KFF rounds up editorials re: MA mandatory health insurance

Here’s what newspapers are saying about MA new law requiring the purchase of health care insurance by all state residents:

  Editorials 
 

• Boston Globe:Gov. Mitt Romney (R) “plans a ceremony … today to celebrate hissigning of the bill to expand health insurance to 95% of the people inMassachusetts,” and he “should not spoil the event by vetoing orseeking to change any portion of this historic compromise,” accordingto a Globe editorial. The editorial adds, “Unambiguoussupport by the governor today would solidify a consensus for fullimplementation of this overdue law” (Boston Globe, 4/12).
• Boston Herald:The Massachusetts bill “is indeed a trailblazing concept,” but “turninga concept into legislation (all 145 pages of it) and then into afunctioning system that will do what it is intended to do is somethingelse entirely,” a Herald editorial states. The editorialconcludes, “Not to rain too heavily on the governor’s parade today, butthe tough job of making health care coverage available for all is justbeginning” (Boston Herald, 4/12).
• Denver Post:”The Massachusetts plan builds on both its already high insurancecoverage and some programs already in place in the state and so may behard to export to other states such as Colorado,” a Posteditorial states, adding, “But at a time when health care has becomeone of America’s most pressing domestic problems, it is a bold stepthat is sure to attract nationwide attention.” The editorial concludes,”Health expenses are soaring across the United States, and, ultimately,we favor a national solution to the insurance dilemma. But we admireRomney and Massachusetts for seeing the value of action at the statelevel” (Denver Post, 4/12).
• Eugene Register-Guard:”Oregon, with tens of thousands more uninsured residents thanMassachusetts, doesn’t lack incentives to explore a similar strategy,”but “Oregonians would do well to let Massachusetts ‘show them themoney’ before trying to replicate the Massachusetts plan here,”according to a Register-Guard editorial. “TheMassachusetts breakthrough is welcome news” but remains “an interimstep,” the editorial states, adding, “It serves as a reminder that theU.S. health care system remains in need of a top-to-bottom overhaul”(Eugene Register-Guard, 4/10).
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:”The decision by the Massachusetts Legislature and governor requiringeveryone to buy medical insurance has received national attention andpraise for its boldness,” but a “plan every bit as daring andpotentially even more sweeping has been taking shape in Wisconsin formore than a year,” according to a Journal Sentineleditorial. The editorial adds, “While Wisconsin should not rule outadopting a version of the Massachusetts plan, we think the smartestapproach is to tailor the solution to our state’s particular needs,characteristics and culture” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/11).
• Wall Street Journal:”Give Mr. Romney credit as a rare Republican willing at least todiscuss health care,” but the Massachusetts bill “is far from themarket-based approach” he claimed in a Tuesday opinion piece, according to a Journaleditorial. “The real health insurance problem today isn’t lack ofcoverage per se; it’s the inability of insurers to offer affordablepolicies in many states,” the editorial states, adding, “By making afetish of ‘universal’ coverage, Romney has bought into a bidding warthat Democrats and advocates of socialized medicine are bound to win inthe end” (Wall Street Journal, 4/12).
• Winston-Salem Journal:”Suddenly, the nation’s health care crisis doesn’t look unsolvable,” asMassachusetts “has created a template for assuring almost universalhealth care coverage,” a Journal editorial states,adding, “North Carolina, other states and the federal government shouldbe considering the plan as a means for insuring all Americans.” Theeditorial states, “It would be nice if politicians in Washington,Raleigh and every other state capital could learn” from theMassachusetts bill, adding, “It would make us all that much healthier” (Winston-Salem Journal, 4/12).

Ed:  I’m with the Denver Post on this one….