I have finally, after extensive research found part of his record. Wow, what a record.!! I am posting my findings with this question for those who doesn't like to open web sites.
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The Fourteenth Republican Debate From Florida
Pat Buchanan: "His Performance Was Flawless"
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 11:56 PM EDT
What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Boca Raton, FL GOP Debate - Vol. II
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 11:55 PM EDT
MSNBC'S Chuck Todd: "Romney looks good and sounds confident tonight." (Chuck Todd, "Romney Starting Off Well Tonight," MSNBC's First Read, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "Romney made a strong first impression." (Marc Ambinder, "Live Twittering Of The Debate," The Atlantic, http://twitter.com/marcambinder, Posted 1/24/08)
Captain's Quarters' Ed Morrissey: "Florida voters got their final head-to-head look at the Republican presidential candidates tonight, and the winner of the debate was Mitt Romney." (Ed Morrissey, "Florida Debate: Romney Scores, Rudy Close Behind," Captain's Quarters' Blog, www.captainsquartersblog.com, Posted 1/24/08)
- Morrissey: "He looked presidential, poised, and factually prepared." (Ed Morrissey, "Florida Debate: Romney Scores, Rudy Close Behind," Captain's Quarters' Blog, www.captainsquartersblog.com, Posted 1/24/08)
- Morrissey: "In a debate that spent the first two-thirds with everyone doing well, Romney not only broke out on his own in the last stanza, he successfully parried some strange attacks from Tim Russert as well." (Ed Morrissey, "Florida Debate: Romney Scores, Rudy Close Behind," Captain's Quarters' Blog, www.captainsquartersblog.com, Posted 1/24/08)
Michelle Malkin: "Romney's being treated like the front-runner and he's acting like it." (Michelle Malkin, "GOP Florida Debate: Show Us The Conservatism," Michelle Malkin's Blog, http://michellemalkin.com/, Accessed 1/24/08)
Townhall's Hugh Hewitt: "Mitt Romney should send a thank you card to Tim Russert and Brian Williams. They threw hard balls at the former Massachusetts governor and he hit them all, many out of the park. Romney's allocation of time had to be disproportionate, but that was the Williams/Russert choice, and Romney made the most of it." (Hugh Hewitt, "'General Hillary Clinton' And 'They're Doing It In Europe Now,'" Townhall Blog, http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Hewitt: "Democrats watching tonight have to be very worried that Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee." (Hugh Hewitt, "'General Hillary Clinton' And 'They're Doing It In Europe Now,'" Townhall Blog, http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
American Spectator's Wlady: "Terrific Romney answer to Russert's nosiness about how much he's spent in Florida. Russert's mistake: his insinuation that he was asking the question on behalf of the people's right to know. Romney instead let it be known he'll report his spending on Jan. 31, as required by law; and there's no reason to give his opponents a competitive advantage." (Wlady, "Rich Man, Poor Man," AmSpec Blog, http://www.amspec.org/, Accessed 1/24/08)
ABC News' Rick Klein: "Romney gets an initial question on the economy -- this is tailor made for him. ? He sounds authoritative and in control on this subject." (Rick Klein, "Live Blogging During GOP Debate," ABC News' Political Radar, http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar, Posted 1/24/08)
National Journal's Jennifer Skalka: "Winners?Mitt Romney -- Mistake-free night." (Jennifer Skalka, "No Battle In Boca," National Journal's On Call, http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
Heading Right's Ed Morrissey: "Best line of the evening so far: General Hillary Clinton." (Ed Morrissey, "Best Line Of The Evening So Far," Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Accessed 1/24/08)
- Morrissey: "Romney just delivered a hell of a punch against Hillary Clinton, Bill, and the Democrats." (Ed Morrissey, "Romney Lapping The Pack," Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Accessed 1/24/08)
- Morrissey: "I am impressed." (Ed Morrissey, "Romney's Running Away With It!" Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Accessed 1/24/08)
American Spectator's Phillip Klein: "Romney is clearly benefiting from the focus on the economy." (Phillip Klein, "Quick Debate Reaction," AmSpec Blog, http://www.amspec.org/blogger, Accessed 1/24/08)
Heading Right's Fausta Wertz: "[Y]es, this is the Mitt Romney hour." (Fausta, "Back To Mitt," Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Accessed 1/24/08)
Townhall's Matt Lewis: "If one had to assign a winner tonight, Mitt Romney would probably get the nod." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Debate Analysis: Florida Now A Two-Man Race," Townhall Blog, www.townhall.com, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lewis: "The debate focused more on the economy than it did on any other topic, and I think he is more adept at talking about this topic than is his primary opponent, John McCain." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Debate Analysis: Florida Now A Two-Man Race," Townhall Blog, www.townhall.com, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lewis: "He also did a good job of going after the Clintons -- something that McCain should have actually done more of." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Debate Analysis: Florida Now A Two-Man Race," Townhall Blog, www.townhall.com, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lewis: "Romney was ahead in the last Florida poll I saw, and since nothing that happened tonight is likely to radically upset the apple cart, he wins tonight merely by maintaining the status quo." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Debate Analysis: Florida Now A Two-Man Race," Townhall Blog, www.townhall.com, Posted 1/24/08)
What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Boca Raton, FL GOP Debate
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 11:11 PM EDT
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough: "I think conservatives probably related to Mitt Romney, talking about tax cuts, talking about being a governor, talking about what he did in the private sector for all those years. On the economic part of this debate, I don't think there is any doubt that this was Mitt Romney's best performance." (MSNBC's "Live," 1/24/08)
- Scarborough: "The first 30 minutes - it was about the economy. I thought Mitt Romney absolutely dominated that segment of it." (MSNBC's "Live," 1/24/08)
Time's Mark Halperin: "Romney A-" (Mark Halperin, "Who Wants To Be The Nominee?" Time's The Page, http://thepage.time.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
MSNBC's Chuck Todd: "I thought this was Mitt Romney's best debate performance." (MSNBC's "Live," 1/24/08)
National Review's Rich Lowry: "Romney has seemed authoritative – confident and on his game..." (Rich Lowry, "The Debate So Far," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lowry: "'We're the Party of Change' ... Home-run answer from Romney. It was drawn from his standard lines on the stump, but a terrific message, convincingly delivered." (Rich Lowry, "'We're The Party Of Change'," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lowry: "Good night for Romney." (Rich Lowry, "Good Night For Romney," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Lowry: "Romney is dominating the last half-an-hour." (Rich Lowry, "In Terms Of Sheer Time..." National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham: "Romney just stole that issue from both Rudy and McCain. His answer was intelligent and far-reaching. I liked the idea of high-risk areas getting together to pool risk. Rudy's been trying to pander with this idea and I think both Romney and McCain made the pandering look silly by taking a broader approach." (Mary Katharine Ham, "The Cat Fund," Townhall Blog, http://www.townhall.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
National Review's Kate O'Beirne: "Romney's insights about his state's National Guard was helpful. He seems particularly aggressive and sure-footed tonight." (Kate O'Beirne, "On Offense," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
Michelle Malkin: "Excellent Romney answer on Iraq. Strong, tough, focused on the surrendercrats. He takes on Dems for their withdrawalmania?cites debate in SC when Hillary refused to say she wanted to win and recycled Code Pink line." (Michelle Malkin, "GOP Florida Debate," http://michellemalkin.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Malkin: "Romney excoriates Dems and says 'how dare they' take credit for surge." (Michelle Malkin, "GOP Florida Debate," http://michellemalkin.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
- Malkin: "Romney just out-McCained McCain on the war." (Michelle Malkin, "GOP Florida Debate," http://michellemalkin.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "Romney was swell on the economy..." (Marc Ambinder, "Romney Made A Strong First Impression... No One Tried To Jab At Him," Twitter Blog, http://twitter.com/marcambinder, Posted 1/24/08)
Hot Air's Bryan Preston: "Mitt Romney is asked whether the war in Iraq was worth the sacrifice and effort. He delivers the best answer of the bunch and punches the hippies in the Democrat party to boot." (Bryan Preston, "Debate Highlights: Huckabee On The Economic Stimulus; Romney On Iraq," Hot Air, http://hotair.com/, Posted 1/24/08)
Joe Scarborough: "Mitt Romney Absolutely Dominated"
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 11:00 PM EDT
Governor Mitt Romney Lays Out The Vision To Strengthen America
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 10:38 PM EDT
Tonight, Romney for President Communications Director Matt Rhoades released the following statement on the Florida Republican presidential debate:
"The economic challenges confronting our country were central to tonight's debate. Governor Romney is the only candidate with a record of working in the real economy and creating jobs. That experience was on display tonight. He understands how to create jobs and how to bring change. That is the leadership we need in Washington, and in a few short days, the people of Florida will cast their votes for change in this country."
Straight Talk Detour: McCain On Republican Vote Totals
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 10:30 PM EDT
McCain Falsely Claimed That He Won Among Republicans In NH And SC
In Tonight's Debate, Sen. McCain Falsely Claimed That He Won The Republican Vote In Both New Hampshire And South Carolina:
MCCAIN: "But Look, I Won The Majority Of Republican Vote In Both New Hampshire And South Carolina." (MSNBC, [Unverified Transcript], Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Boca Raton, FL, 1/24/08)
However, Sen. McCain Lost In Both New Hampshire And South Carolina Among Self-Identified Conservatives And Republicans :
McCain Lost Among Self-Identified Republicans In New Hampshire. "In New Hampshire, a state McCain had won in 2000 and lavished time and attention on this time around, he lost self-identified Republicans narrowly -- 35 percent to 34 percent -- to former governor Mitt Romney. But, it was among independents where McCain's winning margin came as he won that bloc by 13 points over Romney." (Chris Cillizza, "McCain And The Closed Primary Challenge," Washington Post's The Fix, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/, 1/24/08)
McCain Lost Among Republicans In South Carolina. "In South Carolina, McCain lost Republicans by a statistically insignificant margin, but carried independents by a massive 42 percent to 25 percent margin -- ensuring his narrow three-point victory." (Chris Cillizza, "McCain And The Closed Primary Challenge," Washington Post's The Fix, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/,1/24/08)
Conservatives Are Wary Of McCain's Past Tendencies And Willingness To Team Up With Liberal Senators. "McCain has long had difficulty currying favor from his party's conservative wing. Despite his solid voting record in the senate, many ardent Republicans have been unhappy with his past willingness to team up with liberal Sens. Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform and Ted Kennedy on immigration." (Alexander Mooney, "McCain Brushes Aside Suggestion Of Weak Republican Support," http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200... 1/20/08)
"Support from the base will be crucial in upcoming contests: McCain now faces a bevy of state primaries where independents are not allowed to participate, beginning with Florida's vote on January 29. But the Arizona senator is predicting that his support among veterans, his economic proposals, and his record on environmental issues important to many Floridians will carry him to victory there." (Alexander Mooney, "McCain Brushes Aside Suggestion Of Weak Republican Support," http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200... 1/20/08)
Gov. Romney: Working Together On Social Security
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 10:20 PM EDT
Romney Record: A Stronger State Economy
Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 09:49 PM EDT
Governor Romney Helped Turn Around The Massachusetts Economy And Today, The State Is Among The Most Economically Competitive In The Nation:
Because of work done by Governor Romney, Massachusetts is now credited with being one of the most economically-competitive states in the nation.
- The Boston Globe : "Nonetheless, Romney's policies are credited with improving the state's competitiveness. His administration promoted high-density development to increase housing production, got a fast-track permitting law enacted by the Legislature to help businesses expand, and revived an agency to help firms move to the state." (Brian Mooney, Stephanie Ebbert and Scott Helman, "Ambitious Goals," The Boston Globe, 6/30/07)
- The Beacon Hill Institute: Massachusetts "One Of The Most Economically Competitive States In The Nation." "Massachusetts ranks as the one of the most economically competitive states in the nation, buoyed by innovation, entrepreneurship, and an educated and skilled workforce, a new study concludes. The study, released today by the Beacon Hill Institute, a think tank at Suffolk University, ranks Massachusetts second only to Utah in the attributes that create and sustain high levels of income for residents." (Robert Gavin, "Reports: Mass. A Top U.S. Economic Competitor," The Boston Globe, 12/19/07)
- The Information Technology And Innovation Foundation: Massachusetts First In The Ability "To Compete In A Dynamic, Innovation-Driven Global Economy." "It follows another study, by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, that measures states' abilities to compete in a dynamic, innovation-driven global economy and ranks Massachusetts first." (Robert Gavin, "Reports: Mass. A Top U.S. Economic Competitor," The Boston Globe, 12/19/07)
- Under Governor Romney, The State's Credit Rating Was Upgraded For The First Time Since January 2000. "Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Standard %26amp; Poor's has raised the state's credit rating one notch, from 'AA-' to 'AA'. This is the state's first ratings upgrade since January 2000, when Moody's Investors Service raised the state's credit rating from 'Aa3' to 'Aa2'." (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Governor Romney Announces Bond Rating Upgrade For Commonwealth's Debate," Press Release, 3/15/05)
- MassINC And Northeastern University Report: "The Massachusetts economy is the envy of many other states. Our economy consistently ranks among the top in measures of New Economy success. We rank near the top of the nation in our level of labor productivity and have outpaced the nation in recent years in the rate of growth. We have the most educated workforce in the nation. We also score near the top in terms of knowledge jobs and innovation capacity." (MassINC %26amp; The Northeastern University Center For Labor Market Studies, "Mass Jobs: Meeting The Challenges Of A Shifting Economy," November 2007)
Under Governor Romney, Massachusetts Added Tens Of Thousands Of Jobs After The End Of A Deep Recession:
Before Governor Romney took office, Massachusetts was losing jobs month after month after the tech bubble burst in 2001. Under Governor Jane Swift, Sen. McCain's chief Massachusetts surrogate, the state lost over 140,000 jobs.
- Massachusetts "Suffered The Deepest Job Losses In The Nation After The Tech Boom." "Massachusetts, because of its large technology sector, suffered the deepest job losses in the nation after the tech boom went bust in 2001, shedding 6 percent of its jobs, compared to 2 percent nationally." (Robert Gavin, "Job-Growth Study: Mass. Next To Last," The Boston Globe, 11/28/07)
- Under The Previous Administration, Massachusetts Lost Jobs Month After Month. Under Governor Swift, Massachusetts lost 141,000 votes. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, "State And Area Employment, Hours, And Earnings," Massachusetts, Total Non-Farm, Seasonally Adjusted, Accessed 1/21/08)
Under Governor Romney, jobs began to return to Massachusetts. Massachusetts added 57,600 jobs after the recession ended in December 2003. In 2006 alone, Massachusetts added 18,700 jobs.
- Massachusetts Added 57,600 Jobs Since The Recession's End In December 2003 Until The End Of Governor Romney's Term. "Massachusetts has added 57,600 payroll jobs since December 2003." (Massachusetts Department Of Workforce Development, "Jobs In Massachusetts Up By 1,700 In December," Press Release, 1/18/07)
- In 2006, Massachusetts Added 18,700 Jobs. "Total jobs are up 18,700 from one year ago to 3,224,700." (Mass. Department Of Workforce Development, "Jobs In Massachusetts Up By 1,700 In December," Press Release, 1/18/07)
- Under Governor Romney, Massachusetts Posted The First Gain In Manufacturing Jobs In Several Years. "For the first time in several years, Massachusetts has posted a gain in manufacturing jobs, according to the 2007 Massachusetts Manufacturers Register, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. (MNI), Evanston, IL. MNI reports Massachusetts has added 3,681 net jobs since August of 2005, indicating a slight reversal in the downturn the Bay state has felt since 2001." (Manufacturers' News, "Industrial Directory Reports Massachusetts Manufacturing Jobs Up," Press Release, 8/30/06)
Under Governor Romney, personal incomes grew dramatically, and the level of personal income was far higher than the national average.
- During Governor Romney's Term, Massachusetts Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI) Grew By 17%, Outpacing Per Capita Personal Income Growth For The Entire United States. In 2003, Massachusetts per capita personal income was $39,442 and rose to $46,255 in 2006. (Department Of Commerce, Bureau Of Economic Analysis, "State Annual Personal Income," www.bea.gov, Accessed: 1/21/08)
- In 2006, Massachusetts Had A Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI) Of $46,255. This PCPI Ranked 3rd In The United States And Was 126 Percent Of The National Average, $36,629. (Department Of Commerce, Bureau Of Economic Analysis, "State BEARFACTS 1996 – 2006: Massachusetts," Accessed: 1/21/08)
Under Governor Romney, Massachusetts Became A Better Place To Do Business:
Under Governor Romney, the business climate improved and more companies were attracted to Massachusetts.
- In Three Years Under Governor Romney, The Number Of Companies In The State's Development Pipeline Went From 13 To 288. "Under Ranch C. Kimball, who became Romney's secretary of economic development in 2004, the number of companies in the Massachusetts development pipeline jumped from 13 to 288 in three years." (Brian C. Mooney, Stephanie Ebbert And Scott Helman, "Ambitious Goals," The Boston Globe, 6/30/07)
- The Boston Globe : "Last year, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. chose an 89-acre site at the former Fort Devens over one in North Carolina for a $660 million complex that will create 550 jobs. The deal required a customized tax credit, a $34 million infrastructure bond, and an unusual show of teamwork by Romney and the Legislature." (Brian Mooney, Stephanie Ebbert And Scott Helman, "Ambitious Goals," The Boston Globe, 6/30/07)
Governor Romney took the action necessary to improve the state's business climate and stimulate the economy through pro-growth economic policies.
- ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE: In November 2003, Governor Romney Signed An Economic Stimulus Package To Help Spur The Massachusetts Economy. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Signs Economic Stimulus, Supplemental Budget Bills," Press Release, 11/26/03)
- ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE: In June 2006, Governor Romney Signed A Second Economic Stimulus Package To Help Spur The Massachusetts Economy. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Vetoes Wasteful Spending, Cities Needed To Maintain Fiscal Discipline," Press Release, 11/26/03)
- 2004 SALES TAX HOLIDAY: Governor Romney Enacted The State's First-Ever Sales Tax Holiday In 2004. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Promotes Tax-Free Shopping Day On Saturday," Press Release, 8/14/04)
- 2005 SALES TAX HOLIDAY: Governor Romney Enacted A Second Sales Tax Holiday. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney, Dimasi, Hart Promote Tax-Free Shopping Weekend," Press Release, 8/14/0)
- INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT: Governor Romney Signed An Economic Stimulus Package Making The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Permanent. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Signs Economic Stimulus, Supplemental Budget Bills," Press Release, 11/26/03)
- BIOTECH MANUFACTURING JOBS TAX REBATE: Governor Romney Proposed And Enacted A Tax Rebate For Manufacturing Jobs Created In The Biotechnology, Life Sciences And Medical Device Fields. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Signs Economic Stimulus, Supplemental Budget Bills," Press Release, 11/26/03)
- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT: Governor Romney Proposed And Enacted An Expansion Of The Research And Development Tax Credit. (Jay Fitzgerald, "Gov Nearly Halves Package; Rebellious Legislators Vow To Override Stimulus Vetoes," The Boston Herald, 11/27/03)
- COMMUTER TAX RELIEF: Governor Romney Signed Legislation Allowing Commuters To Deduct Transportation Costs From Their Income Taxes. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Governor Romney Signs $25.2 Billion FY 2007 State Budget," Press Release, 7/8/06)
- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Governor Romney Proposed And Enacted A Refundable Tax Credit To Promote Development At The Former Fort Devens U.S. Army Base. (Stephen Heuser, "$660M Drug Plant, 550 Jobs For Mass.," The Boston Globe, 6/2/06)
- PERMITTING REFORM: In August 2006, Governor Romney Signed Permitting Reform To Expedite The Permit Process For New Businesses. "Governor Mitt Romney today signed legislation that reforms and streamlines the commercial permitting process, making it easier for companies to expand and add jobs in Massachusetts." (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Signs Permitting Reform Into Law," Press Release, 8/2/06)
- INFRASTRUCTURE: Governor Romney Created A $200 Million Fund To Help Businesses Pay For The Infrastructure Costs Of Growing And Expanding. "The Governor signed into law the $200 million in bonding, half of which will go into a fund under the control of the Executive Office of Economic Development (EED) to help pay for infrastructure costs to help businesses grow and expand." (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Vetoes Wasteful Spending, Cities Needed To Maintain Fiscal Discipline," Press Release, 11/26/03)
- MARKETING MASSACHUSETTS: Governor Romney Expanded Massachusetts' In-State Sales Force. "The Governor also signed $1.5 million for the creation of an in-state sales force to market Massachusetts to companies around the country." (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Vetoes Wasteful Spending, Cities Needed To Maintain Fiscal Discipline," Press Release, 11/26/03)
Who would vote for Mitt Romney on his record?
I would. In terms of economic policies, he is very smart. As a fiscal conservative, he impresses me with his limiting government, pro-individual stances.
Reply:Im and Consertive Republican but if Romney won the nominationand so did Hilary. Hillary got my vote Report It
Reply:Romney has had my vote for some time.
Reply:I was originally going Guiliani, but I may switch to Romney. I was very impressed with him last night. I think businessmen make the best leaders instead of career politicians.
Reply:I don't know, my vote is split between McCain and Romney. After watching some of the debates and looking at their records I think McCain is a more honest politician but as someone above said, he is a great fiscal conservative and I completely agree with his assessment of the middle class. Great record BTW, Romney by the numbers did a great job in his state, by his reviews though I don't think he did as great of job though but still better than most would have done. I think he is definitely a great candidate to vote for and if he shows himself a little more for his recession related fiscal policies I might change my vote.
Reply:The debate showed that Romney wants his party's nomination more than the others. And while the others were dressed as morticians, for the latest debate, Romney's attire stood out, and was first-rate! I'll skip the press releases, and concentrate on the Globe's analysis at a later date. You have done all voters a service, with this posting.
Reply:not me. I work in Mass, and the health care plan there is a joke. No one in their right mind would sign up for the state plan, and then they tax you if you don't have health care (you get a fine), so they have burdened those that can least afford it to either support a crappy state plan that is useless, or get fined.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financial...
No health care? Higher fines in Mass.
By STEVE LeBLANC
The cost of not having health insurance in Massachusetts is going up.
When the new year begins Tuesday, most residents who remain uninsured will face monthly fines that could total as much as $912 for individuals and $1,824 for couples by the end of 2008, according to penalty guidelines unveiled by the Department of Revenue on Monday.
Individuals who failed to sign up for health insurance by the end of 2007 faced only a one-time loss of their $219 personal income tax exemption.
The fines are part of an increasingly aggressive approach written into the health care law designed to pressure Massachusetts residents into getting insurance. The law, intended to create near-universal coverage in the state, was approved by lawmakers and signed by former Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006.
It remains unclear how many Massachusetts residents still don't have insurance, but the number could be in the hundreds of thousands.
The penalties, which vary with age and income, are based on half the lowest cost plans available through the Health Care Connector. They accrue each month an individual remains uninsured and will be due as part of tax returns filed early in 2009.
The penalties apply only to adults deemed able to afford health insurance by the Health Insurance Connector Authority, which oversees the health care law. People can apply for hardship appeals.
The highest fine of $76 a month -- or $912 a year -- will be levied against those over the age of 27 making more than three times the federal poverty level of $30,636 for an individual.
Married couples who are both uninsured will have to pay fines individually. A couple earning more than $41,076 would have to pay $1,824 in penalties for the year.
The fines drop for younger adults and fall even lower for those making less than three times the poverty level. There are no fines for individuals earning less than $15,325 a year.
Revenue Commissioner Henry Dormitzer said the department worked to come up with penalties that were fair and easy to understand.
John McDonough, executive director of the advocacy group Health Care for All, said the penalties were a good compromise. The way the law was written, 59 year olds could have faced penalties five or six times higher than younger adults in their 20s because their insurance plans typically cost more, McDonough said.
"Some will say these are too high. Some will say these are too low. There is plenty of room for argument on both sides," he said. "We are in such uncharted territory."
No one knows for sure how many taxpayers will face the fines.
Those overseeing the law say the state has added about 300,000 Massachusetts residents to the ranks of the insured this year -- largely as a result of the law.
Leslie Kirwan, Gov. Deval Patrick's top budget chief and chairwoman of the Connector board, said estimates of the number of uninsured in Massachusetts before the law took effect ranged from 370,000 to more than half a million.
******************************...
http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles...
What good is health care if no doc will see you? Scramble is on to find a physician
By JULIE JETTE
The Patriot Ledger
KINGSTON - Lee Sampson didn’t expect to find herself without health insurance. But when her job as a medical transcriptionist got outsourced to India earlier this year, Sampson, 47, had to find a way to get covered.
She found it in Commonwealth Care, a group of subsidized health insurance plans that was created as part of the state’s new law requiring people to buy coverage. While the little income Sampson had disqualified her for the state’s Medicaid program, the subsidized option was more doable than pricier plans targeting the uninsured from carriers like Harvard Pilgrim and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Sampson was enrolled in a plan run by a subsidiary of Boston Medical Center called BMC Health Net. But before her benefits would take effect, she had to find a primary care doctor. That’s when her frustration with the new system reached a boiling point.
Sampson started calling primary care doctors within a half-hour drive of her home in Kingston. The response from nearby doctors: ‘‘We’re not taking (that insurance plan), we’re not taking new patients.’’
Sampson estimated she called about 50 doctors. In some cases, administrators at doctors offices said they didn’t know why they were on lists as accepting the insurance when they don’t. In others, they just weren’t accepting new patients.
‘‘One woman I talked to said, ‘My son is going through the same thing,’’’ Sampson said. ‘‘People are very sympathetic.’’
Sampson’s experience may become more common as residents - many who don’t have insurance for financial reasons - scramble to find plans ahead of the Jan. 1 state deadline, after which people lose their state income tax personal exemption of about $219 and face the prospect of stiffer penalties later on.
Katie Bicego manages the patient help line at Health Care for All, a Boston-based advocacy group. She said the help line is getting calls about situations similar to Sampson’s. The calls that have come in lead her to believe the inability to find a doctor for the plan is a growing problem.
‘‘When we see these little problems repeating themselves and coming out of the woodwork, there’s a much bigger problem there,’’ she said.
Officials with the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state agency overseeing the new health plans, said at least 19 doctors are accepting new patients and BMC HealthNet within 20 miles of Kingston. But Sampson said she thinks Brockton, West Bridgewater and Abington are too far a drive, especially for someone who is sick.
Dick Powers, a spokesman for the Connector, said the agency has heard of only a handful of people who have signed up for the new insurance and haven’t been able to find nearby primary care doctors. More than 90,000 people have obtained health insurance coverage under Commonwealth Care since it was first offered last November.
Rick Gulla, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Medical Society, said he hasn’t heard a lot of newly insured people complaining about not being able to find a doctor. But the society has reported on an overall shortage of primary care doctors and doctors in other key specialties in the state.
After Sampson spent some time on the phone with a customer service representative at the Connector, the rep agreed that she had insufficient options close to home, and she’s being switched to a different plan.
She has yet to call doctors to see if she can find one closer to home. She considers herself lucky because she’s healthy and rarely needs to see a physician.
But she says she’s angered that the state will keep her personal income tax exemption if she can’t find a doctor.
‘‘They’re going to penalize the little people for not having something we can’t get our hands on,’’ she said.
Reply:not me.
your question is annoyingly long
thanks for the 2pts.
RP '08
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