BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey, former Governors Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick, and other state leaders will gather at Faneuil Hall on Monday to mark the 20th anniversary of Massachusetts’s landmark health care reform law, Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006.
Signed into law on April 12, 2006, at Faneuil Hall, the historic legislation expanded access to affordable health coverage for hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents. Before the law was enacted, nearly 10 percent of residents were uninsured. Today, Massachusetts has the highest coverage rate in the nation, with more than 97 percent of residents insured.
The law created a first-in-the-nation health insurance marketplace, introduced key consumer protections, required most adults to carry health insurance, and provided financial assistance to help residents afford coverage. It also reduced uncompensated care costs and strengthened financial protections for patients and families…