Why is NJ looking to emulate MA on Universal Care?

After cutting property taxes, NJ's Governor Corzine (D) and state legislators appear to be looking at an expansion in health insurance modeled after Massachusetts.

Can I just ask... why? Sure, nearly any policy to cover uninsured people might be good in the short run, but the Massachusetts plan, less than a year old, is already falling short.

The MA plan involves and individual mandate with some state assistance in paying premiums for those with incomes too high for Medicaid but too low to afford insurance on their own. Gov. Romney (R) vetoed the version of the plan that penalized employers for not providing insurance, so naturally, the individual market is growing more important and driving prices up for bare-bones plans. The "Connector" agency established to help make sure there are low cost plans is bewildered:

Disappointed by the high costs of the minimum insurance plans – which average around $340 to $380 per month – the Connector told insurers to "sharpen their pencils and come back with more affordable options," said Joe Landolfi, spokesperson for Connector chair Leslie Kirwan.

Of course, the basic dynamics of a relatively-unregulated individual insurance market will prevent any premiums from coming in much lower - sharp pencils notwithstanding. Unless administrative costs of private plans are address - through caps, taxes, or some other kind of limit - private plans for individuals will never be a good deal.