The Massachusetts Health Connector submitted a public comment letter addressing concerns about the proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule, “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability.” The letter highlights potential negative impacts on Massachusetts’s unique merged individual and small group insurance market, including increased premiums, harm to the risk pool, and administrative burdens. The letter also emphasizes the Commonwealth’s success in achieving near-universal coverage and maintaining program integrity through tailored, data-driven approaches.
The Health Connector opposes several proposed changes, such as shortening the Open Enrollment Period, limiting auto-renewal, and changing income verification and attestation processes, as these would disrupt coverage, increase costs, and erode market stability. The letter advocates for preserving state flexibility to address local market needs, and opposes policies that would disproportionately harm vulnerable populations, including those seeking gender-affirming care and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The letter urges CMS to consider Massachusetts’s evidence-based insights and maintain state-driven health policy flexibility.
