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Massachusetts Health Care Reform: The View From One Year Out

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  • Jonathan Gruber

Abstract

One of the most important developments in health policy in recent years was the health reform plan enacted by Massachusetts in April 2006. This sweeping bill reformed insurance markets, subsidized insurance coverage for a large swath of the population, introduced a new purchasing mechanism (the “Connector"), and mandated insurance coverage for almost all citizens. In this article, I review the history of health reform in Massachusetts, highlighting the unique features that came together to make reform a reality in this state. I then turn to a discussion of the major issues that have been faced in the first year of implementing this reform and the compromises made to maintain a broad consensus of support in the state. I also discuss the lessons learned and contrast the Massachusetts approach with alternatives, most notably plans that rely more strongly on the employer‐based insurance system to expand insurance coverage in the United States.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Gruber, 2008. "Massachusetts Health Care Reform: The View From One Year Out," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 11(1), pages 51-63, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:rmgtin:v:11:y:2008:i:1:p:51-63
    DOI: j.1540-6296.2008.00129.x
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    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6296.2008.00129.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Gruber, 2005. "Tax Policy for Health Insurance," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 19, pages 39-64, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhashkar Mazumder & Sarah Miller, 2014. "The Effects of the Massachusetts Health Reform on Financial Distress," Working Paper Series WP-2014-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    2. Johanna Catherine Maclean & Brendan Saloner, 2018. "Substance Use Treatment Provider Behavior and Healthcare Reform: Evidence from Massachusetts," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(1), pages 76-101, January.
    3. Johanna Catherine Maclean & Brendan Saloner, 2019. "The Effect of Public Insurance Expansions on Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 366-393, March.
    4. Debdeep Chattopadhyay, 2023. "Did the Massachusetts Health Reform Program increase self-employment?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(3), pages 1309-1344, September.
    5. Sarah Miller, 2012. "The Impact of the Massachusetts Health Care Reform on Health Care Use among Children," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(3), pages 502-507, May.
    6. Miller, Sarah, 2012. "The effect of insurance on emergency room visits: An analysis of the 2006 Massachusetts health reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(11), pages 893-908.
    7. Lindsay M. Sabik & Cathy J. Bradley, 2016. "The Impact of Near‐Universal Insurance Coverage on Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: Evidence from Massachusetts," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(4), pages 391-407, April.

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