Health care insurance gets a shot in the arm

Thursday, June 23, 2005



Adecade ago, the state's elected officials made education a priority. The result was the Education Reform Act, arguably one of the most significant legislative packages ever passed in Massachusetts. Now, led by Gov. W. Mitt Romney, the state is poised to make a similar commitment to universal health care.



Romney has a plan to provide health insurance to every person in the state. Even if Democrats find fault with the governor's plan, they must applaud his effort.



Under his plan, the state would create a Safety Net Care program for those who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough money to buy private insurance. People in the program would pay on a sliding scale, and the state would make up the difference.



Under the governor's plan, people would be required to sign up for insurance if they can afford it - or face income tax penalties.



Massachusetts has some of the finest medical facilities in the nation, the latest medical technology and the most advanced medicines, but that health care network might as well be on the other side of the world for the 500,000 uninsured residents until they are very ill.



People without coverage usually don't seek care until they are very ill, and then they seek treatment at a hospital emergency room, where medical costs are highest. Romney would shift the money the state now spends as its share of the "uncompensated care pool" on medical bills for the uninsured to pay for his own program.



Ordinarily, we roll our eyes whenever an elected official tells us a new program won't cost us a dime. We expect there might be some of that in the Legislature. When they're done with that, legislators should take a look at the governor's plan. There's no one-pill cure for the state's uninsured, and the governor's proposal belongs on the table.



For his part, the governor should be willing to accept an alternative if legislators can show that they have something better.



There's still work to do to ensure that every child in Massachusetts receives a good education, but so far it's been a huge success.



Next up should be a promise of health insurance for every man, woman and child in the state.