From the Massachusetts Center for Health Information: CHIA found that, overall, the individual purchaser market segment experienced decreases in average premiums (-3.4%) and cost-sharing (-8.0%) between 2015 and 2016. CHIA also found that unsubsidized plans experienced higher premium growth and larger cost-sharing increases than ConnectorCare Plan. (State's subsidized health insurance exchange.) ...Overall financial trends for … Continue reading Health insurance premiums going down in Massachusetts for individuals? State says end of federal subsidies will “challenge” this trend.
Mass Connector
Mass. single-payer advocates take on limits of state health reform
Before you write off these folks, note that a recent survey of doctors by the Massachusetts Medical Society found that a growing number of doctors support the idea of a single-payer system. More than 40 percent, up from 34 percent last year. So do a lot of folks at Occupy Boston. Massachusetts Health Reform in Practice and The Future of … Continue reading Mass. single-payer advocates take on limits of state health reform
New Yorker: How Mitt Romney came around to Massachusetts style health reform
Watching New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza on MSNBC on Wednesday night got us thinking – is this a repeat? Since we recently watched four innings of a rain-delay repeat of a Red Sox game before realizing we had already seen it, we were suspect. Lizza struggled through his explanation of Health Reform 101 -- we … Continue reading New Yorker: How Mitt Romney came around to Massachusetts style health reform
Tipping point for health costs in Mass?
BHN is not a fan of the overused term "tipping point." But, it works here. Let's connect the dots. The Globe‘s reports on back room deals at Partners, the hospital giant that helps fuels the regions high health care costs high. The ever-looming high costs of care in Mass. The state’s – and now the public’s … Continue reading Tipping point for health costs in Mass?
Massachusetts: Push Back on Health Reform
More on the single-payer folks retrenching and talking about state-level change. This via email: Last week Mass-Care joined over 100 activists, unions, legislators, and community organizations at a spirited organizing meeting in downtown Boston to launch a Massachusetts Campaign for Health Care Justice. Given the faltering efforts at national health reform, the campaign will attempt … Continue reading Massachusetts: Push Back on Health Reform
Adding to the Debate Over the Mass model
From The Wall Street Journal: A Debate in Massachusetts Has the state's plan succeeded? The two sides square off. Here, arguing that the state program is a success, is Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a Boston-based, nonpartisan public-policy group that researches financial, tax and economic issues. The group is also part of … Continue reading Adding to the Debate Over the Mass model
Minnesota looks at the Massachusetts mandate
Greetings fellow lab rats. Read on from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Democrats highlight the expansion of coverage; about 97 percent of Massachusetts residents have insurance, compared with 85 percent nationally. Republicans, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, ding it for spending too much; Massachusetts had to scale back its coverage goals this year in the face of … Continue reading Minnesota looks at the Massachusetts mandate
Census data produces opposing views of the uninsured in Massachusetts
Here's a glass half full/empty debate. Hooray -- 94 percent of Mass residents have health insurance. Or, Boo -- 5.5 percent remain uninsured. From the single payer supporters at Physicians for a National Health Program New uninsured figures show Massachusetts, touted as model for national reform, is failing to cover the uninsured 17,000-member organization of … Continue reading Census data produces opposing views of the uninsured in Massachusetts
Obama’s health reform speech: How it played in Boston
Some of those "Amens" you heard from the House chamber last night could have been coming from the Mass delegation. The plan Obama spelled out is essentially the Mass Model -- mandatory insurance and help getting it. Bring on the global payments. The Globe's play on the story reflected the forcefulness of Obama's speech, with … Continue reading Obama’s health reform speech: How it played in Boston
Health Reform: Lessons from Massachusetts
From a Tuesday conference entitled: "Health Reform In Massachusetts: Lessons for the Nation" via KHN. "Ultimately, you need a national solution but Massachusetts has shown the power that states can have on health care reform," said James Mongan, the president and CEO of Partners HealthCare, a nonprofit, integrated health system. The officials, however, noted that … Continue reading Health Reform: Lessons from Massachusetts
Boston Health News 