Disentangling the Effects of Health Reform in Massachusetts: How Important Are the Special Provisions for Young Adults?

摘要

Massachusetts' effort to achieve near universal coverage includes provisions that affect the entire population, such as the individual mandate, as well as those targeted to particular subgroups, such as the Commonwealth Care program for lower-income adults and Commonwealth Choice for higher-income adults. In an effort to expand coverage among young adults, who are more likely to be uninsured than other individuals, Massachusetts implemented two additional changes targeted at that population: an extension of dependent coverage up to age 26 and the creation of special young adult options under Commonwealth Choice.