Commonwealth Care on Life Support?

somarco · 07-01-2009, 09:06 AM

The Massachusetts experiment in mandating health insurance for everyone is running into problems.

Commonwealth Care is not even three years old and if it were a person, would suffer from morbid obesity. Originally pegged to cost taxpayers $245 million it has grown like Kudzu to $1.3 billion.

Time to put CC on a diet.

In fact, according to Boston.com a proposed $115 million in cuts are under consideration right now.

healthagent · 07-01-2009, 09:11 AM

Listen, this isn't hard. Imagine what your auto rates would be if by law auto insurers had to cover everyone at the same rates - all DUI's, people with multiple accidents, couldn't charge more for teens, couldn't charge more for people who live in bad areas.

It is "fair" that if you have a DUI, are male and live in the city you'll pay 4X's the amount? No, maybe it's not fair but it works.

I'm sorry to be harsh, but there is NO system that will work if insurers have to cover the obese diabetic smokers at the same rates as healthy people. It doesn't work in Canada, France, UK, Cuba and it doesn't work in Mass.

Regarding, Mass - three years into the program residents are getting hit with an average of 10% increases. If that continues the entire system implodes within the next 4 years.

somarco · 07-01-2009, 11:20 AM

10% increases are nothing compared to 100% per year budget increases to feed this monster.

ABC · 07-02-2009, 11:04 AM

I am not surprised at all.
The first year they launched the plan the cost was maybe triple of what they had estimated.

Norwayguy · 07-02-2009, 03:44 PM

This program is exploding like the Maine experiment Dirigo....I guess the only thing I can say good about Maine's program is its only costing 78 Million plus whatever premiums the consumers put in to insure 13,000 people.

somarco · 07-02-2009, 03:59 PM

Only $78 million.

Works out to $6,000 per person which isn't bad.

Of course Dirigo went on life support. Is it back yet?