Costs soar for Mass. health care law

The problem with health insurance like this is that it makes costs go up. The only way that most lawmakers ever can figure out how to raise money is by raising taxes. This law has been in place for less than 4 months and they are already proposing a dollar tax on a pack of cigarettes to pay for the shortfall. This program is a disaster according to most everyone in this article. Liberals don't like it because it doesn't go far enough. Conservatives don't like the mandates by the government enforced by fines and penalties of nearly 1000/month per person. It was supposed to give everyone better coverage at a lower cost, but it doesn't work that way. Nothing does. Enjoy the article.

Costs soar for Mass. health care law

By STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press Writer

BOSTON - Two years after the state's landmark health law was signed, the cracks are starting to show.

Costs are soaring and Massachusetts lawmakers are weighing a dollar-a-pack hike in the state's cigarette tax to help pay for a larger-than-expected enrollment in the law's subsidized insurance plans.

But that hasn't dampened enthusiasm at the Statehouse. Leaders there boast that in the two years since former Gov. Mitt Romney signed the law with a choreographed flourish at historic Faneuil Hall, the number of insured residents has soared by nearly 350,000.

Along the way the law has been scrutinized by other states, sparked the ire of critics on the right and left, and drawn the attention of presidential candidates.

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