Obamacare Works, Massachusetts Proves It [View all]

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Massachusetts' health care reform in 2006 resulted in greater coverage and lower death rates, which has positive implications for the Affordable Care Act

Four years after Massachusetts underwent a major health reform, death rates in the state dropped.



In 2006, the state of Massachusetts expanded Medicaid coverage and offered subsidized private insurance. And since Massachusetts has been one of the models for the principles of the Affordable Care Act, which focuses on prevention, health advocates and policy makers have been watching the state closely to see how well the strategies work.

Apparently, pretty well. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health compared mortality rates from before and after Massachusetts’ health care law, and found that deaths among non-elderly residents dropped 2.9% compared to similar states without the reform. The researchers looked at mortality rates up to 2010 and concentrated on deaths that were likely to be prevented with access to health care — things like infections, heart disease and cancer. Based on this data, it’s estimated that Massachusetts’ health care re-haul prevented 320 deaths a year by providing patients with the opportunity to the latest treatments for blood pressure, high cholesterol and other heart disease risk factors, as well as regular screening for cancers.

http://time.com/88320/obamacare-works-massachusetts-proves-it/

Another link: http://www.telegram.com/article/20140505/NEWS/305059582/1052

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