By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    4 Reasons Why Medical Device Compliance Matters
    May 22, 2020
    What To Know About The Importance Of Healthcare Marketing
    November 23, 2019
    healthcare courses
    6 Supplemental Courses in Healthcare to Support Your HR Degree
    August 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Insurance Coverage for Legal Immigrants in Massachusetts: Doing the Right Thing and the Smart Thing
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Insurance Coverage for Legal Immigrants in Massachusetts: Doing the Right Thing and the Smart Thing
Policy & Law

Health Insurance Coverage for Legal Immigrants in Massachusetts: Doing the Right Thing and the Smart Thing

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: January 7, 2012 9:13 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Legal immigrants will enjoy the same rights to subsidized health insurance coverage as citizens of Massachusetts, thanks to a ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court. Although it will be painful for the state to fund the approximately $150 million hit to the budget, it’s the right thing to do and also a smart thing.

Legal immigrants will enjoy the same rights to subsidized health insurance coverage as citizens of Massachusetts, thanks to a ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court. Although it will be painful for the state to fund the approximately $150 million hit to the budget, it’s the right thing to do and also a smart thing.

Massachusetts has achieved near-universal coverage thanks to its health reform law. Although health insurance costs are among the highest in the nation, Massachusetts can afford to have everyone in coverage. That’s because Massachusetts has a modern, knowledge based economy with high wages, thanks largely to the state’s investment in education and infrastructure, and its open minded populace.

Still, high and rising costs are a burden and universal coverage places a strain on the state’s finances. In 2009 the state legislature shaved $130 million from the budget by going after an easy target: subsidies to legal immigrants.

More Read

Massachusetts Gets Ready to Tame HealthCare Costs
Direct Primary Care – Isn’t It Too Expensive?
The Top Healthcare Innovations For 2025
ACOs Rapidly Expanding Across States
8 Reasons To Have A Career In Healthcare

This was a bad idea for three reasons. First, it undermined one of the tenets of health reform: getting everyone into coverage. It’s important to have everyone in the system so that providers don’t have to deal with uncompensated care and residents don’t miss out on services that could help them and make them more productive.

Second, the system’s costs should be addressed by improving value, performance and efficiency, not by kicking people out or weakening benefits. It’s best for us to face up to the cost challenge and do something about its root causes, rather than foisting pain on vulnerable segments of the population.

Third, it’s vitally important that the state continue to be attractive to immigrants, who are crucial to the dynamism of the economy and the culture. Take a look around the state and the country as a whole and you’ll find that immigrants are strong engines of economic growth. If I had to place a bet, I’d put my money on immigrants rather than the “top 1%” as the best job creators.

So I’m glad to see Massachusetts doing the right thing, and the Supreme Judicial Court playing a constructive role in the process.


TAGGED:health insurancelegal immigrants
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Lawsuit Filed Against Quest Diagnostics for Overcharging

July 8, 2011

Is a Career in Naturopathic Medicine Right for You?

November 10, 2015

HIPAA Violations are on the Rise [INFOGRAPHIC]

July 30, 2014
protected health information
BusinessHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsPolicy & LawTechnology

What Is Protected Health Information?

January 14, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?