I know this has been covered, but how is the healthcare system working? (health insurance, how much)

[goolsbyjazz]

Although I was born and raised there, I had moved by the time the new healthcare reforms took place. In light of the current discussion and battle over healthcare, how is Romney's idea working over there? Is it working or not? He certainly tried to distance himself during this campaign. Where's the truth?

[eofelis]

I moved out of Massachusetts in the mid 1990s and I'm curious of how the healthcare system is working in MA.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Costs are the same and rising at the same pace. More people are covered. Wait times are longer for PCP's.

A mixed bag but anyone who denies any of those facts is a partisan shill. Just trying to be as honest as I can.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by Weird Tolkienish Figure

Costs are the same and rising at the same pace. More people are covered. Wait times are longer for PCP's.

A mixed bag but anyone who denies any of those facts is a partisan shill. Just trying to be as honest as I can.

Thanks for your response. Would you say the only advantage is that more people are covered then?

[charolastra00]

I'd say that more people are covered is a HUGE advantage.

Massachusetts is one of the best places to find a job right out of college, but aside from NYC and maybe San Francisco, it's also the most expensive. If these jobs do not offer health insurance, many young adults would not be able to afford it on their own while still paying rent.

As a young adult cancer survivor who was insured by my employer, I was lucky. I was able to be treated at some of the world's best hospitals on my insurance - right along with other 23 year olds who were not able to find jobs with health insurance and whose parents might not have been insured (mine were not so the "be on your parents health insurance until 26" national program, while fantastic, was not helpful to me). I have friends who are alive because MassHealth exists- they were able to get treatment with no gaps, unlike some other states. Even while insured, cancer is incredibly expensive, but I know that I rest easier knowing that other people my age won't face $300,000 + medical bills in their early 20s just because they graduated from college during a recession.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I'd say that more people are covered is a HUGE advantage.

Massachusetts is one of the best places to find a job right out of college, but aside from NYC and maybe San Francisco, it's also the most expensive. If these jobs do not offer health insurance, many young adults would not be able to afford it on their own while still paying rent.

As a young adult cancer survivor who was insured by my employer, I was lucky. I was able to be treated at some of the world's best hospitals on my insurance - right along with other 23 year olds who were not able to find jobs with health insurance and whose parents might not have been insured (mine were not so the "be on your parents health insurance until 26" national program, while fantastic, was not helpful to me). I have friends who are alive because MassHealth exists- they were able to get treatment with no gaps, unlike some other states. Even while insured, cancer is incredibly expensive, but I know that I rest easier knowing that other people my age won't face $300,000 + medical bills in their early 20s just because they graduated from college during a recession.

Thanks for sharing your story and putting it (the healthcare system) in perspective! Glad to hear you are better. I can see the fact that more people have access to health insurance is a huge advantage for the residents, overall.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

Thanks for sharing your story and putting it (the healthcare system) in perspective! Glad to hear you are better. I can see the fact that more people have access to health insurance is a huge advantage for the residents, overall.

Just bear in mind that you will be adding a huge amount of patients to the PCP system with almost no incentives (and indeed disincentives such as inadequate medicaid/medicare reimbursements) to train new doctors. It's simple economics.

[brightdoglover]

The percentage of people not covered before the health care act was a lot lower than, say, the percentage of not-covered people in a place like Texas.
That said, I am much relieved that I cannot be denied private coverage for pre-existing conditions if need be. There are a lot of moves and experiments towards cost cutting, which is a serious issue, although I suspect no more than anywhere else. If I wanted my current (employer-based) coverage on my own, it would be about $1000 a month, but I couldn't be turned down for age (59) or any other conditions. Likely I'd choose one of the much cheaper options that you can view at Healthconnector.org.

I think it's a shame that Romney can't/won't see anything he did as governor as a plus for him- guess he has to bow to the Tea Party and such. But the healthcare thing is wonderful, a real relief for most people.

[miu]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

I think it's a shame that Romney can't/won't see anything he did as governor as a plus for him- guess he has to bow to the Tea Party and such. But the healthcare thing is wonderful, a real relief for most people.

I think that the important difference between Romneycare and Obamacare is that with Romney's plan, it was a state decision. I think that every state has to look at what they have to work with and how they want to enforce it. In Massachusetts, we are lucky that we have good employment numbers and most of the residents already had healthcare from their employers. So what works for MA, may not work for RI or CA or any other state depending on how big the gap is between the already insured and those who are no insured.

Romneycare was a good start, however the biggest problem is actually how to get the astronomical price of healthcare down to where it is truly affordable. And we also need to look at malpractice suits and insurance. We should look into capping the amount of the settlements and/or how much lawyers can make from these suits. Maybe instead of lawyers getting involved, there should be review boards and mediation.

[brightdoglover]

Tort reform, you bet.
However, there are aspects of Romneycare/Affordable Healthcare Act that shouldn't be state. In fact, only the individual mandate appears to be the question. How about not being denied for pre-existing conditions, or parental coverage for people under 26? Heavens, Scott Brown's daughters are on his coverage, and he's... a Republican.