Researchers found the following trends since the implementation of the law in 2006:
• Rates of uninsured individuals remain low.
• Employer-sponsored healthcare insurance is still strong.
• Healthcare access also remained strong.
• The incidence of emergency department visits and hospital inpatient stays declined, suggesting “improvements in the effectiveness of healthcare delivery in the state,” authors wrote.
• Self-reported health statuses among residents improved.
• Two-thirds of Massachusetts adults continue to support the reform law.
Despite these improvements, the researchers also found affordability of health services continues to be a challenge for many individuals. In addition, the proportion of nonsupporters of the law in 2006 (17 percent) increased in 2010 (26.9 percent).
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