MA healthcare may predict successes and challenges ahead for federal law

Six years after Gov. Mitt Romney signed the nation's most ambitious health care law, supporters say the Massachusetts law holds promise for the long-term success of Barack Obama's plan. Like the federal law it inspired, the Massachusetts law has multiple goals, among them expanding the number of insured residents, reducing emergency room visits, penalizing those who can afford coverage but opt to remain uninsured, and requiring employers to offer coverage or pay a fine. Supporters of the Massachusetts experiment are quick to point out its successes.