[Hidden-tech] Massachusetts healthcare "reform" and what it means to you

[Mary Malmros]

I raised the issue of the Massachusetts healthcare "reform" here 
before.  The clock is ticking and it's time to bring it up again, since 
I suspect most Hidden-Techers will fall into the cracks of this legislation.

The simple version of the healthcare law is that by July 1, 2007, 
everyone in Massachusetts must have health insurance.  If you're not 
covered under some kind of plan by that date, you will be subject to 
penalties, starting with the loss of your state income tax personal 
exemption, and going on from there.

There are six ways you can be covered:

- Employer-provided insurance
- MassHealth: primarily covers low-income people who are either 
children, "families" with children, pregnant, disabled, HIV+, or 
long-term unemployed.  Full coverage.
- The Insurance Partnership: subsidizes workers with incomes up to 
$29,412 whose employers sponsor their health insurance.
- Commonwealth Care: provided coverage for those earning below the 
federal poverty level starting on October 2nd.  Starting Jan. 2, begins 
enrollment for people earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level 
(that magic $29,412 again).  Commonwealth Care cannot help anyone whose 
employer offers an insurance program and pays at least 33% of the 
individual premium, no matter how low your income is or how high the 
premium is.
- Commonwealth Choice: "low-cost plans", partly subsidized plans for 
residents earning more than $29,412.  This is supposed to materialize 
"over the coming months", but as of now, there is no hard information, 
and no one can provide even an estimate of what the premiums will be.
- Unsubsidized plans. 

My guess is that many if not most hidden techies will fit in one of 
those last two categories.

So how does it feel to know that as of July 1, you've got to budget some 
extra amount -- no commitments, but likely at least a couple hundred 
dollars -- into your monthly expenses?  It doesn't matter if you've got 
a local physician that you see on a cash basis, or have made some other 
kind of accommodations.  Simply not carrying insurance is not an 
option.  So what are you going to do?

BTW, the people supposedly putting this all together -- the ones who 
don't have the important answers -- can be reached at 617 573 1696.  If 
you call them, expect them to blame the legislature. 

-- 
Mary Malmros            			malmros at verizon.net
	Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug