Today, Governor Mitt Romney signed into law a bill that basically provides universal healthcare to residents of Massachusetts. The theory is that it will cost about a billion a year to provide the coverage to citizens. The cost would be re-couped from the federal government and existing state spending (since have to pay for care of the poor anyway, etc.). This should be interesting to see what occurs and could prove to be the testing ground for nationwide healthcare.
However, as is often the case, I don't think many have considered unintended side effects. The first will be flight into Mass. Many people, especially the poor and the ill, will probably try to move into Mass. to get the coverage to pay for needed medicines. I am not sure what the restrictions are on residency but it will quickly become a vital piece of information to have. Another aspect is the cost. I think one billion is too low a number. Healthcare costs are growing quickly ever year and I don't think the budgets are allowing for that. Finally, the beaurcracy that will form around this will probably quickly become huge, expensive, and incredibily ineffecient, which is what happens when the powers that be put paper pushers and shreadsheet lovers in charge. When you live by numbers and die by numbers, crap is usually the result. At the end of the day, however, I hope this plan succeeds and from it comes an effective, efficient plan for nationwide coverage.
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