Massachusetts, which passed a statewide healthcare law in 2006 aimed at insuring all its residents and placed a ceiling on healthcare cost increases last year, may begin to see prices and health insurance premiums rise above the mandated limit this year, according to a report by the Boston Globe.
Massachusetts lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick (D) legislated that per-capita healthcare cost increases fall at or below the state's economic growth, expected to be 3.6 percent this year. However, three current market factors are building skepticism that costs can stay below that mark, according to the report.
Those factors include multiple major hospital mergers and affiliations, federal subsidies breaking the buying power of health insurance cooperatives and an anticipated 6 to 12 percent rise in the price and volume of medical services that could double or even quadruple the rate the state economy grows.
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Massachusetts lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick (D) legislated that per-capita healthcare cost increases fall at or below the state's economic growth, expected to be 3.6 percent this year. However, three current market factors are building skepticism that costs can stay below that mark, according to the report.
Those factors include multiple major hospital mergers and affiliations, federal subsidies breaking the buying power of health insurance cooperatives and an anticipated 6 to 12 percent rise in the price and volume of medical services that could double or even quadruple the rate the state economy grows.
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