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Public support of Mass. health care reform law grows: Poll

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Public support of Massachusetts’ pioneering health care reform law has increased in the past two years, according to a Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe poll.

The poll released Sunday found that that 63% of respondents back the law, up from 59% in a similar poll two years ago.

Since the Massachusetts law took effect in 2006, the percentage of the population with health insurance coverage has risen from about 90% to more than 98%, the highest of any U.S. state.

The expansion of coverage is due to several features in the law that include premium subsidies for the low-income uninsured, requiring most state residents to enroll in a health plan or pay a fine. It also requires employers—except the smallest firms—to offer coverage or pay an annual fine of $295 per employee.

Little repeal sentiment change

The Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe poll found virtually no change in the percentage of residents who favor repealing the law. In the latest poll, 9% of respondents said the law should be repealed, down from 10% in 2009.

In a new question, 72% of respondents don’t blame the state reform law for rising health care costs. Twenty percent, though, said the law is mainly to blame for rising costs, while the remainder of respondents didn’t know or declined to answer the question.

Media, Pa.-based Social Science Research Solutions conducted the telephone poll of 537 Massachusetts residents for the two organizations May 24-26.