The bi-partisan health care bill passed by the Mass. legislature requires deadbeats who don’t get health insurance only to ask taxpayers to foot the bill of their uncompensated care to the tune of three quarters of billion a year (more than Manny Ramirez makes ) to buy their own insurance. It gives people help to buy insurance on sliding scale according to income. The money comes from the uncompensated care fund most states have to pay for folks to use health care but don’t have or pay for insurance. It expands HSAs, allows consumes and small businesses to purchase health insurance at the same rate as big corporations through association health plans, relies on competition based on price and quality to drive down costs. These are all principles pushed by President Bush.
And by the way, the Mass. bill was applauded by my good friend Ron Pollack of FUSA. Now the question is: if market-based competition is good enough to expand coverage for the 65 and under crowd, why does Godfather Ron oppose the same principles when applied to Medicare?
Here’s a link to a powerpoint presentation of the Mass. plan elements
http://www.hcfama.org/_uploads/documents/live/Conference%20Committee%20House%20PowerPoint.pdf
