Health care reform in Massachusetts brings uninsured rate to nearly zero

Massachusetts Health Care

The latest statistics from the state have revealed that nearly all of its residents now have insurance.

Massachusetts Health Care Among the latest insurance news headlines to come from Massachusetts is the recent publication of statistics that have shown that following the health care reform, the number of residents in the state who are uninsured has dropped to nearly zero.

This is the closest that a state has ever come to making sure that all of its residents have health insurance.

Massachusetts already had a bit of a head start when it came to the health care reform, as it had already passed somewhat of a similar coverage law in 2006 under Governor Mitt Romney. That said, even though this provided some of the blueprint for the federal Affordable Care Act, nobody ever claimed that either of those laws would ever bring the uninsured rate down to absolutely nothing. At the same, time, though, the latest figures are showing that the state actually isn’t far off.

The health care reform and its federal marketing had a considerable impact on Massachusetts enrollments.

From December 2013 through March 2014, when the encouragement for enrollment was at its height, the number of residents of Massachusetts who signed up for health insurance plans rose by over 215,000. Should that number be maintained, it will mean that the percentage of residents of that state who do not have coverage has fallen under the 1 percent mark.

According to the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization’s president, the Reverend Burns Stanfield, “We’re thrilled that we are getting this close to universal health care access.” Rev. Stanfield explained that a report that was published in May also determined that over the first four years that the broadened health plan coverage was implemented in the state, the mortality rates had fallen in a meaningful way. He feels that this demonstrates that “our statewide move to universal access is working, and it’s a powerful witness to the nation.”

The director of the Center for Health Information and Analysis, Aron Boros, explained that these figures are an indication that the state is moving in the right direction with the health care reform. However, he also pointed out that there remains some uncertainty regarding the total insurance coverage levels within the state. It was Boros’s organization that published the most recent uninsured rate data.

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