Former Labor Secretary Reich Offers Health Care Proposals in Massachusetts Gubernatorial Bid

Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich announced several health care proposals during a May 22 speech outside Boston, the Boston Globe reports. One initiative would allow uninsured state residents to purchase health insurance through the state's employee health benefit program, which would offer less expensive coverage than individual policies (Weiss, Boston Globe, 5/22). Reich said the plan would not affect the cost of state employees' insurance and would not require the state to "subsidize" coverage; rather, the proposal would save money by "harnessing bulk discounts for all" Massachusetts residents, he said (Reich speech text, 5/22). Reich also announced a plan to allow residents who do not have prescription drug coverage to purchase medication through MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program (Boston Globe, 5/22). That plan, too, would bring discounts through "bulk purchasing," Reich said (Reich speech text, 5/22). Reich also announced his support for a proposal that recently passed the state House that encourages relatives to care for seniors at home rather than placing them in nursing homes (Boston Globe, 5/22). Home- and community-based care for seniors is less expensive than nursing home care, Reich said (Reich speech text, 5/22). He said that the initiative could save the state $41 million annually (Boston Globe, 5/22).