Massachusetts Insurance Law

[Cone10]

Can anyone tell me about the new law signed today in Massachusetts concerning health insurance. Did I hear correctly that everyone must carry health insurance by a certain date. How in the heck are people supposed to afford if they don't have good jobs?

[newscott]

1. There's supposed to be a sliding income scale.

If you make less than 3 times the poverty level you pay nothing for your health insurance. Then you gradually pay more, the more you make.

If you don't get health insurance there are fines, but I don't recall the amounts. I think you have until sometime in 2007 to get it though.

[bluerum]

7. Is there a sliding benefits scale as well?

[Erika]

2. Romney crossed out the employer contribution and fines

for the employer to contribute.

He's cast the employees into a den of lions.

[Dr.Phool]

3. The law sucks, and only protects insurance company profits

Here's an article from the American Prospect that puts it into perspective.

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=1137

Now here's a good law introduced in Congress by John Conyers with dozens of co-sponsors. H.R. 676.

www.healthcare-now.org

[xray s]

4. how right you are

it's a scam to enrich wasteful corporate insurance companies at the taxpayers expense.

Medicare for All is the answer.

[Dr.Phool]

5. That's Kennedy's companion bill in the Senate for H.R. 676

[bluerum]

6. Its a scam and Romney is going to run on it in '08.

He vetoed a clause that requires employers to cover employees - or they could face fines. After the veto, employee's must buy insurance or face fines - regardless of the wage that they are paid.

It seems like this law creates an environment where it is possible for ALL companies to adopt the Walmart employee health plan model.

Not to mention it's a guaranteed revenue stream for insurance companies who will surely restrict coverage for those least able to pay for it.

This plan benefits business and takes money out of our pockets. This plan appears to be a thinly disguised tax on the commonwealth - and the proceeds are brazenly paid out into the coffers of insurance companies and businesses.

This is an outrage.