 |
 |
| Pols pass health package: Bill’s reforms seen as ‘milestone’ |
|
Author: Jennifer Heldt Powell Publication: Boston Herald |
|
April 5, 2006 - A sweeping health-care reform package approved by lawmakers yesterday will potentially affect nearly everyone in the state whether or not they now have insurance.
Provisions to require individuals to buy health insurance and businesses to offer it have grabbed headlines, but there are many other changes that could have a dramatic impact on how health care is delivered and paid for. “This is a huge step. There should be no underestimating it,” said John McDonough, chief of Health Care for All and a former lawmaker who worked on the state’s last major health-care reform. “This is a milestone that will lead to some substantial progress over the next three to five years.” The bill was approved yesterday by both chambers, just a day after the details of the 150-page document were released. Gov. Mitt Romney has indicated his support, but hasn’t committed to signing it. “I think it’s a relatively comprehensive bill,” said Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge), co-chairman of the Legislature’s Health Care Committee. “I don’t think we’ve solved all of the problems of health care, but we’ve addressed quite a few.” The bill, however, provides only a framework. Much of how it gets implemented depends on rules that haven’t yet been written. “It’s definitely sweeping and it’s definitely a major advance,” said James Roosevelt Jr., chief of Tufts Health Plan. “It’s just that there’s a lot of details that still need to be worked out.” For instance, it requires everyone to get health insurance so long as it’s affordable, but it doesn’t define affordable. Also, it calls for rate hikes to hospitals to be tied to performance measures, but doesn’t specify what measures. The plan also relies on private health insurers to offer cheaper plans, but it’s not clear whether they will be able to do so. Overall the bill is expected to cost $1.3 billion a year over the next three years, including $125 million in new state spending. At the heart of the bill is a new state agency called the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector that will work with private insurers to provide subsidized plans and insurance for businesses and young adults. Businesses with more than 10 employees will be required to offer insurance or face penalties of $295 per person per year. Individuals will face lost tax deductions and other penalties that could top $1,000 if they don’t get health insurance. |