November 3
Obama’s Plan Mirrors Massachusetts
Well, looking closely at both presidential candidate’s proposals, they are as different as night and day. Obama’s plan is similar to the structure in place in Massachusetts, with a few differences. In Massachusetts, health insurance is treated along the same lines as car insurance, in that it is required by law. Those who choose not to carry it face penalties, and for those who cannot afford it, one is subsidized for them by the government. Insurance companies are by law required to cover all applicants, regardless of prexisting conditions. The plan seems to be working well so far, it is popular among citizens and has dropped the rate of uninsured dramatically, but it is not without its drawbacks. In order to provide for all its citizens, Massachusetts has had to scrape together lots of extra funds totalling close to $250 million. And that is just one state. While Obama’s plan differs in that he will not make insurance mandatory, by providing government subsidized plans, how much extra cost will his proposal incur?