Essay about Health Care Reform

Submitted By TylerRashawn1
Words: 578
Pages: 3

Massachusetts Health Care

It's safe to say that the passing of the Health Care Program in Massachusetts by Mitt Romney has been very controversial. Mitt Romney has received a lot of criticism when it comes to his health care program. Although a lot of the critics have blown things out of proportion. It has its strengths and weaknesses just like any other program.
Massachusetts health reform program was enacted in 2006 with the intent to expand comprehensive insurance coverage which would increase availability and also make health care more affordable for the states residents. The steady progress that has been made ever since the bill was put into place shows that it has had a positive impact throughout the state. In 2008, 85% of the nation as a whole had health insurance as opposed to the 96% in the state of Massachusetts. It remained at an all time high into 2009 even with the recession. One of the strengths of “Romney Care” is the individual mandate, which requires every resident who's 18 years or older to obtain and maintain health insurance that meets the minimum coverage requirements. By forcing every resident to obtain health insurance it lowers the cost for people who really need it. To make it even more affordable, the state will also provide lower-income individuals with subsidies. According to the Department of Revenue only 45'000 residents were penalized for failing to obtain affordable health care when it was available to them. Since the health reform, employers are offering more coverage to their workers. As of 2009, 76% of employers are offering insurance, which is 7% higher than the national average. Surveys have also shown that 77% of big businesses support the law because having to give employees coverage makes attracting workers a lot easier. It also creates competition between businesses.
One of the downsides to Romneycare is the small group insurance market isn't very affordable for small businesses and wasn't one of the focal points of the law, so small business employers are facing a hard time trying to find affordable coverage. Small business premiums have seen a 15% annual increase in costs. Another problem with Romneycare are the loopholes that allow residents to manipulate the system. For example some