Massachusetts Health Reform

Three years ago, in 2006, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed the Health Care Reform Act with the intention and purpose of mandating universal health care insurance coverage for all residents. Although a lot of good has resulted, the citizens of Massachusetts are still finding health care unaffordable. As of June 30, 2008, the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy showed that only 2.6% of Massachusetts residents remain uninsured compared to more than 15% nationally. This is the benefit of the Health Care Reform in Massachusetts.
One down side to this Reform is the cost. Residents are still finding health care to be expensive. Employers are overly strained by the mandate to provide health coverage programs or be penalized. And there is a lack of control with the increasing costs even though employers, insurance companies and tax payers are contributing. Costs were increasing even before the Health Care Reform Act came about in 2006 and are doing so even more now with the number of covered residents being 97.4% of the state population. Many employees have lost their jobs thus lost insurance coverage through their employer and are now on subsidized plans. Yet another increase in health care costs for Massachusetts.
Another ironic idea deals with the Tri-Committee Health Reform Proposal which calls for major cuts to the Medicare Home Health Programs. This proposal would reduce home health reimbursements drastically. This doesn’t make sense since home health care has actually saved Medicare money. Hospitalizations and nursing home stays have been reduced by the use of home health care (Avalere Health, May 11, 2009). By providing home health care, seniors benefit from being cared for in the comfort and familiarity of their own home and save Medicare dollars at the same time! The task left for Massachusetts is not only cost control but quality!