Last Friday afternoon, the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy posted their latest quarterly update of the Health Care in Massachusetts: Key Indicators. This edition contained updates on the number of individuals covered under health reform; cost trends in health insurance premiums; health plan financial performance; and access to health care measures from the Division’s household survey.
The not-so-good-but-not-surprising news is that we’re holding steady in our coverage rates. The last Indicators report put Massachusetts health reform at adding 442,000 newly covered since June 30, 2006 – now we’re at 432,000. This change is due to declines in MassHealth and Commonwealth Care enrollment; private coverage enrollment continued to increase slightly. Also, the Division’s methodology for this report was improved slightly from last time, leading to an increase in the number with private group insurance at the starting point and changes in previous quarters’ reporting as well. Taken altogether, this chart shows the reported growth in each category since June 30, 2006:
| Change since 6/30/06 | 6/30/08 (originally reported) | 6/30/08 (updated) |
9/30/08 |
| Private Group | +147,000 | +139,000 | +148,000 |
| Individual Purchase | +40,000 | +36,000 | +39,000 |
| MassHealth | +80,000 | +80,000 | +76,000 |
| Commonwealth Care | +176,000 | +176,000 | +169,000 |
| Totals | +442,000 | +431,000 | +432,000 |
Other information includes an update on Commonwealth Choice plans – up $5 to $10 – as well as another three months of reporting data on health plan financials.
Most interesting was the updated information from the household survey. The good news? The percentage of folks reporting that they needed care but cost was an obstacle decreased from 2007 to 2008. In 2007, 86% of uninsured and 37% of insured folks reported an obstacle; in 2008, 64% and 24%. The bad news? Reported dental visits decreased in the same time period. In 2007, 43% of uninsured and 84% of insured folks reported a dental visit; in 2007, it was 37% and 79%.
We again want to thank DHCFP for making this information available on a regular basis.
Lindsey Tucker
