Health Insurance Daily

Romney Uses Scalpel Before Signing Massachusetts Health Bill

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney cut several provisions, including a dental benefits provision and a penalty on certain businesses, before signing a major health finance reform bill into law.

The law, created by a bill now known as H.B. 4479, could end up requiring most individuals and most employers with 11 or more employees to have health coverage.

The law also will expand public insurance programs aimed at low-income residents; create new health insurance subsidies to help moderate-income residents buy health coverage; impose a temporary moratorium on the creation of new benefits mandates; help young adults stay on their parents' health insurance plans; and create a system of penalties and incentives to promote compliance with the insurance purchasing requirements.

Article can be viewed in entirety in the National Underwriter Magazine, April 17, 2006 Vol. 110 No. 15

posted by Mike @ 3:41 PM