Fact Sheet Examines 2006 Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law; Study Finds More Consumers Seeking Health Care Information Online

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Public Health
Article Date: 25 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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"Massachusetts Health Reform: What's the Real Story?" Community Catalyst: The fact sheet released by Community Catalyst and Health Care for All reviews progress in Massachusetts since the state passed its 2006 health care reform law. According to the fact sheet, the uninsurance rate in the state has been reduced by half, and 71% of state residents continue to support the reforms enacted by the law, which include a mandate that all adults obtain coverage or face tax penalties and Medicaid and private insurance reforms. According to the fact sheet, health care officials also must work to expand coverage, devise strategies to control rising costs and maintain financing in order to continue health care reform. A recently released poll on the law also is available online (Community Catalyst, August 2008).

"Striking Jump in Consumers Seeking Health Care Information," Center for Studying Health System Change: The study, released on Thursday, found that 56% of U.S. adults sought medical advice from a source other than a physician in 2007, with 32% of people using the Internet to conduct the search. Those with higher levels of education were more likely to search for health information, and four in five respondents said the information helped them better understand how to treat an illness, according to the study. In addition, the study found that almost half of U.S. residents ages 65 and older looked for health information from a source other than a physician (Center for Studying Health System Change release, 8/21).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

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