Katherine Baicker says mortality decrease in Massachusetts shows impact of legal mandate for health insurance

Results of a recent study show that Massachusetts’ mortality rate fell by 3% in the 4 years following mandatory health coverage in 2006. Declines were steepest in counties with poor and previously uninsured people. Katherine Baicker, who took part in the study, says: “Putting the evidence together paints a very strong picture that expanding insurance substantially improves the well-being of people who get it.”