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Employers in Massachusetts are already required to do this because of the Massachusetts Health Care Reform law of 2006. The Massachusetts Law requires employers with more than 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees to offer health insurance or pay a fine. The federal law requires employers with more than fifty FTEs to offer health insurance to full-time employees or pay a fine. The only requirement of both laws is that employers offer health insurance to their full-time employees. I'd be surprised if you worked for an institution that doesn't offer health insurance at all.

I don't see this affecting people who could obtain health insurance through their employer but choose not to in exchange for a higher rate of pay. Massachusetts law already mandates that you have insurance coverage for yourself and if you could obtain it through your employer and don't, you have to sign a waiver. Are you considered permanent staff? The nurses at my hospital who fell into this category were all considered per diem/not benefits eligible. Neither law says anything about employers having to offer benefits to part-time or casual employees.