State Watch - Massachusetts Health Insurance Law Takes Effect A Massachusetts law that requires all state residents to obtain health insurance took effect Sunday, USA Today reports (Appleby, USA Today, 7/2). Under the law, residents with annual incomes below the federal poverty level are eligible for no-cost care. Residents with annual incomes up to three times the pov www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=45965

2007-07-02

Capitol Hill Watch - Healthy Americans Act Could Be Budget-Neutral by 2014 When Fully Implemented, According to CBO Report Legislation (S 334) proposed by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Robert Bennett (R-Utah) that would establish a universal health care system in the U.S. could be budget-neutral by 2014 and generate budget surpluses in future years, according to a Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation analys www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=51903

2008-05-02

Coverage & Access - Federation of American Hospitals Proposes Nationwide Health Insurance Mandate That Would Add $115.2B Annually to Current Federal, State Health Care Spending The Federation of American Hospitals on Thursday plans to announce a proposal that would require all U.S. residents to obtain health insurance, the New York Times reports (Freudenheim, New York Times, 2/22). FAH released the proposal on the group's Web site on Wednesday and will discuss the plan at a press c www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=43100

2007-02-22

State Watch - Restaurant Association Files Suit To Block San Francisco Universal Health Care Law, Says Federal Law Prohibits Employer Health Insurance Mandate The Golden Gate Restaurant Association, a culinary trade group with more than 800 members in San Francisco, has filed a lawsuit against the city to block part of an ordinance that requires businesses with 20 or more employees to contribute to the cost of workers' health care, the New York Times reports (Mars www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=41047

2006-11-14

State Watch - Lawmakers Say Employer Mandate Key to Massachusetts Health Reform Law State lawmakers on Tuesday at a Washington, D.C., forum sponsored by Families USA discussed the recently approved Massachusetts health insurance law, which includes mandates for individuals to have health insurance and for most businesses to offer it to their workers or face penalties, CQ HealthBeat reports. www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=36755

2006-04-20

Health Care Marketplace - Boston Globe Examines Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance The Boston Globe on Sunday examined various approaches to health policy that suggest easing the reliance on employer-sponsored health insurance as a means to reduce the number of uninsured U.S. residents. Supporters of such policies argue that the link between employment and health insurance in the U.S. cont www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=33144

2005-10-17

State Watch - California Health Insurance Proposal Faces 'Hard Fight,' New York Times Reports A proposal announced on Monday by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) that would require all state residents to obtain health insurance 'is promising and ambitious but faces a long, hard fight before enactment,' the New York Times reports (McKinley, New York Times, 1/10). Under the proposal, employers www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=42055

2007-01-10

State Watch - Arizona Daily Star Examines State Ballot Measure That Would Make Mandated Health Coverage Illegal The Arizona Daily Star on Monday examined a measure appearing on Arizona's November ballot that would amend the state's constitution to prohibit laws that mandate people obtain health coverage, or that restrict an individual's choice of private health care systems or private health plans. Proposition 101 als www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=55120

2008-10-21

Incoming Obama Administration Begins To Lay Groundwork for Health Reform Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for HHS secretary, on Wednesday launched an effort by the incoming administration to 'lay the groundwork' for health care overhaul, the Washington Post reports. On a conference call with 1,000 Obama supporters who have www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=55897

2008-12-04

State Watch - Newspapers Continue To Examine Massachusetts Health Plan Two newspapers recently published articles addressing the plan passed by the Massachusetts Legislature on Tuesday that would require all uninsured residents to purchase coverage by July 1, 2007, and employers with 11 or more workers to provide health coverage for employees or pay a penalty. Summaries appear www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=36498

2006-04-07