Now Mitt Romney will tackle homelessness...

[Telly Savalas]

by passing a law that says everyone is required to either buy a house or pay rent for an apartment.

If this approach works for healthcare, why not apply it to other issues?

[niyad]

1. you are joking, right?

[Telly Savalas]

3. It was intended as a joke...

but knowing those guys, they may be implementing such a plan as we speak.

[newscott]

2. Good one!

I'm still struggling to understand the "requirement" portion of this whole deal.

[stillcool]

4. that's logical....

I don't understand at all, how small business owners can be expected to fork out healh insurance for employees. Many of them don't have it for themselves. I must misunderstand something in this legislation. Cause otherwise they might as well shut down Main St...roll up the side walks and call Wallymart. Pretty soon if you're not working for the government you won't be working.

[RB TexLa]

5. will it be like the healthcare?

Everyone who can afford to buy a house will have to or pay higher taxes?

[Katherine Brengle]

6. What a ridiculous, purely partisan attack.

I can't stand Mitt Romney any more than anyone else here can (he is my governor), but the healthcare plan the MA legislature has come up with is superior to anything else I've seen anyone else do thus far.

Add that to the fact that MA already guarantees FREE healthcare to pregnant women, children under 19, the elderly, and anyone living under the federal poverty line, and that's a pretty damn progressive piece of legislation.

It seems to me that DUers are more interested in bashing Romney and the "car insurance" comparison than they are in actually looking at the idea on its merits.

[RB TexLa]

7. What about the forced purchase of healthcare in it?

you think twentysomethings should have to pay higher taxes because they chose not to purchase health insurance even though they can afford it?

[no name no slogan]

8. See VT's and MN's plans

Both cover almost the entire population of their respective states, and MN's actually MAKES MONEY, too. In fact, the GOP governor has been raiding the surplus MinnesotaCare budget to cover other deficits ever since he was elected in 2002.

There ARE better ways to provide coverage for people. Making it illegal for citizens to not have insurance is not one of them.

[Telly Savalas]

9. It's a bad idea, and I find it shameful that the Democrats

there are supporting it, hence it's not a partisan attack.

A good idea is offering health care to all like every other Western democracy does.

[blondeatlast]

11. Health care for all is the smartest solution for BUSINESS

both large and small.

Some businesses are waking up to this slowly.

[blondeatlast]

10. It would be helpful if you'd read thru the thread you started this AM.

Then, I suggest you read up on pending Senate Bill 1955. It's covered in Thomas, of course.

Apparently you failed to read my response to your AM post about this issue. I and many others took it to task for many of the same reasons.

I won't hijack this thread by taking the HC issue on, but dammit, read that thread and see there are very legitimate problems with his plan--which is, incidentally, similar to a plan a DEMOCRATIC governor pushed and that I deconstructed to shreds--and was royally reamed for on DU.

Bad legislation, though, is bad legislation.

[converted_democrat]

13. What will happen to people that can't get insurance due to pre-existing

conditions or cancer survivors? Whose pockets will the bill ultimately line? Are we sure that this isn't a giveaway to GOP friendly companies? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I haven't found anyone that can answer them either.. There are many questions that need to be answered before anyone can tout this as a good bill.

[Cobalt Violet]

14. The maximum exclusion period in MA is 6 months.

Definitions: Pre-existing condition: Any condition (either physical or mental) for which medical advice, diagnoses, care, or treatment was recommended or received within a six month period immediately preceding enrollment in a health plan. Pregnancy cannot be counted as a pre-existing condition. Genetic information about the likelihood about developing a disease or condition without a diagnosis of that condition cannot be considered a pre-existing condition. Newborns, newly adopted children, and children placed for adoption covered for thirty days cannot be subject to pre-existing condition exclusions.


So if your a survior and haven't had any medical advice, diagnoses, care, or treatment in 6 months you can be insured. Other wise you may have to wait 6 months. Unless they have included a new law in this new bill.

[converted_democrat]

15. Does that hinge on "if" you can get coverage in the first place? n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

16. An elimination rider?

Elimination Rider. An amendment permitted in health plan contracts in some states that permanently excludes your coverage for a health condition, body part, or body system. Elimination riders are not permitted in Massachusetts.

[Cobalt Violet]

17. Also this.

Guaranteed Issue. A requirement that health plans must permit you to enroll regardless of your health status, age, gender, or other factors that might predict your use of health services. All health plans sold to individuals and small employers with 1 to 50 employees in Massachusetts are guaranteed issue. Plans that are guaranteed issue can turn you away for other reasons.

Guaranteed Renewability. A feature in health plans that means your coverage cannot be canceled because you get sick. HIPAA requires all health plans to be guaranteed renewable. The precise definition of guaranteed renewable may vary based on what type of insurance you have. Your coverage can be canceled for other reasons unrelated to your health status.

[blondeatlast]

12. Education, too...

Everyone in MA will be required to buy a school.