In Massachusetts citizens have until July 1, 2007 to purchase health insurance or they will lose “their state tax refund equal to 50 percent of an affordable health insurance premium.” Those people who fall into certain income brackets will receive financial assistance to pay for their health insurance premiums. The example being set in Massachusetts is truly incredible and very forward thinking.
I can only imagine the battle that would take place in California if this assembly bill was passed into law. The amount of uninsured in California as of 2003 is 6.5 million people or 20.7% of the total population according to a study on chcf.org. That is a staggering number of people facing each day without health insurance coverage. If a plan for subsidizing low-income individuals could be put together without taking money away from other equally important programs then a plan similar to Massachusetts could be a saving grace.
What are your thoughts on mandatory health insurance in your state?
