Rock star rallies for health care reform

Supporters call for change to Bay State Chapter 58 law

BOSTON. Marking the second anniversary of Massachusetts’ universal health care bill, advocates for reform take to Boston Common today with the help of former Audioslave guitarist, Tom Morello, to promote ‘Medicare for all’ changes to state policy.

“We applaud the fact that more people have insurance coverage,” said Rand Wilson, spokesperson for the event. “But we are critical of the bill’s individual mandate instead of a social mandate where everybody would be covered and not coerced.”

The individual mandate forces residents to pay for their own insurance when they cannot get it from employers. The rally advocates call for a “single payer” approach where a state agency provides the insurance.

Some “single payer” detractors say the government agencies would create a similar amount of red tape, and call for “rationing” that would save money by restricting costly treatments.

But Wilson highlights existing inefficiencies.

“The biggest weakness of the current reform, you’ve increased the liability, but you’ve done nothing to contain costs,” he said. “With double-digit inflation in health care, its an unsustainable [system].”