Massachusetts Doctors’ Group to Unveil ‘Simplified’ Version of Universal Health Care Ballot Measure

A Massachusetts doctors' group, which failed in a "push" for universal health care last year, on July 19 plans to unveil a "simplified" version of Question 5, the state ballot measure that voters rejected last November, the Boston Globe reports. Last year's ballot initiative would have required state lawmakers to approve universal health coverage by July 2002. In addition, the measure would have mandated that Massachusetts HMOs spend no more than 10% of their revenues on administrative costs, including executive salaries, and would have barred for-profit health care companies from the state. This year's version of the ballot measure would only require the state Legislature to pass universal health care legislation. However, if voters approve the measure and state lawmakers fail to enact universal health care, the lawmakers would lose their publicly funded health coverage in 2004. "We think we needed a stick in this to make sure it wasn't ignored," Dr. David Himmelstein, who filed the ballot measure, as well as Question 5, said. Himmelstein blamed the state HMO lobby for Question 5's defeat last year. According to the Globe, large employers and HMOs spent $5 million on advertisements opposing the initiative, while the public health advocates "relied on grassroots campaigning." Richard Lord, president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which led the campaign against Question 5 last year, said that he "defeated the health care initiative once and is prepared to win again." He said that Massachusetts residents should not address the "complicated" issue in a ballot initiative. However, state Sen. Marc Pacheco (D) called the ballot measure a "good strategy," criticizing the "recent string" of Republican governors for failing to enact universal health care. "It's a great start to put the focus on the Legislature to get something done," he said (Gedan, Boston Globe, 7/19).