Mandating health insurance does not reduce the number of individuals who have problems paying medical bills, the Boston Globe reports, citing studies by the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts and others.
Under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ healthcare reform legislation, which was established in 2006, residents are required to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty, a provision similar to what will take place nationwide in 2014 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
While there appears to be some indications of an overall reduction in medical debt among consumers in Massachusetts, the number of individuals reporting problems paying medical bills has not changed significantly between 2006 and 2010, when the most recent studies were conducted.
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