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Mass. Medical Model Shines, Pt.2 – The 'free-rider' system problems.

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Free health insurance was provided for those earning less than the federal poverty level, which was at $9,800 a year. Subsidized plans were offered to those earning up to three times that poverty level, or $29,400. Before the beginning, in 2004, it was determined that 90% of the residents (about 5.9 million people) already had health insurance. Of the estimated 460,000 figure who had no health insurance, it was determined that about 40% of those had incomes exceeding the poverty level.

Major benefits are already paying off. From the get-go, Mitt and the other co-creators had the wisdom to attack the ‘free-rider problem. ‘Free-riders are those people who siphon a heavy drain on the good-will provision that states provide for emergencies. This is when people without any health insurance show up at the ER non-emergencies because of having no place else to go. Some of these people are poor and destitute and have no other options (such a shame). As we all know, however, this is often not the case. Many other people who could afford health insurance choose to forego it and spend their money elsewhere. Then, when a medical non-emergency need comes up, they simply visit the ER for free treatment because it’s free. These are the true ‘free riders’.

This ER treatment is not free, however. It is the most expensive and must be paid for by others, like tax payers, hospital funds and other patients who have health insurance. This is the evil that Mitt and his partners were trying to stop, first of all.

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