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 products,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor, who chairs the Board of the Health Connector.
In addition to a brand-new portfolio of health insurance products, the totally revamped MAhealthconnector.org will introduce state-of-the art real-time eligibility determination, enhanced interactive educational tools, and even easier-to-navigate comparison shopping to help Massachusetts residents select the coverage that is right for them.
“The Health Connector will become even more consumer-friendly, streamlined and transparent, and more consumers and small businesses will have access to cost savings through federal tax credits, state subsidies and wellness rebates,” said Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Jean Yang. “Providing products and services that give consumers the best value is at the heart of everything we do at the Health Connector and the Seal of Approval process helps us achieve that.”
Expanded offerings
Through the 2014 Seal of Approval Request for Responses process, the Health Connector will expand and diversify its product offerings, building on its experience as one of the first state health insurance exchanges in the nation. In addition to plans with standardized benefits that facilitate apples-to-apples comparisons, the Health Connector is seeking innovative plan designs and value-based provider networks to offer consumers an even greater choice of the most cutting-edge products.
In 2014, the Health Connector will introduce new ways for small businesses to shop for health insurance for their employees. In addition to being able to choose a single health insurance plan for their employees through the Health Connector’s Business Express program, employers will be able to give their employees the opportunity to choose among a set of similar plans offered by a variety of carriers or to choose among a diverse set of plans offered by a single carrier. This enables employees to select the plan that best suits their needs. Also in 2014, qualified small businesses with 25 or fewer employees, an average annual employee wage of less than $50,000, and contributing at least half of employee insurance premiums may qualify for up to a 50% federal tax credit when purchasing health insurance through the Health Connector.
In another first, the Health Connector will offer in 2014 stand-alone dental plans for both children and adults. Making dental plans available through the Health Connector will not only enhance the shopping experience for consumers, but will also represent another key step in supporting the overall health and well-being of Massachusetts residents.
Subsidized plans
Starting in 2014, consumers with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level (about $45,960 for an individual, $94,200 for a family of four) who purchase health insurance through the Health Connector will be eligible for federal tax credits to help them pay for their health insurance coverage. The Patrick-Murray Administration has further committed to investing additional state subsidies to help consumers with incomes below 300% FPL (about $34,470 for an individual, $70,650 for a family of four) obtain affordable health insurance that will resemble coverage offered today through the Health Connector’s Commonwealth Care program. Over the past two years, the Health Connector has achieved a $103 million in savings through its procurements for Commonwealth Care, while maintaining comprehensive coverage with no benefit reductions or co-pay increases.
Seal of Approval Request for Responses—both medical and dental—are available on Comm-PASS, the Commonwealth’s online procurement site. Responses are due on April 1, 2013.
About the Massachusetts Health Connector
Established in 2006, the Massachusetts Health Connector helps Massachusetts residents find affordable, quality health insurance. More than 400,000 Massachusetts residents have gained health coverage since the Commonwealth’s historic enactment of health care reform, and nearly 240,000 obtain health insurance through the Health Connector. Massachusetts leads the nation in the percentage of residents with health insurance, with more than 98 percent of people covered.
###
