Special to the Times-Free Press
Governor Maura Healey, former Governors Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick, and other state leaders will gather at Faneuil Hall on Monday, April 13, to mark the 20th anniversary of Massachusetts’s landmark health care reform law, Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006.
Signed into law on April 12, 2006, at Faneuil Hall, the historic legislation expanded access to affordable health coverage for hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents. Before the law was enacted, nearly 10 percent of residents were uninsured. Today, Massachusetts has the highest coverage rate in the nation, with more than 97 percent of residents insured.
The law created a first-in-the-nation health insurance marketplace, introduced key consumer protections, required most adults to carry health insurance, and provided financial assistance to help residents afford coverage. It also reduced uncompensated care costs and strengthened financial protections for patients and families.
Four years after the law was passed, the Massachusetts model was used as the framework of the federal Affordable Care Act, which currently delivers health insurance to more than 20 million Americans, including more than 350,000 people in Massachusetts. The law continues to shape how Massachusetts approaches affordability, access and equity in health care today.
“Twenty years ago, leaders from both parties came together to prove that we could expand health care and make it more affordable for people across Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I’m grateful to Governor Romney and the Legislature for championing the effort to create this landmark law, to the late Senator Kennedy for his leadership, and to Governor Patrick for carrying it forward. Because of that work, more families can see a doctor, fill a prescription and have the peace of mind that comes with health coverage. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re reminded of what’s possible when we work together and of our responsibility to keep building a health care system that works for everyone.”
“I’m proud to have been part of a team that expanded access to health insurance for so many people across Massachusetts,” said Governor Mitt Romney. “As a result, over a million residents have been able to receive preventive, wellness, and life-saving care from our world-renowned healthcare professionals.”
“Health care reform 20 years ago was neither perfect nor unanimous. But it has helped millions of people — first in the Commonwealth and eventually across the country — lead healthier lives,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “I am proud of the role my team and I played in standing up and making it better. This anniversary is a reminder that, if we work together, we can do the work that remains to extend affordable, high quality care to everyone, everywhere.”
The event is being co-hosted by Governor Healey and the Massachusetts Health Connector, which was created as a centerpiece of the 2026 reform law. The Health Connector is a competitive health insurance marketplace that allows residents to compare plans, enroll in coverage, and access financial assistance to help lower costs.
Since the first enrollment period in 2007, more than 1.5 million Massachusetts residents have received coverage through the Health Connector.
“The Commonwealth’s health reform law was a historic, collaboration-based achievement – one that allowed more Massachusetts residents than ever to have the protections of high-value health coverage and to be able to count on the meaningful health care access and financial security that comes with it,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “Twenty years later, the law and the Health Connector have proven to be effective and enduring models that continue to make our Commonwealth a healthier, fairer, and more secure place to live.”
The event will feature remarks from Governor Healey, Governor Romney, who signed the bill into law, Governor Patrick, whose administration implemented the reform and later helped advance the Affordable Care Act. Additional speakers will include current and former legislative leaders, as well as Health Connector enrollees who will share how the law has impacted their lives.
Two panel discussions featuring leaders from the business community, health care industry, government and policy sector will reflect on the collaboration required to pass the law, and then the necessary momentum post-signing needed to successfully implement it
The event will be held at Boston’s Faneuil Hall beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 13, the same location it was signed 20 years ago. Faneuil Hall was opened in 1742 and is known as “America’s Cradle of Liberty” as the site of Revolutionary-era gatherings and protests. The event is open to the press, and more information will be provided closer to the event date.