Romney distancing himself from state health plan

BALTIMORE — With signs emerging that his signature health-care plan faces hurdles, former Gov. Mitt Romney has begun to distance himself from the new law and is suggesting that Democrats will be to blame if the plan falters.

Friday, after addressing a gathering of conservative lawmakers in Baltimore, Romney told reporters that he cannot be held responsible for decisions that Beacon Hill lawmakers make about the sweeping plan now that he is out of office.

"I hope they take action that makes it work even better than I could have thought of," said Romney, who is exploring a campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. "But if they take action that makes it unworkable, I'll point that out. I'm not going to sit on the sidelines and not have a comment to make."

At recent political appearances, Romney has subtly lowered expectations for the law he championed as governor. At the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire on Thursday, he warned that the Democrat-dominated Massachusetts Legislature may cause the collapse of a system he helped design.

"It is very tempting as a legislator to say, 'You're right, we'll change the law so you don't have to pay anything,"' Romney said. "And once that happens, now you start attracting people from all over that want to come get free care, and then the price starts going up, and taxpayers are going to start feeling a burden, and employers will start leaving the state."

Romney sounded a similar warning in Washington last weekend at a forum sponsored by the National Review.

"I don't know what's going to happen down the road as the Democrats get their hands on it," Romney said. He then made light of the fact that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy — a Massachusetts Democrat and a liberal icon — supported his plan.

"I was a little concerned at the signing ceremony when Ted Kennedy showed up," he quipped. "It's true, we were both there."

The plan for statewide, near-universal health coverage was the centerpiece of Romney's administration, and it has become a key part of his presidential resume. But when Romney opted out of re-election in Massachusetts, the law was left to his successor, Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, and the Legislature.

The health-care law requires all Massachusetts adults to obtain health coverage that meets minimum standards as of July 1 or pay a penalty, unless they prove they cannot afford it. Businesses with more than 10 employees but without "fair and reasonable" health insurance must pay an annual fee.