Number of residents paying health insurance law penalty dropped in 2010; insured rate holds at 96 percent

The Massachusetts Connector Authority and the Department of Revenue have released the Tax Year 2010 report on the state's health insurance law.

The report shows there was near universal compliance with the requirement to report health insurance information on the Schedule HC.

It also showed a continued high rate of insurance coverage, with more than 96 percent of those filing Schedule HC insured at some point during 2010.

Overall, there were no significant departures from 2009.

One percent of filers who complied with the Schedule HC filing requirement (24,000 who were uninsured for the entire year and 20,000 with part-year insurance, for a total of 44,000 filers) were assessed a penalty in 2010 for failure to have health insurance coverage while being able to afford the coverage.

In 2009, 48,000 filers were assessed a penalty.

Washington Post writer Sara Kliff published today a good overview of the Massachusett health insurance law and how it has worked since enactment in 2006.