The number of uninsured has dropped — Massachusetts now has the lowest rate in the nation — and so have the number of those who turn to costly emergency rooms for routine care. And while the state has had to seek additional sources of revenue — mainly because of the program’s popularity — the gains in the first 21 months suggest that the plan could become a model for universal health coverage for other states or the nation.
What they don't directly state but is inferred is that the majority of the coverage is through Medicaid rather than private insurance. This, as most healthcare professionals understand, is not the same coverage as private insurance or even Medicare, and limits the services and providers that a patient can obtain.
What is not known as of yet and what the editorial also does not mention, is that there are no data on how much this plan has helped the health of the population it is covering and it's cost-effectiveness. Stay tuned...
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