Managed Care - May 2008 - (Page 46) Delivering RomneyCare Many are calling this attempt at universal coverage a failure, but health plans, physicians, and policymakers in Massachusetts say “Not so fast!” By Frank Diamond Managing Editor setts Medical Society: “We’re down to just about 5 percent uninsured in the state right now. Having more people have insurance and staying out of emergency rooms is a good thing.” t’s hemorrhaging money. It falls short of universal coverage. It demands too many sacrifices from health plans. It places too much of a burOverruns den on primary care physicians. Its coverage These officials stand their ground in the face of mandate is too intrusive. Its coverage mandate lets some experts who rail that the program’s muchtoo many off the hook. It doesn’t really address the documented financial travails had been predicted underlying reason that costs increase. It just isn’t from the start. The state subsidies were budgeted at working. Public officials, provider organizations, and health plans in Massachusetts are hearing all these dour evaluations of that state’s health care reform effort, dubbed RomneyCare after former Gov. Mitt Romney. Their response? It’s working. Marylou Buyse, MD, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans: “I have to tell you: This law is an astounding success. We have 340,000 people who were formerly uninsured who now have the financial “The moral imperative” to insure everyone can’t be ignored, says Jon Kingsdale, protection that health in- who oversees RomneyCare. He thinks that all medical directors would agree. surance brings. Now they get preventive care, acute care, care for chronic $472 million for the first full year but actually cost conditions. No other state has done this.” $625 million. The state originally estimated that it Jon Kingsdale, executive director of the Comwill cost Massachusetts $869 million to run the monwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, program next fiscal year, but officials are already adthe agency that oversees RomneyCare: “We just mitting that will not be enough. Some experts think had Gov. Deval Patrick, the senate president, the it will fall short by $150 million. speaker of the house, plus dozens of legislators at The program, which started October 2006 and ofour second anniversary celebration recently, who all ficially (as Kingsdale’s title indicates) is called the said this is a fantastic thing to do. We are commitCommonwealth Health Insurance Connector Auted to do it.” thority, acts as a middleman to match residents with Dale Magee, MD, president of the Massachuproviders and insurance coverage. The Connector I 46 MANAGED CARE / MAY 2008
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