Welcome to DOR’s New Blog
http://revenue.blog.state.ma.us/blog
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s new blog is now available at the
link above. We hope to use this blog to carry on conversations with Massachusetts
residents on matters related to taxes and revenues. The blog will
also provide a forum to discuss city and town finances in accordance with the
work done by the Division of Local Services. Please keep in mind that this blog
is not the place for the airing of individual tax matters or for formal comments
on DOR rules and regulations. Questions about individual tax matters should
continue to be directed to DOR Customer Service, either by using the “Contact
Us” information on the website or by calling Customer Service at 800-392-6089
or 617-887-6367.
The blog will however be used to link to or describe issues in taxation at the
local, state and federal level. The dramatic declines in revenue have precipitated
a robust discussion in Massachusetts about budget cuts, reductions in
services and the creation of new revenues to partially fill the hole left in the
budgets of cities and towns that rely on the state for local aid payments. This
type of discussion is taking place in virtually every state in the nation thanks to
the ongoing national economic downturn. We hope to continue the discussion
online with the Local Services component of DOR’s blog.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Health Care Reform
The pending health reform legislation will help keep insurance premiums affordable for America’s families.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that, under the Senate bill, premiums will fall by as much as 3 percent in the large group market and 2 percent in the small group market.5 Most significantly, premium costs will be subsidized on a sliding-scale basis for middle-class families if their incomes are below 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($88,200 in annual income for a family of four in 2010). The legislation also requires insurers to spend a reasonable share of premiums on actually delivering care (instead of on administration and profits), and it enables the Secretary of Health and Human Services to intervene to prevent unreasonable premium hikes.
Failure to act on meaningful reform means out-of-pocket health care costs will keep rising, and medical costs will continue to be a major cause of debt and bankruptcies, even for those with health insurance.
While premiums are rising, families are receiving less coverage for their premium dollars. Policies have higher deductibles and copayments, and they cover fewer services.6 If health reform is not adopted, this trend will continue. Medical costs will be an increasing burden for the insured and uninsured alike.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that, under the Senate bill, premiums will fall by as much as 3 percent in the large group market and 2 percent in the small group market.5 Most significantly, premium costs will be subsidized on a sliding-scale basis for middle-class families if their incomes are below 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($88,200 in annual income for a family of four in 2010). The legislation also requires insurers to spend a reasonable share of premiums on actually delivering care (instead of on administration and profits), and it enables the Secretary of Health and Human Services to intervene to prevent unreasonable premium hikes.
Failure to act on meaningful reform means out-of-pocket health care costs will keep rising, and medical costs will continue to be a major cause of debt and bankruptcies, even for those with health insurance.
While premiums are rising, families are receiving less coverage for their premium dollars. Policies have higher deductibles and copayments, and they cover fewer services.6 If health reform is not adopted, this trend will continue. Medical costs will be an increasing burden for the insured and uninsured alike.
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