Massachussetts Mandatory health insurance passes House, Senate

If you answered yes, then don’t worry – you’re off the hook. If not, then you have just over a year to find coverage or face stiff financial penalties, courtesy of the state of Massachusetts.......

“Today, Massachusetts has set itself apart from every other state in the country – every Massachusetts citizen will have health insurance,” Romney, said. “It will be private, market-based insurance, without a government takeover, without a single payer.”.....
He predicted the measure would eventually lead to lower health care premiums for Bay State residents.

The measure does not call for tax increases. Instead, businesses with payrolls of 11 or more that do not offer their workers health insurance would be forced to pay $295 per employee, per year.


I know this is just for the Commonwealth of Massachussetts, but what do you think about it? Can it work? Will it work?

Could it work Nationwide? If it can Will Romney ride it to the White house?

http://plymouth.wickedlocal.com/arti...=1307&c=health

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040401937.html

That is the worst bullshit I have ever heard in my life. There is a reason people don't have it... THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT!!

I don't have any because of it and a law forcing me to get it certainly won't provide the money for it. BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was my initial reaction as well...
Anybody have any idea of hat drove the creation / passing of this legislation?

Was it consumer advocate groups or something similar?
Or Health Insurance companies?
Or something else?

It was probably hospitals that don't get paid that are pushing for it.

My dad, who is an ER doctor, tells me that people come in after emergencies that don't have health insurance. Then, they can't afford the bill. The hospital can't just not treat people who are dying, so they lose money.

This seems more humane than what they do in Texas, although still somewhat misguided. In Texas, they can deny treatment to people, even if they're dying, courtesy of ex-Governor Bush. They can also unplug babies from the ICU if the parents can't afford it.

Massachussetts - home of Ted Kennedy and that guy that lost to Bush in the last election.

Pretty much sums up what the majority of Americans already know: DEMOCRATS ARE MORONS!

Democrats are the ones that want everyone to have health insurance through a centralized system, like the one that works in Canada and in Europe.

Republicans can't even wrap their heads around it with their "me, me, me" attitude about everything in life.

Too bad they didn't have anything to do with it, isn't the Govenor Romney a Republican

pretty much sums up what we already know.... REPUBLICANS ARE MORONS TOO

OK... Jefferson, what the hell does that have to do with anything?

And Hev... I'm a Democrat (albeit a libertarian one... It works.) and I don't think socialized healthcare is a good idea.

It works elsewhere. It would work here too.

It doesn't work in Canada, and that's first-hand experience. It also works in countries with stangnant economies and little to no military funding. Does that sound like America to you?