What is ID proofing?
ID proofing is one of the first steps of the process to apply for health coverage through the Health Connector website and is required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ID proofing is used to verify your identity by asking you customized questions based on your personal and financial history to protect your privacy and information and prevent fraud.
Id proofing is performed through external services
How ID proofing works
To protect your personal information, you have to take a few steps to verify your identity before you can complete an application. First you will provide information when you create your profile. This information will be used for the first step of ID proofing. Once your information is verified, the ID proofing process will ask you questions that only you would be likely to know the answers to, based on your financial accounts and personal information in your credit report. This process is meant to prevent an unauthorized person from creating an account and applying for health coverage in your name without your knowledge.
The ID proofing service will show you several multiple choice questions for you to answer. These questions will be based on Credit and Non-Credit information. Sample question types include:
- Auto Loan Lender (Credit)
- Previous Street Name (Non-Credit)
- Last 4 digits SSN (Non-Credit)
- Employer Name (Credit)
- Year of Birth (Credit)
- Previous Address (Non-Credit)
- Previous Phone Number (Non-Credit)
If your identity cannot be verified online, we need to receive proper documentation such as a copy of your driver’s license; U.S. passport; or another identification card issued by the federal, state, or local government (for example a Massachusetts State ID card).
ID Proofing Accepted Documents
- Driver’s license issued by state or territory
- School identification card
- Voter Identification card
- S. military draft card or draft record
- Identification card issued by the federal, state, or local government
- U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570) or Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
- Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
- Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
- Military dependent’s identification card
- Native American Tribal document
- S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card
- Foreign passport, or identification card issued by a foreign embassy or consulate that contains a photograph
If you can’t provide a copy of one of the above documents, you can send us a copy of two of the following documents instead:
- Birth certificate
- Social Security card
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce decree
- Employer identification card
- High school or college diploma (including high school equivalency diplomas)
- Property deed or title
Please don’t send original documents. The document(s) you send must have either a photograph or other identifying information such as name, age, sex, race, height, weight, eye color, or address. We may ask you additional questions about your documentation in order to verify your identity.
How to send proof
You can send us documents in the following ways:
- Fax: 617-887-8745
- Mail: Health Connector
133 Portland Street 1st floor
Boston, MA 02114-1707 - Walk-In: Bring your documents to one of our walk-in centers:
Boston
133 Portland Street, 1st Floor
Boston, MA 02114-1707
Brockton
Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
63 Main Street
Brockton, MA 02301
Springfield
88 Industry Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
Worcester
146 Main Street, Suite 201/202
Worcester, MA 01608
Remember to include a copy of this letter with your proof and write your name on all documents that you send.
If you mail or fax the documents, you should allow three to five business days for mail or processing. We will call you once we have processed the document(s). You can log back into your account online and check your application in three to five days. Once we verify your identification, you will be able to complete the application.