Massachusetts led the nation in 2006 with a comprehensive health care reform law and the establishment of a new Marketplace: the Massachusetts Health Connector, designed to make affordable health insurance available to more people. Over 300,000 Massachusetts residents have health insurance through the Health Connector, and our state has the highest rate of health insurance coverage in the nation. National health reform builds upon the successful example set by Massachusetts. As a result, individuals, families, and small businesses who go to the Health Connector can find even more options, enhanced benefits, and savings.
Publications
NEW ConnectorCare Expansion Pilot Report
The ConnectorCare pilot expansion in Massachusetts has provided over 51,000 residents with access to more affordable health insurance, thanks to increased income eligibility limits from 300 percent to 500 percent of the federal poverty level. This initiative, part of the Fiscal Year 2024 state budget, has resulted in significant cost savings for members, with some saving over $150 monthly on premiums. A survey revealed that 88 percent of participants had utilized their new coverage, with one in five accessing previously deferred preventative services.
The program, supported by state and federal subsidies, offers low co-pays, no deductibles, and free prescriptions for chronic conditions, enhancing health equity. The expansion has led to record membership levels for the Health Connector, with 271,000 people enrolled in ConnectorCare as of August 2024.
Massachusetts Health Connector Strategic Plan 2024–2028
The Massachusetts Health Connector is the country’s first and longest-running state-based health insurance Marketplace, created in 2006 as part of Massachusetts state health reform (Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006) to provide high-value coverage to individuals and small businesses in the Commonwealth and to serve as a policy and outreach hub for both state and federal health reforms designed to expand and improve health coverage.
Past Publications
Data on the Individual Mandate
December 2019 — Data on the Massachusetts Individual Mandate: Health Connector Analysis of Department of Revenue Tax Filers Data Tax Years 2013–2015
November 2017 — The Massachusetts Individual Mandate: Design, Administration, and Results
July 2016 —The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation published two reports about the remaining uninsured in Massachusetts co-authored by the Health Connector and the University of Massachusetts Medical School:
- Massachusetts Residents without Health Insurance Coverage: Understanding Those at Risk of Long-Term Uninsurance
- The Remaining Uninsured in Massachusetts: Experiences of Individuals Living Without Health Insurance Coverage
We worked with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue to review enforcement of the requirement to enroll in health coverage.
Leading the Way
Massachusetts has the highest rate of insured residents in the nation, 96.3%. Reform has improved thousands of lives, and has only added 1% in new costs to the state budget, according to an independent analysis.
- Massachusetts Health Connector 2024-2028 Strategic Plan
- Massachusetts Health Connector 2020-2022 Strategic Plan
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation – Assessing the Results
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation – Massachusetts Health Reform: A Five-Year Progress Report
- Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation – An Update on the ‘Budget Buster’ Myth
- Business Community Participation in Health Reform: The Massachusetts Experience, 2012
Reports to the Massachusetts Legislature
These data-rich reports provide a comprehensive review of our work each year.
- View the Health Connector’s 2023 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2022 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2021 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2020 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2019 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2018 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2017 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2016 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2014 & 2015 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2013 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2012 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2011 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2010 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2009 Report to the Legislature
- View the Health Connector’s 2008 Report to the Legislature
Progress Reports
Each year, the Health Connector publishes a booklet highlighting what we’ve accomplished and who we’ve helped.
Sharing Lessons Learned
Historical, pre-Affordable Care Act, studies and toolkits examine the Massachusetts health reform model and can inform the work of other states.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation – Lessons from the Implementation of Massachusetts Health Care Reform
- Toolkit #1 – Building an Effective Health Insurance Exchange Website
- Toolkit #2 – Implementing a Successful Public Outreach and Marketing Campaign
- Toolkit #3 – Determining Health Benefit Designs
- Toolkit #4 – Mitigating Risk in a State Health Insurance Exchange
- Toolkit #5 – Effective Education, Outreach and Enrollment for Populations Newly Eligible for Health Coverage
- Georgetown University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – The Massachusetts and Utah Health Insurance Exchanges: Lessons Learned
Market-wide Risk Adjustment
The Health Connector administered the market-wide risk adjustment program for the small and non-group merged market for plan years effective January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2016.
Beginning in 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service began conducting risk adjustment for the Massachusetts market.
The Massachusetts-specific approach to risk adjustment was detailed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters 2016 (PDF) released March 27, 2015.
The Technical specifications workbook (MS Excel) is also publicly available:
- Technical specifications workbook—Published November 2015
- Technical specifications workbook—Published April 2013
Previous Years’ Publications:
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters 2015 (PDF), released April 10, 2014
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters 2014 (PDF), released April 10, 2013
Programmatic Audit Reports
2023
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023—Published May 7, 2023
2022
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022—Published April 4, 2023
2021
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2020–June 30, 2021—Published May 11, 2022
2020
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020—Published May 11, 2022
2019
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019—Published April 15, 2020
2018
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018—Published April 25, 2019
2017
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2016–June 30, 2017—Published June 1, 2018
2016
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of July 1, 2015–June 30, 2016—Published July 14, 2017
2015
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Period of January 1–June 30, 2015—Published March 24, 2016
2014
- Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Performance Audit of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rule 9957 Requirements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2014—Published May 28, 2015
Financial Statement Audits
Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023)
Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022)
- Independent Auditors’ Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance With Government Auditing Standards (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2021 (July 1, 2020–June 30, 2021)
- Independent Auditors’ Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance With Government Auditing Standards (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020)
- Independent Auditors’ Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance With Government Auditing Standards (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019)
- Independent Auditors’ Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance With Government Auditing Standards (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2018 (July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018)
- Independent Auditors’ Reports as Required by Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) and Government Auditing Standards and Related Information (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016–June 30, 2017)
- Independent Auditors’ Reports as Required by Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) and Government Auditing Standards and Related Information (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015–June 30, 2016)
- Independent Auditors’ Reports as Required by Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) and Government Auditing Standards and Related Information (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2015 (July 1, 2014–June 30, 2015)
- Independent Auditors’ Reports as Required by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-133 and Government Auditing Standards and Related Information (PDF)
- Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013–June 30, 2014)