Number Of Insured In Mass. Rises To 98 Percent

More than 98 percent of Massachusetts residents now have health insurance of some kind.

A report released Monday (PDF) by Gov. Deval Patrick's administration found that 98.1 percent of state residents were covered during a survey between May and June.

That's up from 97.3 percent covered last year, and 93.6 percent in 2006, when former Gov. Mitt Romney signed the state's universal health care law.

Only about 120,000 people now lack either private or government-paid insurance in Massachusetts.

The state plan was a model for national universal health care legislation President Obama signed earlier this year. A federal judge on Monday declared the law's mandate to get coverage is unconstitutional.

Patrick says the survey results are positive, and the state should focus on controlling the cost of insurance.