NASHVILLE--Make no mistake: Mitt Romney is proud of his sweeping health reforms in Massachusetts during his tenure as governor. But he's not proud to be an example of how it will work for the entire nation.

"I'm proud of what we did, and believe by virtue of what we did we helped save lives," the 2012 Republican presidential candidate told thousands during Thursday's keynote session at the America's Health Insurance Plans Institute 2015. "But it's right for Massachusetts; it's not right for what should be adopted for the entire country."

Romney's roughly 20-minute speech only briefly addressed health care -- instead focusing on poverty, federal debt, stagnant wages and other issues he says are hindering the country's success -- but he addressed the question of Romneycare in a short Q&A with Susan Dentzer, senior policy adviser of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and on-air health policy analyst.

"Let each state craft their own plan for what they think works best. if Vermont wants to be single payer, let them try... If a state wants to use clinics for low income folks, let them do that. Don't put in place Massachusetts state insurance mandate requirements because that won't work. I recognize what happens at the national level is going to be a problem for people."

The main reason is because Massachusetts has strict minimum coverage requirements, which makes the plans more expensive in the state than anywhere else, Romney explained, adding that he tried to veto the standard of the "gold-plated plans."

Because of those mandates, the state's "health insurance was the most expensive in the nation, and still is," Romney noted. When Romneycare was passed in 2006, "nothing changed for 93 percent of our population. We were already paying for those plans," he said.

Massachusetts holds the distinction of having the lowest uninsured rate in the country. The rate hovers around 3 percent; the country's is about 14 percent.

Romney, whose plan the Obama administration has said is the basis for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, distanced himself from the federal health care law, slamming crushing premiums under the law and the broken promise that consumers could keep their health plan "if they liked it."

"When you demand that everyone had gold plated plans, premiums will go through the roof. The real reason ... is because people are being forced to pay for plans that looks like Massachusetts insurance plans."

His big worry for the country's health care system is that lawmakers will push for a single payer system now that Obamacare is causing those side effects.

"I think people are still trying to push for that," he said.

Instant Insights /

Romney: Massachusetts health care reforms not appropriate for entire U.S.

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