Just the facts – Three years of ObamaCare in Massachusetts

In 2006 Massachusetts passed health care reform that became the model for the national health reform plan passed this last Sunday. Forget all the accusations  from both side of the political spectrum for a moment while we look at Massachusetts for a moment.

Here are some facts about Massachusetts health care plan; in effect since 2006.

• 97% of the population has insurance compared to 85% for America as a whole.
• There is a public option.
• Government subsidies are provided based on income
• Citizens are required to have insurance or pay a penalty
• Employers are required to provide insurance for workers or pay a penalty
• There are government imposed price controls insuring everyone pays the same regardless of health or pre-existing conditions

Sounding familiar yet?  Here are the results after only 3 years;

• The big cost savings projected going in have not materialized
• The annual cost to the state to fund this is over $2 billion a year.
• Projected to cost $88 million a year costs are running 13 times greater then projected
• This in spite of federal government bail outs to keep the program solvent.
• Insurance costs are the highest of all 50 states
• Cost of insurance is climbing. In 2009 the increase was two and half time the national rate. (just today the Congressional Budget Office projects that contrary to the Presidents claim that he will lower premiums by an average of $2,500  in fact premiums will RISE by $2,100)
• While Massachusetts has more doctors per capita then any other state, the wait time to see a doctor is longer than any of the 50 states.
• Prior to the reform, wait times were the shortest of all 50 states.
• The state recently has discussed the need to bump legal, tax paying, immigrants from the system leaving them to fend for themselves.
• While 75% of Americans are happy with the insurance coverage they have, in Massachusetts the figure is 22%
• The largest rate of dissatisfaction is among those earning $25,000-$50,000. In other words, the middle class
• The solution for reducing the out of control costs? Plans to ration various procedures.

Knowing all this, why would Democrats meet behind closed doors late at night to try and force this kind of health care on the American public? I’ll let you reach your own conclusions but might it be as Representative Dingle said yesterday, “to control the people.”

For excellent articles about healthcare in Massachusetts go here, here and here. The video interview with the government official responsible for writing the checks is rather telling. In the week leading up to the vote this last Sunday this Massachusetts official predicted that ObamaCare would bankrupt the county within four years.  And that alone is reason to settle for nothing less than full repeal of this law. Which now means voting against any politician with a “D” beside their name.