Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006—“An Act Providing Access To Affordable, Quality, Accountable Health Care”—was signed into law by Governor Mitt Romney on April 12, 2006. The groundbreaking law sought near-universal health care coverage for the residents of Massachusetts by expanding Medicaid, creating a new program of subsidized insurance, enacting changes to the health insurance market, and requiring adults to have health insurance unless an affordable option was not available.
As we mark the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Chapter 58’s enactment, this fact sheet, prepared by Kelly Love and Robert Seifert of the Center for Health Law and Economics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, presents a summary of the law’s effects, as reported in the many studies that have focused on Massachusetts’ reform. This high-level review summarizes the findings in various categories, including insurance coverage, access to care, health care utilization, and affordability for consumers. The authors also developed a full bibliography as a companion to the fact sheet.
