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The '''Massachusetts plan''' is a health care plan that became law on April 12, 2006, and which required residents of that state to either purchase health insurance by July 1, 2007, or pay a tax penalty.  [[Massachusetts]] subsidized the costs for those who cannot afford to purchase health insurance.  Massachusetts was in a better position than most states to pass this type of law because Massachusetts has a billion-dollar fund from [[tobacco]] settlements available to defray the costs, had fewer uninsured (10%) than the national average (18%), has fewer illegal aliens than other states (who are typically neither insured nor file tax returns), and has two powerful representatives in the U.S. Senate to provide additional subsidies as needed ([[Ted Kennedy]] and [[John Kerry]]).  46 million Americans do not own health insurance nationwide.

The '''Massachusetts plan''' is a [[health care]] plan / [[health insurance]] plan that became law on April 12, 2006, and which required residents of that state to either purchase health insurance by July 1, 2007, or pay a [[tax]] penalty.  [[Massachusetts]] subsidized the costs for those who cannot afford to purchase health insurance.  Massachusetts was in a better position than most states to pass this type of law because Massachusetts has a billion-dollar fund from [[tobacco]] settlements available to defray the costs, had fewer uninsured (10%) than the national average (18%), has fewer illegal aliens than other states (who are typically neither insured nor file tax returns), and has two powerful representatives in the U.S. Senate to provide additional subsidies as needed ([[Ted Kennedy]] and [[John Kerry]]).  46 million Americans do not own health insurance nationwide.

The '''Massachusetts plan''' funds [[abortion]] at public expense.<ref>It treats abortion the same as legitimate, health-promoting medical procedures. Abortion is available under the '''Massachusetts plan''' without restriction if recommended by a doctor, and the bulk of the fee to the abortionist is paid by the insurance company as funded by the public.  Only a $50 co-pay required from the mother/victim.</ref>   

The '''Massachusetts plan''' funds [[abortion]] at public expense.<ref>It treats abortion the same as legitimate, health-promoting medical procedures. Abortion is available under the '''Massachusetts plan''' without restriction if recommended by a doctor, and the bulk of the fee to the abortionist is paid by the insurance company as funded by the public.  Only a $50 co-pay required from the mother/victim.</ref>   

After the November 2008 election, Stuart M. Butler released two position papers for Heritage concerning possible health care initiatives by the new Congress and Obama Administration.  Neither mentions the Massachusetts plan.<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/sr27.cfm</ref><ref  name="Heritage Baucus">http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/wm2132.cfm</ref>  One of these papers does describe the plan proposed by Democratic Max Baucus as "A Starting Point for Serious Discussion."<ref name="Heritage Baucus"/>

After the November 2008 election, Stuart M. Butler released two position papers for Heritage concerning possible health care initiatives by the new Congress and Obama Administration.  Neither mentions the Massachusetts plan.<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/sr27.cfm</ref><ref  name="Heritage Baucus">http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCAre/wm2132.cfm</ref>  One of these papers does describe the plan proposed by Democratic Max Baucus as "A Starting Point for Serious Discussion."<ref name="Heritage Baucus"/>

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==See Also==

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[[Category:United States Law]]

[[Category:United States Law]]

[[Category:medicine]]

[[Category:medicine]]