Massachusetts To Revise State Health Insurance Law

Massachusetts Legislature in several months likely will make changes to a state law that requires all residents to obtain health insurance coverage, state Joint Committee on Health Care Financing co-Chair Richard Moore (D) said, the Boston Globe reports. The joint committee on Wednesday heard testimony from health care advocates, medical providers, patients and self-employed residents about changes to the law, such as the amount employers should be required to contribute toward workers' health care. More than 75 state lawmakers have sponsored a bill to modify the law.

Moore at the hearing said that he supports increasing from 33% to 50% the amount employers must contribute to workers' health care to avoid a $295-per-employee penalty. Moore has asked the administration of Gov. Deval Patrick (D) to make the proposed change, but if the administration does not, he said he would push for the change to be added to the revision bill.

According to the Globe, another proposed change to the law would limit to 10% of income the maximum amount residents would have to pay out of pocket under health insurance, which differs from the current law that bases the limit only on premiums (Dembner, Boston Globe, 7/19).

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