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Governor Mitt Romney and Healthcare

Governor Romney Increased Access To Healthcare Without A Massive Government-Controlled "Hillary-Care" System:

Governor Romney Acted To Make Healthcare More Affordable Without Raising Taxes Or A Government-Controlled System. Bringing the best minds together, including experts at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to address healthcare costs, Governor Romney signed into law a plan affording every citizen health insurance without raising taxes or creating a massive government-controlled system.

The Heritage Foundation: "Massachusetts, a state with a conservative Republican governor and liberal Democratic legislature, has recently enacted comprehensive health care reform. … Several features of the Massachusetts health plan could revolutionize the traditional health care sys­tem by empowering individuals to buy and own their health insurance policies and keep these poli­cies with them regardless of job or job status. … Massachusetts officials have made significant strides in reforming their health insurance market, and other states can learn from the Massachusetts experience." (Nina Owcharenko and Robert E. Moffit, "The Massachusetts health Plan: Lessons For The States," The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org <http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg1953.cfm> , 7/18/06)

Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation: "Romney's plan also got a thumbs up from an unlikely source yesterday – Barbara Anderson, head of Citizens for Limited Taxation, a group that often looks with deep suspicion on government mandates and programs. … The tax activist said that Romney is proposing universal insurance, not universal health care – which Anderson said society effectively already has, as almost no one is denied care even if they can't pay for it. 'Let's just face that reality and deal with it,' Anderson said, adding that covering more people will reduce costs to taxpayers." (Jay Fitzgerald, "Romney Wins Health-Y Reviews," Boston Herald, 6/23/05)

Governor Romney: Proud Of We Did In Massachusetts Healthcare

Press Release from Governor Mitt Romney regarding Health care

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

Videos

Quotes From Governor Mitt Romney on health Care

2003

  • “seniors in Massachusetts and across the nation are facing skyrocketing prescription drug costs. I have instructed my health care team to develop a discount program to ease the burden on all of our senior citizens.”
  • “Massachusetts is one of the most generous states in the nation. But we will only be as generous as we can afford to be. Prescription Advantage now costs roughly $100 million a year to administer and our budget is strained to the breaking point. If Washington doesn’t pass the waiver we are requesting, fiscal reality will require us to end the program.”
  • “Under Operation Liberty Shield, we continue to implement increased protective measures,” said Romney. “As this process unfolds, I want to reassure the people of Massachusetts that their protection and the safety of their families is our highest priority.”
  • “While we all appreciate the dedication of our public work force, we can no longer expect the taxpayers to pay for health care benefits for state employees that are more generous than what they receive in the private sector,” said Romney.
  • “With winter coming, flu season is fast approaching. We want to make sure that everyone in Massachusetts who wants a flu shot can get one. The creation of this vaccine trust fund will allow us to do that by partnering with private sector health care providers in order to ensure a steady flu vaccine supply.”

2004

  • “The first crucial task for the legal and medical professionals on this commission is to recommend top-notch candidates for the state’s Chief Medical Examiner,” Romney said.
  • “The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office has been chronically underfunded for more than a decade. This additional funding in my budget will allow the office to purchase new lab equipment and make other sorely need upgrades to bring the office into the 21st century.”
  • “Today, we can all breathe a little easier,” said Romney, who was joined at the historic State House bill signing by Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, members of the Legislature, advocates and children. “Everyone has the right to breathe clean air and be free of secondhand smoke, especially our kids.”
  • “We have a crisis with America’s health. The best way to address it is by promoting healthy lifestyles that will keep people living longer and more productive lives.”
  • “Massachusetts medical institutions are second to none in delivering world-class care to our citizens,” said Romney, who spoke at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Ether Dome, the site of the first successful use of ether anesthesia more than 150 years ago. He added, “By applying new and innovative technology to patient care, and helping caregivers to adopt it, we will make health care more affordable and offer even higher levels of quality care to our citizens.”

2005

  • “With the small percentage of uninsured in Massachusetts, we are in a unique position to give all of our citizens quality health insurance. This will not be a government-mandated universal coverage program or a plan that requires new taxes. It will be a market-based reform focused on the creation of affordable insurance plans.”
  • “Because of the high cost of health insurance, some people choose to go without or end up paying more than they can afford. My proposal will make it easier for small businesses and individuals like Richard Rothstein to purchase affordable and quality health insurance.”
  • “Making this information accessible is an innovative step, and we urge consumers to use the data, talk with their healthcare providers, and seek out additional resources to help them make the right decisions for themselves and their families,” said Romney.

2006

  • “Of all the many hazards we face, a pandemic has the unique potential to disrupt our lives, our health care system and our economy,” Romney said. “We have to make sure Massachusetts is coordinated and equipped to effectively monitor outbreaks, slow the spread of disease, provide care to those who become sick and continue to provide critical government services.”
  • “An achievement like this comes around once in a generation, and it proves that government can work when people of both parties reach across the aisle for the common good. Today, Massachusetts is leading the way with health insurance for everyone, without a government takeover and without raising taxes.”
  • “Our ability to now insure every Massachusetts citizen is a historic achievement for both the Commonwealth and the nation. A critical component of our plan is that all residents will have the opportunity to purchase affordable health insurance.”

Extending health Insurance to All Americans

The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms.

Governor Romney: "We can't have as a nation 40 million people -- or, in my state, half a million -- saying, 'I don't have insurance, and if I get sick, I want someone else to pay."
(USA Today, July 5, 2005)

Governor Romney: "It's a conservative idea," says Romney, "insisting that individuals have responsibility for their own health care. I think it appeals to people on both sides of the aisle: insurance for everyone without a tax increase."
(USA Today, July 5, 2005)

"The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms." Governor Mitt Romney

Health care Debate

Health Care from The Wikipedia Article about Governor Mitt Romney

On April 12, 2006, Governor Romney signed legislation to provide health insurance to virtually all citizens of Massachusetts without raising taxes.13 Working with conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation and Democrats in the state legislature, Romney developed a plan that stresses personal responsibility in paying for coverage and provides funding for low-income residents. Starting in July 2007, health insurance will be mandatory for all state residents, provided a plan is available to the individual that is deemed affordable according to state standards. Lower income individuals will be eligible for subsidies to purchase health insurance.

As of March, 2006 there were approximately 500,000 uninsured citizens in Massachusetts. Those who are uninsured commonly use emergency rooms as a source of primary care because of their lack of health insurance coverage.14 Massachusetts hospitals are required to provide care even if a patient cannot pay for it. As a result, hospitals have been left with unpaid bills and mounting expenses to care for the uninsured. "People who don't have insurance nonetheless receive health care," said Romney. "And it's expensive."15

In Massachusetts, a roughly $800 million fund known as the "uncompensated care pool" is used to partially reimburse hospitals for these expenses. The fund's revenue comes from an annual assessment on employers, insurance providers and hospitals, plus contributions of state and federal tax dollars. Governor Romney's plan redirects money from this fund to subsidize health care costs for low-income residents of Massachusetts. The Romney Administration consulted with MIT professor Jonathan Gruber to study the state's population and health care needs. They determined that there was enough money in the "free care pool" to implement the Governor's plans without additional funding or taxes.16 A separate study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts found that universal coverage would require substantial additional state spending. 17

The legislature amended Romney's plan somewhat, adding a Medicaid expansion for children and imposing an assessment on firms with 11 or more workers who do not offer health coverage. The assessment is intended to equalize the contributions to the free care pool from employers that offer and do not offer coverage. The legislature also rejected Romney's provision allowing high-deductible health plans.

The new Massachusetts health care legislation establishes a system to provide citizens with private, affordable, market based insurance. The state will work to enroll all residents eligible for Medicaid and subsidize private insurance policies for low income individuals18. A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the amount of money a person contributes to their policy. The higher the income, the higher the premium. Individuals who can afford health coverage but chose not to purchase a policy will now be required by law to acquire insurance. Failure to purchase health insurance if an affordable policy is available would result in tax penalties.19

The legislation also establishes a device developed by the Heritage Foundation known as the "Connector." The Connector allows Massachusetts citizens to "purchase health insurance with pretax dollars, even if their employer makes no contribution. The connector enables pretax payments, simplifies payroll deduction, permits prorated employer contributions for part-time employees, reduces insurer marketing costs, and makes it efficient for policies to be entirely portable. Because small businesses may use the connector, it gives them even greater bargaining power than large companies."20

Romney vetoed 8 sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 dollar per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance.2122 Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid.2324 The legislature overrode all of the vetoes.

Sub Categories

Abortion

Videos about Governor Mitt Romney's health Care position

If you go to Google Video and type Mitt Romney, you will find this video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4362623183954478320&q=tvshow%3ACharlie_Rose

The Governor Mitt Romney interview takes about 20 min. If you just want to watch the part about this topic, go to this portion of the video:

Healthcare: 19:05


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Questions for Governor Mitt Romney

Healthcare

  1. Do you think the country should have a Massachusetts healthcare plan.
  2. How did the president miss an opportunity when he created the Medicare prescription drug benefit?

Healthcare

Gov. Mitt Romney discusses his views on Immigration & Healthcare with Fox's Greta Van Susteren



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