Press Release

BOSTON – Tuesday, December 23, 2014 – Maydad Cohen released the following statement on the Massachusetts deadline to pay for January 1, 2015 health insurance coverage: “Given the heavy interest in signing up for Jan. 1, 2015 coverage, we will accept online and paper payments through Sunday, Dec. 28. We need to be very clear, however, that consumers must select and check out a plan by midnight tonight, Dec. 23. The plan selection deadline for Jan. 1 health insurance is immovable. However, if consumers complete that critical step, they can go online to pay, or ensure we receive a check, by midnight Dec. 28 and still be guaranteed Jan. 1 coverage. Providing a little extra time to make payments should help consumers and ensure we continue to successfully expand access to quality, affordable insurance to people who need it at the start of 2015. In addition to its normal Saturday hours of operation, the Health Connector’s call center will be open this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to assist consumers who decide to take advantage of the new payment window. Due to the time it takes to process payments, people who mail a check between now and the receipt deadline of Dec. 28 may receive their health plan’s ID cards a few days after Jan. 1. However, their coverage will be in place for the start of the month.” ### Contact: Kim Haberlin – 617-470-9686 Jason Lefferts – 617-869-4894 Claire Cooper – 617-921-6870

108,155 people determined eligible for ACA health insurance; Enrollment Fair in Springfield attracts more than 250, in-person help available on Dec. 9 in Boston BOSTON – Thursday, December 4, 2014 – The new Massachusetts Health Insurance Exchange (“MA HIX”) website has successfully determined 108,155 individuals eligible for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance. Less than three weeks into Open Enrollment 2015, 49,928 have been enrolled in MassHealth coverage and 58,227 have been found eligible for Health Connector-sponsored plans. Of the 58,227 who qualify for Health Connector insurance, 29,439 have already shopped and selected their health plans while 2,043 have paid their first bill, less than three weeks in advance of the Dec. 23 deadline to take action for Jan. 1, 2015 coverage. “Passing the 100,000 mark in less than three weeks is a testament to the strength of our IT and operations systems and the effectiveness of our outreach campaign,” said Maydad Cohen, the Governor’s Special Assistant for Project Delivery. “I won’t be satisfied until every person who needs access to affordable, quality coverage comes through our door but, with each passing day, we get closer and closer to reaching the universe of people who need our help.” The Commonwealth is engaged in a comprehensive consumer outreach and education campaign designed to notify the roughly 415,000 people currently in 2014 legacy or temporary programs who must act to maintain coverage in 2015. The Administration estimates that between 175,000 – 225,000 of the 2014 member transition population will in fact need to [...]

23,792 immediately enrolled in MassHealth; 28,175 found eligible for Connector-sponsored health plans, with 14,101 selecting a plan BOSTON – Monday, November 24, 2014 – In the first seven days of Open Enrollment 2015, the new Massachusetts Health Insurance Exchange (“MA HIX”) website successfully determined 51,967 individuals eligible for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance.  Of those, 23,792 were immediately enrolled in MassHealth coverage. The remaining 28,175 were found eligible for Health Connector-sponsored plans. Just over half – 14,101 – have already shopped and selected their health plans while 753 have finished the enrollment process by paying their first bill, five weeks in advance of the Dec. 23 deadline to take action for Jan. 1, 2015 coverage. MAhealthconnector.org attracted a total of 334,108 unique visitors in its first full week of operations, serving a high of 1,292 concurrent users with a page response time of 382 milliseconds. An average of 581 front line staff were available to assist consumers with questions about their applications across state and vendor call centers and application processing units. “By any measurement, the first full week of Open Enrollment in Massachusetts was a great success,” said Maydad Cohen, the Governor’s Special Assistant for Project Delivery. “People came to one front door and did what they weren’t able to do last year: be determined eligible for subsidized or unsubsidized coverage and then shop, select, pay for and enroll in a plan. The proof that the site works lies in the numbers but that does not mean we [...]

4,948 immediately enrolled in MassHealth coverage, 6,972 qualify for Health Connector plans, set to take next steps of shopping, enrolling BOSTON – Monday, November 17, 2014 – In the first two full days of Open Enrollment 2015, the new Massachusetts Health Insurance Exchange (“MA HIX”) website successfully determined 11,920 individuals and families eligible for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance. Over the weekend, the revamped Exchange attracted a total of 57,208 visitors and enrolled 4,948 into immediate ACA-compliant MassHealth coverage in real-time, a function last year’s website was never able to complete. The remaining 6,972 individuals and families were successfully determined eligible for Health Connector insurance plans. They are now able to take the next steps of shopping for quality, affordable insurance, enrolling in the plans of their choice and paying their first-month premiums, all online in a seamless end-to-end process. 3,600 individuals and families have already selected their plans and 137 have paid their first bill, five weeks in advance of the Dec. 23 deadline to take action for Jan. 1, 2015 coverage. “The website was stable, reliable and it did exactly what we built it to do: serve as a tool to connect Massachusetts residents to the health and economic benefits of ACA coverage,” said Maydad Cohen, the Governor’s Special Assistant for Project Delivery. “Now it’s up to us to build on the strong performance of the first two days, make sure every consumer using the site or calling the call centers enjoys the smoothest experience possible and [...]

BOSTON – January 9, 2014 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced Rick Jakious as the newest member of the Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors. Jakious is the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. “As Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in health care access and affordability, Rick’s business leadership and knowledge will be an asset to preparing the Health Connector for the challenges of the future,” said Governor Patrick. Jakious succeeds Andres Lopez as the Board’s small-business representative and will serve a three-term into January 2017. Jakious was previously a member of the Health Connector’s Employer Advisory Council, a group created in 2013 to foster stronger communication between the business community and the Health Connector as Massachusetts transitioned to the Affordable Care Act. “I am thankful to Governor Patrick for the opportunity to serve on the Health Connector Board of Directors and to play a role in the health care conversation in Massachusetts,” Jakious said. “This is an exciting time in health care policy and this is a great opportunity to expand health care access to every person in the Commonwealth. All small businesses, nonprofit and for-profit, share a strong desire for a healthy workforce, as well as a healthy bottom line.” Rick Jakious has been the CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, the state's largest member organization representing the nonprofit sector, since 2012. With more than 600 nonprofit and for-profit member organizations, the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network strengthens the nonprofit sector through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity building. [...]

Health Connector Prepares to Create New Opportunities for Additional Choice, Benefits and Subsidies through the Affordable Care Act BOSTON – Thursday, September 12, 2013 – The Health Connector’s Board of Directors voted today to award the “Seal of Approval” for 10 health and five dental benefit plans to be offered through the Health Connector beginning in October 2013 for coverage effective in January 2014. These plans will offer consumers more choice, more value and more savings opportunities. “The plans approved today by the Health Connector provide consumers with a diverse set of health and dental products from the Commonwealth’s leading insurers,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor, who chairs the Health Connector Board. “With these new products and the tools available under the Affordable Care Act, the Health Connector will be better-positioned than ever to make it easy for consumers and small employers to find health and dental coverage that meets their needs.” For coverage effective in 2014, the Health Connector shelf will include 114 medical plan options as well as, for the first time, 24 dental plans, tiered-copay plans and expanded small group options. With today’s vote, all nine health insurers currently participating in Health Connector programs plus one new entrant – Minuteman Health – were given Seal of Approval. The Seal of Approval plans have base rates that are nationally competitive, with the average base rate increase for 2014 held at only 1.9 percent. “Today’s vote is a significant step in our preparation for the implementation of [...]

Health Connector Releases Seal of Approval Request for Responses for Health Insurance Plans Effective January 2014 BOSTON—February 21, 2013—As the Commonwealth gears up for the launch of federal health care reform in 2014, the Patrick-Murray Administration today announced the release of the Health Connector's 2014 Seal of Approval Request for Responses soliciting a host of new health insurance products—including tiered-network and stand-alone dental plans—that will offer Massachusetts residents even more choice, more value, and more savings opportunities. "With this significant milestone in the Commonwealth's implementation of the far-reaching Affordable Care Act, we are poised to take health care reform in Massachusetts to the next level, building on our remarkable achievement of near-universal health insurance coverage of our residents," said Governor Deval Patrick. "Through this Seal of Approval process, we are furthering our nation-leading efforts to lower health care costs in Massachusetts." For the first time, carriers seeking to offer plans through the Health Connector in 2014 must meet not only state requirements but also federal requirements to receive the Health Connector's Seal of Approval. The Seal of Approval Request for Responses solicits leading insurance carriers to submit for consideration a variety of products that provide the best quality and value for Massachusetts individuals, families and small businesses. "Thanks to robust collaboration with carriers, brokers, small business owners and consumers, the Health Connector is well positioned to leverage the tools made available under the Affordable Care Act to offer an updated and improved health insurance marketplace that will offer affordable, leadingedge [...]

LAWRENCE, Mass.—January 11, 2013—Building on the Patrick-Murray Administration's success in ensuring all Massachusetts residents have access to affordable, high quality health insurance, the Massachusetts Health Connector and Health Care for All today launched a public outreach campaign targeted to small businesses, individuals, and families in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities about available health coverage options. Conducted in partnership with 10 community organizations, the six-week initiative will include public events, an ethnic media PR and advertising campaign, and door-to-door distribution of educational materials to small businesses and individuals statewide. These efforts will direct consumers to Health Care for All's HelpLine (1- 800-272-4232), staffed by Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking counselors, for information about their subsidized and unsubsidized health care options. "In the past two years, the Health Connector has achieved $103 million in savings in its program for low-tomoderate income adults," said Governor Deval Patrick. "These savings have preserved eligibility and affordability for consumers even during challenging fiscal times. Our goal remains to expand access to coverage in every community." The Health Connector offers small businesses a large number of affordable plans and a wellness program, specifically designed for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, that offers up to a 15% rebate on premium costs. "Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and many of these employers want to provide health insurance to their workers," said Glen Shor, Secretary of Administration and Finance. "However, often they don't know their options. This campaign will help them learn what's available to them, their employees, [...]