Massachusetts No Success Story
Greg Scandlen has authored a new NCPA brief analysis on Massachusetts' failed experiment with universal coverage. The takeaways: Reform has raised costs, not lowered them; the people reform was intended to help say they are being hurt; everyone else is being hurt as well, with the wait to see physicians growing longer. Additional insult to injury: higher taxes.
If I remember correctly, the scientific method says something about correcting one’s hypothesis when an experiment has failed.
Yet after so many failed experiments (the Massachusetts health plan among them), Congress seems convinced that the universal coverage experiment will somehow work on the national level. Apparently, the key is to ignore what we’ve learned from the state-based experiments.
Mitt Romney is still selling and defending Massachusetts failed socialized medicine scam.
Because of the shortage of primary care providers in Massachusetts, I’ve heard a good number of left-leaving policy wonks admit that access to insurance isn’t necessarily the same as access to care. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to understand how to boost the supply of willing providers. When MinuteClinic wanted to open clinics in Boston, the city fought to keep them out. It seems nurse practitioners, providing a limited scope of practice in retail pharmacies, were not consider desirable. Health officials wanted everybody to have a medical home, where the doctor knows your name (and is willing to accept money-losing patients enrolled in the stingy, publically-subsidized health plan).
From everything I’ve read (especially at this blog site), access to care has not improved in Massachusetts.
I’m in Florida..and a licensed agent. I have my clhdiren on BCBS of FLI like the plan and services have been great! However, almost all health insurance companies offer a plan for clhdiren Call an agent ( Independent agent) and get quotes from ALL. Good luck