Terms

If you are over age 30 and have applied for and were approved for a federal hardship exemption, you may be able to shop for a Catastrophic plan. For information about the federal hardship exemption, including how to apply, go to the hardship exemption page on HealthCare.gov →Effective November 1, 2025As of November 1, 2025, individuals who are ineligible for advance premium tax credits (APTC) or cost-sharing reductions (CSR) due to their projected annual income will be eligible for a hardship waiver. Consumers with a projected annual income below 100 percent or above 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) will be eligible for a hardship exemption and can enroll in Catastrophic coverage. To receive the hardship waiver, Massachusetts residents must complete the hardship exemption form by selecting “Hardship 14 – You experienced another hardship” from the available options in Section 2 of the form. Were you already approved for a federal hardship exemption? If you have a federal hardship exemption and want to shop for a Catastrophic health insurance plan through the Health Connector, please call Health Connector customer service at 1-877-MA-ENROLL (1-877-623-6765), or TTY 711 for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled. Health plans that meet all of the requirements applicable to other Health Connector plans but that don’t cover any benefits other than 3 primary care visits per year before the plan’s deductible is met. The premium amount you pay each month for health care is generally lower than for other [...]