Massachusetts health reform still reforming

Two years ago Massachusetts legislators enabled a health care coverage plan called Commonwealth Care, to all residents in the state. To see how employers are coping with the new reform and the universal health care plan, The Alliance for Health Reform and The Commonwealth Fund hosted a briefing on "Massachusetts Health Reform: A Giant Step Toward Universal Coverage?" inviting experts to deliver remarks on the health care issues still facing the nation.

In October 2008, the Massachusetts health reform got three more years of funding. The state is now able to spend up to $21.2 billion in the following three years. According to the health care coverage plan all residents within the state must have health insurance or they’ll face financial penalties. The New York Times stated in an recent article that the health care coverage plan also requires businesses to contribute to employee health benefits or pay penalties to a fund to support the insurance subsidies.

According to Jim Klocke of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce the percentage of the state population with health insurance as well as the availability of employee-provided coverage are well above the national average. “There had been signals from the administration that they wanted to see states moving in the direction of expanding people on health insurance rather than providing more funds to provide care to people without insurance,” Klocke said.

McCain's healthcare plan: dangerous to working families

Elizabeth Edwards, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund called the McCain healthcare plan “truly radical” on a conference call today to discuss the danger of McCain’s healthcare plan and to inform the public about issues the healthcare plan will create for working families across the nation. According to Edwards, the financial aspect of health insurance is extremely complex and the solutions will be just as complex. “Senator McCain will leave more Americans on their own to find health insurance,” Edwards said.

According to SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Chair of Change to Win Anna Burger, families of the middle class in America will be those suffering the most from the McCain healthcare plan. Burger highlighted that the healthcare plan will raise taxes which will leave middle class families losing several thousands dollars if accepting the healthcare plan McCain offers. “Whether we like it or not, the employee-based healthcare system is on its way out,” Burger said, “we need to find other solutions for working families fast.”

According to Burger, due to all the public and media attention on the Wall Street bailout, this is the time for voters to focus on Main Street problems. “We really need solutions for Main Street, not just bailouts for Wall Street,” Burger said.