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So far Ajay Mishra has created 11 blog entries.

Massachusetts Expands Access to Affordable Health Care

Exciting news: Massachusetts is making health care more affordable and accessible for thousands of people through the ConnectorCare program. The Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors has approved important changes to help more people get the care they need. Here's what you need to know:  Income limits for ConnectorCare have been expanded from 300% of the Federal Poverty Level to 500%. This means that more people will now qualify for this program, as the income limit for individuals increases from $43,470 in 2023 to $72,900 in 2024, and $90,000 in 2023 to $150,000 in 2024 for a family of four.   All Marketplace carriers will now participate in the program for the first time. This means that there will be more choices of plans available to choose from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and UnitedHealthcare, which will join current participating carriers Fallon Health, Health New England, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan, and WellSense Health Plan.  These changes will be in effect beginning January 1, 2024. Current Health Connector members will be automatically enrolled in the program if they newly qualify.  The 2024 Open Enrollment period begins November 1, 2023. These changes are the largest expansion in health care affordability since the Health Connector was created in 2006. By joining ConnectorCare, you can save thousands of dollars a year in health care costs with lower or no premiums and no deductibles.  Not only that, but more residents in Massachusetts than ever before [...]

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Pilot expansion of ConnectorCare reshapes affordability and plan options through the Health Connector

This historic expansion allows for more access to health insurance plan choices that are both affordable and better suited to meeting an individual’s health needs BOSTON – Today, the Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors approved regulatory changes that will expand access to the Marketplace’s landmark ConnectorCare program through a two-year pilot program, creating the opportunity for tens of thousands of people to access more affordable health care. The ConnectorCare program is currently available for people who make up to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and do not have access to health coverage, such as through an employer. The regulatory changes were required after Governor Maura Healey signed the Fiscal Year 2024 state budget last week, which included expanding the income limits of ConnectorCare from 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to 500 percent and all Marketplace carriers to participate in the program for the first time. Together, the changes mean more residents than ever before will qualify for more help lowering health care costs since the creation of the Health Connector in 2006 and will also have greater access to more plan options. “Health care affordability is essential for everyone in Massachusetts, but particularly for low- and moderate-income families. Expanding ConnectorCare means delivering real help to tens of thousands of people,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This is an impactful step in addressing affordability and maintaining the highest percentage of health care coverage in the country, and we appreciate our partners in the Legislature for [...]

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Massachusetts Health Connector Board takes steps to keep access to vital preventive services at no cost to state residents

The Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors voted on Thursday, May 11, to ensure that health insurance plans used by five million Commonwealth residents to meet the state’s individual mandate continue to deliver high-value preventive services at no cost to consumers. This vote follows a March 2023 decision by a federal District Court in Texas to limit the scope of preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act. The proposed regulation amendments guarantee that Massachusetts residents with health insurance plans meeting state Minimum Creditable Coverage (MCC) standards will continue to receive key preventive services like cancer screenings, HIV prevention, and cholesterol-lowering medication without cost-sharing. These proposed regulation amendments protect coverage standards that are current practice in the Commonwealth. Massachusetts leads the nation in health care coverage, with 97 percent of residents having health insurance. State standards, like the ones protected by today’s vote and the corresponding change in regulations, ensure residents can continue to access vital preventive services at no cost despite a recent federal court ruling. “Here in Massachusetts, we will always stand up against efforts to restrict access to health care – from preventive care to reproductive freedom. We are committed to protecting people’s civil rights and freedom,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I applaud the Health Connector Board of Directors for taking this critical step today to ensure that Massachusetts residents can continue to access preventive services – like cancer screenings, mental health screenings and contraception – at no cost.” “MCC standards ensure five million people in Massachusetts [...]

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Making Health Care More Accessible for All: The 13th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

Since becoming law in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has delivered – from the tangible, like the hundreds of millions of dollars available to help Massachusetts residents pay for their health insurance, to the intangible feeling that comes with knowing your health insurance means getting services and treatment when needed. Today is the 13th anniversary of the ACA. Through the years, it has proven to be significant, durable, and able, delivering health and financial support to hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents and millions around the country. The ACA continues to be instrumental in increasing the number of Americans with health insurance coverage, from These beneficial effects are significant as more people having health insurance means fewer people going without necessary medical treatments or being unable to afford medication. Access to health care not only improves individual health outcomes but also helps make communities stronger and healthier. The ACA extends benefits beyond private insurance, such as expanded Medicaid coverage for low-income households and support for plans like Medicare Advantage, allowing seniors to receive additional coverage outside of traditional Medicare. As the ACA celebrates its 13th anniversary, it is important to note that this landmark legislation continues to evolve and adapt as changes are made at the federal level, such as expanding subsidies for Americans buying health insurance through a health insurance Marketplace, like the Massachusetts Health Connector. These changes are helping improve affordability, coverage options, and consumer protections for people who need health insurance. On this anniversary, we [...]

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Audrey Morse Gasteier Named Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector

BOSTON — Audrey Morse Gasteier, who has served as a policy leader at the Massachusetts Health Connector for more than a decade, was named executive director of the state-based Marketplace today by Secretary of Health and Human Services and Health Connector Board Chair Kate Walsh. Morse Gasteier had been serving as acting executive director since January.  “Since its establishment in 2006, the Health Connector has been where Massachusetts residents can find affordable health care,” said Secretary Walsh. “Audrey has been a key part of that important work for many years, and I look forward to working with her as we continue to make health care coverage accessible to everyone in Massachusetts.”  “This is an incredibly exciting time to lead the Health Connector, with hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents potentially needing Health Connector coverage as the Commonwealth makes its way through the upcoming Medicaid redetermination process, and I am grateful to Secretary Walsh for this opportunity,” said Morse Gasteier. “The Health Connector plays a vital role in connecting Massachusetts residents from all walks of life to the affordable health coverage they deserve, and we are well-positioned to continue to deliver on that promise now and into the future.” Morse Gasteier has served at the Health Connector since 2012, leading policy development and strategy related to the Health Connector’s role as the state’s Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace. Her first work experience at the Health Connector was as a graduate school intern in 2007 as a Rappaport Institute Public [...]

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