I reject that thought. However, I like a nice Russian SKS.

 

[Pilot]

I fail to see how this has to do with gun rights or politics. Would people try to keep this board topics pretaining to something about firearm poltics and not health insurance.

It will come down to guns if we don't stop this sh*t.

 

[Manedwolf]

lower-income residents will be offered new, more affordable plans and subsidies to help them pay for coverage, and those who can afford insurance but refuse to get it will face increasing tax penalties until they obtain coverage.

Right, then. And how are they going to determine "who can afford it?"

"Sorry, Mr. Smith, you make just above the poverty line for being able to afford insurance as determined in Document CYA-97429 subsection III clause 1a. subclause f. You are now subject to increasing penalties unless you get insurance on your own, or you may hire a lawyer to contest this judgement."

If it's run like all other bureacracy...

 

[Manedwolf]

If you have property in MA, sell it now. There will soon be no business there worth speaking of.

Now even CA has a more attractive business environment, and the weather still doesn't suck.

Nah, all the medical and biotech growth industries are starting to come north over the line into NH. Which is fine with me!

Weather's fine, too. I fail to see ANY reason why anyone would want to live or own a business in the People's Socialist Republic of California, but that's just me.

MA's just gone insane. I don't even travel there anymore unless I have to. I prefer a state that lets its law-abiding citizens be armed without specific questions and doubts and fees.