Health insurance policies with monthly costs of $122 to more than $800 were approved Thursday by the board overseeing Massachusetts' new law requiring everyone in the state to carry insurance.
The lowest premiums will be paid by young adults, ages 19 to 26; the highest, by those over 55. The least costly premium for those in the middle is about $175 a month. The state aims to cover all uninsured, with subsidies for those below 300% of the federal poverty level, which is about $30,000 for an individual.
As the first state in the nation to require individuals to buy insurance, Massachusetts' plan is being closely watched.
"Everyone is watching, because the perception is that if Massachusetts fails to implement this, then it gives other people less confidence that it can be done," says economist Len Nichols at the New America Foundation, a Washington think tank.
The premiums are higher than some advocates say is affordable, especially when deductibles and co-payments are included.
When did eight hundred bucks a month become affordable, especially for lower income families? I think they're missing the point of catastrophic coverage at a cheap price...
Medicine Tag
Health Tag
Save This Page
No comments:
Post a Comment