Massachusetts Health Care Reform–On Second Anniversary of Passage, What Progress Has Been Made?
Massachusetts’ passage of health care reform legislation in April 2006 heralded an exciting new era in state health policy. The reform plan is the most comprehensive effort by a state to achieve near-universal coverage, and arguably the most controversial, given its inclusion of an individual mandate. On the second anniversary of its passage (and 18 months since implementation began), States in Action examines the law’s impact on the state’s residents and its health care system. The health reform expanded eligibility for Massachusetts’ Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In addition, it created two new ways to access health coverage: • Commonwealth Care: Publicly subsidized coverage for adults age 19 and older with income below 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Commonwealth Care offers a choice of four health plans. It is free to individuals with incomes at or below 150 percent of the FPL and available at a sliding scale fee for those between 1
