BOSTON -- For the past couple of weeks, WCVB has been profiling some of the state's uninsured residents, in particular some of the 350,000 Bay State residents who have a job but do not have health benefits. This week, we take a look at the proposed solutions.
NewsCenter 5's medical editor Dr. Timothy Johnson reported that more than 70 percent of the people who go to the Chelsea Health Clinic do not have health insurance. But a new state program is changing that. Virtual Gateway allows on-the-spot application for MassHealth and other state-funded health programs.
"(With Virtual Gateway), I can get through a single-person application in less than 15 minutes," said Millie Escobar of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Chelsea.
The program will help identify the 106,000 uninsured in Massachusetts who qualify for MassHealth, but don't know it. That's the first step in Gov. Mitt Romney's plan to expand coverage to state residents.
"We can do something that no other state in America can do, and that's get all of our citizens insured," he said.
Among the governor's proposals is a low-cost, scaled-down insurance plan called CommonWealth Care. It's designed for about one-third of the state's uninsured, including those who make at least $54,000 a year for a family of four.
"This is a pretty healthy population. Young and healthy. So we want a product that takes out in vitro fertilization care for instance, and that has preventative care, mental health care, emergency and of course tertiary care that is necessary but the product is more like $150 to $200 per month -- not $5,600 per month. And by virtue of that dramatic difference, more employers will provide insurance, more individuals will get that insurance," said Romney.
Commonwealth Care might help Jim Webb. He worked for 22 years with full benefits but was laid off. Now he works for a small construction company, and his health coverage has run out. Under Commonwealth Care, Webb would have a high deductible, but could use pre-tax dollars to pay his premium.
"I never thought at this age I'd be in the position I'm in and now, to be working without health insurance. It's sort of like a bad dream," said Webb.
For the 150,000 residents who are too poor to pay a premium and who don't qualify for MassHealth, the governor's plan would create "safety net care" -- a privatized, restricted version of the free-care pool. No more showing up in emergency rooms without coverage.
"Instead of letting them go to the highest cost place to receive care, we're going to direct them to clinics and other sources where we're able to provide care at a reasonable cost," Romney said.
In fact, the governor said reshuffling the $1 billion spent each year on the uninsured will be enough to pay for all the changes with no new money or taxes needed.
Some, including Senate President Robert Travaglini, dispute the idea. He said new revenues will be needed, but vows to work with the governor on this issue.
"We may have a difference of opinion that needs to be ironed out. But we've all established this as a political priority," said Travaglini.
Travaglini is expected to announce some of his ideas for a health insurance overhaul Wednesday.
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Dr. Tim Johnson Reports On Plan
