Although Democrats across the country have backed presidential nominee Barack Obama’s proposed healthcare reforms, those in Massachusetts have seen problems with their recent insurance mandate. Only just under half of the state’s uninsured population actually complied with the mandate. Although the number of people without health insurance decreased from 13% to 7%, we have certainly not seen the fulfillment of Massachusetts legislators’ promises that “all Massachusetts citizens will have health insurance.” The program has also far exceeded its estimated costs. It has overrun its budget 33% in just the first year.

            Furthermore, this increase in coverage is arguably not the result of the unprecedented individual mandate, but rather the fact that the new coverage (taken up mostly by low-income individuals) is fully or partially subsidized by the state.  The young and healthy are continuing not to comply with the mandate, as the state refuses to alter its community rating laws that drive up the cost of insurance for these people. Finally, as anyone in Canada could have told us, the program has increased demand for healthcare services without increasing the supply of healthcare providers. Consequently, patients continue to experience difficulties in finding providers and when they do, they often run into a waiting list. Hopefully, Obama supporters will warm up to the idea, given Massachusett’s problems, that such healthcare mandates are not solutions without problems or adverse consequences.