$380 a Month is not $200 a Month.

It's not fuzzy math, it's just expensive. The Commonwealth's new universal health insurance law passed last year was touted as a great chance for Massachusetts to become a leader in the nation in universal health care. At the time the talk was about a $200 per month premium. The legislation (let's call it Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006 for fun) mandates that all adults in Massachusetts who make $29,412, three times the poverty level, or more must obtain health insurance to satisfy a state mandated minimum level of insurance by July 1, 2007 or face a penalty. Waivers are available for those who can prove that the premium is unaffordable. Skepticism was expressed when the legislation passed but optimism pushed things forward. The figure $380, nearly double the original figure, was discussed yesterday as the average monthly premium for adults by the plans who meet the standards of minimal coverage. The Commonweath Connector, the state panel in charge of setting the minimum requirements to qualify as "credible coverage" to use the legalese, took a look at the cost and told the insurance companies that they needed to do better. They haven't yet accepted the sub-committee recommendations on credible coverage levels fearing that they're forcing premiums up too high.

It's not all that surprising that Massachusetts collective bargaining for insurance rates granted to some 200,000 or so people is coming in high. Perhaps the board is unfamiliar with the car insurance rate Commonwealth residents are paying to have their cars on the road – it's at least 10% over the national average. Regardless, $380 in monthly premiums could certainly be argued as unaffordable by some making above the $29,412 threshold. If the premium for insurance is set too high more people will be eligible for waivers, forcing more strain on the state's emergency rooms – which is precisely the cycle that the universal health care legislation was enacted to eliminate. The new target seems to be around $250 or $260 according to the Globe report.

Image is hawt logo from the Commonwealth Connector's very own website.