American Rescue Plan

Nov. 1, 2021 – Open Enrollment for 2022 health insurance begins today at the Massachusetts Health Connector, with more opportunities for enrollees to find financial assistance with their monthly premiums. Open Enrollment runs through Jan. 23, 2022, with a deadline to apply, pick a plan, and make a first premium payment by Dec. 23, for coverage to begin Jan. 1, 2022. Open Enrollment is the time when individuals without health insurance can find coverage through the Health Connector without a qualifying reason. “Access to affordable health care for individuals and families in Massachusetts is vital,” said Marylou Sudders, Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chair of the Health Connector’s Board of Directors. “Massachusetts has the highest insured rate in the nation, and Open Enrollment offers individuals the opportunity to apply and choose a coverage plan that meets their needs and provides security for their health and wellbeing.” “There has not been a more important time to obtain coverage through the Health Connector than now,” said Louis Gutierrez, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “There is more assistance than ever available to help pay for coverage, and more individuals are eligible for assistance to lower the cost of health coverage than ever before.” Through the federal American Rescue Plan, millions of dollars in new federal assistance are available to Massachusetts residents to lower the cost of their health insurance premiums. The ConnectorCare program offers lower-income members premium assistance – including $0 premiums for some– with low or no [...]

August 19, 2021 –Massachusetts residents who have received unemployment compensation at any point in 2021 are eligible for a health insurance plan through the Massachusetts Health Connector with no premium payments through the end of the year, regardless of their income. The availability of plans without premiums for people who’ve been on unemployment benefits at any point in 2021 is part of the federal American Rescue Plan, and makes available commercial health insurance plans that deliver quality benefits. Along with no premium payments, the plans for people who’ve been on unemployment have no deductible, and very affordable co-pays. “The Health Connector is pleased to be able to offer zero-dollar premium, high-quality coverage to Massachusetts residents who have experienced lost employment and income this year due to COVID-19,” said Audrey Gasteier, the Chief of Strategy and Policy at the Massachusetts Health Connector. “Residents who do not have health insurance and who have been on unemployment at any point this year can have the peace of mind of being covered, and not have to worry about making monthly premium payments for the rest of the year.” The plans are available to people who received unemployment for at least one week at any point in 2021 – even if they are no longer receiving checks right now. These plans are part of the Health Connector’s ConnectorCare program, which uses state and federal subsidies to make health insurance more affordable to low- and moderate-income residents. Along with the no-premium plans for people who are [...]

Agreement allows carrier members to access to lower Health Connector premiums as a result of the American Rescue Plan without resetting deductibles in 2021 May 20, 2021 – All nine health insurance carriers who participate in the Massachusetts Health Connector have agreed to let their off-exchange members move from an off-exchange plan to an exchange-based plan mid-year without losing spent out-of-pocket costs in 2021. This flexibility can help Massachusetts residents access new lower-cost plans through the Health Connector. The federal American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law in March 2021, creates new premium subsidies for many people who earn more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $51,000), creating lower premiums for plans available through the Health Connector. Someone who currently buys their plan directly through the carrier can seek out the new premium help available only through the Health Connector. If they purchase a plan with the same carrier, the money they have spent on their deductible and other out-of-pocket costs will be credited for money spent so far this year. The Health Connector recently completed a redetermination of more than 11,000 current members who were not receiving subsidy previously. A majority of those people are now eligible for help paying for their health insurance, with average monthly premiums for those eligible dropping 27 percent thanks to savings of $217 per month – or $2,600 a year. “This agreement to carry over out-of-pocket costs for people moving into Health Connector plans will allow thousands of Massachusetts [...]