âIf President Obama and the Democrats repeat the mistakes of the health insurance mandate on a national level, they will bankrupt this country within four years,â Cahill said. âIt is time for the President and the Democratic leadership to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan that does not threaten to wipe out the American economy.â
Cahillâs call for a new plan resembled the statement made during US Sen. Scott Brownâs insurgent campaign.
But even as he called for knocking down barriers that exist statewide and nationally to allow for-profit plans to compete with non-profit insurers, Cahill was short on specifics. He did say expensive mandates that require all health insurance plans cover certain benefits in the Bay State should be âon the table.â
"There is this widespread assumption, that is treated as fact, that it's breaking the bank in Massachusetts ... it's not breaking the bank at all." said Michael Widmer of Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.
And health care experts say it's popular.
"Seven in 10 people in the state support the program, and no more than one in 10 would repeal it." said Robert Blendon with the Harvard University School of Public Health.
Unlike Democratic proposals that would give Americans the choice of joining a government-run health care plan, Massachusetts has no public option. Instead, people in the state are required to buy private insurance, and the poor get subsidies.
