Is It Good News for Massachusetts- Universal Health Care?

There's been a lot of debate of whether or not the health insurance mandate in Massachusetts is doing any good. Supporters of the law point to numbers, like those reported by the Boston Globe, that show a heavy increase of residents who have health insurance plans.

A report from the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy states that higher than two thirds of residents that did not have health insurance in 2006 now have coverage. In the article from the Globe, the state says it is saving millions, financially, by the simple reduction in emergency room visits.

Research director for Health Care for All, Brian Rosman, states, "This shows a cultural shift in public attitude, where people understand that as a community, by everyone getting health insurance, we are improving the health of everybody."

But critics of mandate laws say it significantly raises insurance premiums, reduces health care access, and relies on inefficient government bureaucracies to run health care. Critics also argue that such laws make it more attractive for residents to hop on government coverage, rather than find a private health plan.

The report actually showed different results. It said that nearly half of the recently insured state residents got their insurance through their employer or acquired their own individually. The Commonwealth Care costs are increasing steadily, regardless. Massachusetts has actually requested $11 billion in federal funds to help finance it over the following 3 years.