Many Back Care Amendment

By Jennifer Heldt Powell
Boston Herald, Tuesday, June 29, 2004

A group pushing for universal health care coverage in Massachusetts appears set to clear a major hurdle next week.

Fifty-one lawmakers have promised to vote at the July 7 Constitutional Convention in favor of a constitutional amendment proposed by the Health Care for Massachusetts Campaign. That is one more than the group needed to keep the issue in play.

"It shows we're gaining momentum," said Barbara Roop, the group's co-chairwoman.

For the measure to be adopted by the state, it must be approved by a Constitutional Convention two years in a row, then by voters.

The proposal, which contains few details, orders the state to ensure "that no Massachusetts resident lacks comprehensive, affordable and equitably financed health insurance coverage . . ."

Proponents said they left out details on purpose so experts could work together to determine how best to carry out the order.

"If this were an easy problem to solve, it would have been solved," Roop said. "It really needs to come from people who are in the system."

An estimated 600,000 Bay State residents have no health care, according to the group.

Although the group has enough committed votes to pass this year, it must still work to ensure that the measure gets taken up next week, Roop said.

Then it will have to focus on keeping the measure alive next year and winning support from voters.

"If the ballot initiative has a broad mix of sponsors, there's a chance it could pass," said Robert Blendon, of Harvard University's School of Public Health. "Voters feel something should be done over time to ensure coverage."

The disagreement generally comes over how to provide and pay for universal coverage, he said. With few details to raise objections, the measure stands a strong chance of garnering support.

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