| − | The [[Heritage Foundation]], traditionally a [[conservative]] think tank, surprisingly supported the Massachusetts plan. Then-Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, presented his health plan at Heritage at its invitation, and Heritage lent [[conservative]] credentials to the big government plan. For example, Heritage described the mandate compelling individuals to purchase insurance as a solution to the "free rider" problem of people obtaining free medical care without paying for it. "Under federal law, nearly all hospitals are required to provide a certain level of treatment to all patients who visit their emergency rooms, regardless of those patients’ ability to pay."<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/wm1045.cfm</ref> Yet the Massachusetts plan does nothing to require non-taxpayers to have insurance, such as illegal aliens or people without income. | + | The [[Heritage Foundation]], traditionally a [[conservative]] think tank, surprisingly supported the Massachusetts plan. Then-Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, presented his health plan at Heritage in January 2006,<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/ev012606b.cfm</ref> and Heritage lent [[conservative]] credentials to the big government plan. For example, Heritage described the mandate compelling individuals to purchase insurance as a solution to the "free rider" problem of people obtaining free medical care without paying for it. "Under federal law, nearly all hospitals are required to provide a certain level of treatment to all patients who visit their emergency rooms, regardless of those patients’ ability to pay."<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/wm1045.cfm</ref> Yet the Massachusetts plan does nothing to require non-taxpayers to have insurance, such as illegal aliens or people without income. |
| | After passage in 2006, Heritage promoted the plan further:<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg1953.cfm</ref> | | After passage in 2006, Heritage promoted the plan further:<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg1953.cfm</ref> |