Thursday, September 11, 2008

How Much Do State Mandates Cost?

According to the National Center for Policy Analysis, a lot:
* A family purchasing a health insurance policy in Wisconsin would pay about $3,087, but that policy would cost $10,398 in New Jersey.

* A similar policy in Utah would cost $3,259, compared to $12,254 in New York.

* A family policy in Michigan would cost $4,118, but an astronomical $16,897 in Massachusetts.

Thus, the difference in premiums is largely the result of state mandates that inhibit the creation of a national market, not regional variations in health care costs.
Read the whole thing for more information as well as some proposed free market solutions.