By Chloe Lutts

A statewide policy requiring all residents to have health insurance took effect on July 1. Under the new law, companies with 10 or more employees must offer coverage to employees working more than 35 hours per week.  But for some young people like Megan Anderson, the thought of being forced to by into healthcare is troublesome.

“It’s good that everyone has insurance,” she said, “(but) it makes it difficult for people that are trying to afford rent.”

Anderson, who was waiting for a bus at the Davis Square stop, said the health plan her employer offers is too expensive for her. She said she’ll purchase health insurance eventually” but right now it is too much on top of rent. She said the benefit just doesn’t justify the cost. Even though Anderson said she believes the new law makes life more difficult for her, she agrees with the concept in theory. She said ideally, “Everyone should be able to get it for free.”

Massachusetts is the first state to adopt a law requiring residents to have health insurance. The law that took affect last Sunday was passed in April 2006. The success of the law hinges on the participation of the uninsured population.

Young people like Anderson are critical to the state’s plan. According to a state survey conducted last year, almost half of uninsured Massachusetts residents are between the ages of 19 and 39, totaling about 184,000 people. This generally healthy demographic costs insurers less, so their participation in the system is essential to keep costs down.

Others in the local area are embracing the new policy and say it is long overdue.

Phyllis Wooden works at Davis Square Family Practice and gets health insurance through work, but she said she didn’t always have health insurance. The new law would have helped her when she wasn’t working, she said.

“Everybody should have health insurance,” she said.

Ed Alexander, who works in Somerville, said the new law definitely would have helped him too back when he didn’t have insurance.

“It’s a good law. Should have had it long ago,” he said.

Alexander now has health insurance through his employer, a Somerville-based trucking company.

Bay State residents will be required to provide proof that they had insurance by Dec. 31 on their state tax forms. Failure to comply will result in a $219 fine, equal to the personal income tax exemption. However, come 2008 the penalty will increase to a monthly fines up to half the cost of the least-expensive plan the individual qualified for. New, higher standards for coverage go into effect Jan. 1 2009, requiring, among other things, that all plans that cover prescription drugs.