ROMNEY RECORD: THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH CARE PLAN

The New York Times: "On the Republican side, few candidates have been better prepared to deal with the issue than former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who helped push through that state's bipartisan health plan." (Robin Toner, "2008 Candidates Vow To Overhaul U.S. Health Care," The New York Times, 7/6/07)

The Club For Growth: "Governor Romney Deserves Credit For Proposing A Plan That Encourages Individually-Owned Health Insurance…" "Given these limitations, Governor Romney deserves credit for proposing (and to a lesser extent, enacting) a plan that encourages individually-owned health insurance and circumvents some of the inequities carved into the federal tax code." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

In April 2006, Governor Romney Signed Landmark Legislation Ensuring All State Citizens Are Covered By Health Insurance:

Governor Romney: "Every uninsured citizen in Massachusetts will soon have affordable health insurance and the costs of health care will be reduced. And we will need no new taxes, no employer mandate and no government takeover to make this happen." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

· The Associated Press: "The law appears to be working. As of Nov. 1, the date for the most recent statistics, more than 200,000 formerly uninsured people had gotten insurance, roughly half of the state's target." (Glen Johnson, "Rivals Chide Romney On Health Care Plan," The Associated Press, 11/15/07)

Governor Romney's Health Insurance Reform Included:

CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO INSURANCE: Program Established The "Connector" Allowing Massachusetts Citizens To Purchase Insurance With Pre-Tax Dollars. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

· The Health Care Plan "'Connector' Does Dramatically Facilitate Individually-Owned Health Insurance Plans…" "In order to bypass this inequity, Romney created a device known as the 'Connector' that serves as a government-sponsored clearinghouse/regulator for private healthcare plans. … Nevertheless, the Massachusetts 'Connector' does dramatically facilitate individually-owned health insurance plans by enabling individuals to purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars and choose from a number of competing private plans." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

LOWER-COST INSURANCE PRODUCTS: Through Private Market Reforms, Governor Romney's Administration Helped Insurers Create Lower-Cost Insurance Products. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

· Uninsured Massachusetts Residents Can Obtain Health Care Insurance For As Little As $175 A Month. "The average uninsured Massachusetts residents could obtain health care coverage for as little as $175 a month under the state's insurance law, Gov. Deval Patrick announced Saturday as he released the results of negotiations with the state's health insurers." (Steve LeBlanc, "Patrick: Residents Can Get Health Insurance For $175 A Month," The Associated Press, 3/3/07)

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PRINCIPLE: Starting In July 2007, Health Insurance Will Be Mandatory For All State Residents. Plans must be deemed affordable according to state standards. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health-Care Reform Gets A Fair Shake," Boston Herald, 6/21/05)

· Governor Romney: "[M]y plan calls for a personal responsibility principle: Everyone must either become insured or maintain adequate savings to cover their medical expenses." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health-Care Reform Gets A Fair Shake," Boston Herald, 6/21/05)

LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE: Lower-Income Residents Will Be Eligible For State Subsidies To Purchase Health Insurance. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

· The Heritage Foundation: "The Subsidies Require No New Tax Monies." "The subsidies require no new tax monies. Federal and state funds currently subsidizing hospitals for treating the uninsured will simply be redirected into buying coverage for the low-income uninsured." (Edmund F. Haislmaier, "Massachusetts Health Reform: What The Doctor Ordered," The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org, 5/6/06)

IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN HEALTH CARE: Program Included Provisions Increasing Transparency And Promoting The Use Of Electronic Health Records. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

MEDICAID ENROLLMENT: Governor Romney's Administration Worked To Ensure That The State's Uninsured Who Qualified Signed Up For Medicaid. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)