One of the advantages of America's federal system of government is that states can serve as policy laboratories. One of the biggest experiments is going on in Massachusetts, which instituted a form of universal health care. Preliminary results are in:
- ...roughly half of the state's uninsured population, reckoned to be between 500,000 and 700,000, are now covered.
- ...surveys of employers suggest that very few so far (only 3% according to one poll) have stopped covering their workers. (so no "crowding out" of private insurance); BUT
- Next year's insurance premiums are likely to rise by 10-12% ... If costs continue to soar, the state will not be able to afford this scheme for long, and it will become unpopular.
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