The Massachusetts Health Connector submitted feedback on the proposed 2023 NBPP rule, raising concerns about the State Exchange Improper Payment Measurement program due to its potential burden on state flexibility and innovation. The letter advocates for maintaining flexibility in actuarial value variations to preserve affordable plan options for consumers.
August 2021 —Through affordable premiums and cost sharing, the Health Connector’s ConnectorCare program promotes access to care and reduced cost burdens for approximately 193,000 low-to-moderate income Massachusetts residents. As the state Marketplace’s flagship health insurance subsidy program, ConnectorCare offers the Commonwealth’s families comprehensive and high-quality health plan options with affordable premiums and point of care cost sharing.
September 2021 —A summary of information reported to the Health Connector by health arrangements provided by an established religious organization seeking minimum creditable coverage status for 2020 and 2021.
August 2021 —Through affordable premiums and cost sharing, the Health Connector’s ConnectorCare program promotes access to care and reduced cost burdens for approximately 193,000 low-to-moderate income Massachusetts residents. As the state Marketplace’s flagship health insurance subsidy program, ConnectorCare offers the Commonwealth’s families comprehensive and high-quality health plan options with affordable premiums and point of care cost sharing.
The Massachusetts Health Connector has provided robust feedback on the proposed 2022 NBPP updates, strongly supporting the repeal of the direct enrollment option to safeguard consumer protections and ensure transparency in health plan selection. The letter also endorses the restoration of the 2015 Section 1332 waiver guidance to uphold comprehensive coverage standards and promote health equity.
January 2021 —In 2019, less than 3 percent of Massachusetts residents, or roughly 200,000 people, lacked health insurance coverage. The Commonwealth’s highest-in-the-nation rate of coverage can be attributed to innovative state and federal reforms. While together these reforms expanded coverage to nearly half a million Massachusetts residents, in recent years the state’s insured rate has flattened, despite year-round outreach, an enduring state level individual mandate, and state subsidized ConnectorCare plans.
The Massachusetts Health Connector and Division of Insurance have shared key feedback on the draft 2022 Federal Actuarial Value Calculator Methodology. The comment letter emphasizes concerns over how the current methodology affects plan design, particularly for bronze-level plans, which are increasingly difficult to keep affordable and within federal standards.
The Massachusetts Health Connector has raised significant concerns about the proposed SUNSET rule, which could lead to the automatic expiration of vital health regulations if not reviewed in a timely manner. The Health Connector warns that this approach risks creating disruptions in health coverage and unpredictability in the insurance market, potentially harming consumers and states that rely on these protections.
The Massachusetts Health Connector has voiced strong opposition to the proposed rule on the Affidavit of Support for immigrants, citing concerns over its detrimental effects on both health coverage and economic stability within the state. The letter highlights how the rule could deter immigrant families from accessing essential health care, undermining the Commonwealth’s pursuit of near-universal insurance coverage.
September 1, 2020—This brief is designed to provide final data and analysis on supports for state residents to access and maintain their coverage through the duration of the national COVID-19 crisis. The Health Connector established a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Massachusetts residents without health insurance coverage or those with coverage that may have become unaffordable.
