How has health care reform worked in Massachusetts?

It’s long past time to get past the politics, stop bashing “Obamacare,” and understand how the Affordable Care Act is likely to affect our health care system. Research at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College reports on how former Gov. Romney’s health care reform played out in Massachusetts.

“What We Know About Health Reform in Massachusetts” by Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher

The brief’s key findings are:

• Numerous studies have examined the impact of Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 health care reform, the basis for the national Affordable Care Act.

• The results suggest that the Massachusetts reform has largely succeeded by:
• reducing uninsurance rates;
• improving health care access and health outcomes; and
• inducing more firms to offer coverage, without raising unemployment.

• At the same time, improving access to non-employer coverage may have reduced labor force participation for men age 55-64.

• Finally, while health care cost growth has slowed in recent years, cost control remains a challenge.

Details at: http://crr.bc.edu/briefs/what-we-know-about-health-reform-in-massachusetts/