Massachusetts governor intensifies state's push to curb soaring health premiums

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has accelerated his administration's efforts to control spiraling statewide healthcare costs, warning that rising premiums threaten to crush families and businesses and doom Massachusetts' experiment with universal insurance. Patrick said officials are considering using state insurance regulations to block excessive healthcare premiums, and he is also summoning leaders of insurance and hospital companies for meetings to ask for their "vigorous cooperation."