Massachusetts Mandatory Health Insurance: Help or Hindrance?

A couple of years ago, Massachusetts took a stand on health care by mandating that all residents must have health insurance. Failure to do so would result in loss of personal deduction on Massachusetts Income Tax. This year compliance failure has been extended to automobile registration renewal. What happened to the privacy of individuals between these departments?

Let’s face it. Everyone would love to have health insurance coverage. We would love to be able to visit our doctors and hospitals to ensure our health is at its best. It just isn’t so. Doctors were in short supply then. Many waited more than 3 months to be assigned physicians that could increase their patient load much less choose their own. Routine exams and lab work are scheduled more than a month away putting an added strain on individuals with existing condition requiring ongoing treatments.

Financially, health insurance costs were supposed to go down due to volume. We are experiencing substantial yearly increases. This year our premium increased $10/week. The deductible went from $100/person to $300/person. Co-payment went from $15 ($5 originally) to $25. Our employer pays 50% of the premium. The monthly premium is $842.80, yearly is $11,113.60. This is more than the MA income tax deduction. How is this helping us?

The state might as well take over the whole shebang. Take away the personal tax deduction all together and use it to cover every individual without deductibles and copays. Then you can say we have state-wide coverage. Right now more than 1/4 of our take home pay is going to pay our 50% of health insurance. Isn’t this a mortgage payment?

It’s enough to make you sick!