Stay Informed About Federal Changes

Page last updated: January 24, 2026

The federal government has made changes to who qualifies for help paying for health insurance that could affect your coverage and costs starting in 2026. We know these changes may be confusing, and the Health Connector is here to help. Our goal is to explain how these federal changes might impact you and guide you in making the best choices for you and your family.

Check this page often as we will provide updates and resources for members and partners.

Contents

Federal changes for 2026 may impact your eligibility and premium costs.

Use our Get an Estimate tool to see what you might qualify for and compare plans and savings available to you.

Already a Health Connector member? Sign in to your account to check your eligibility, review updated costs, and compare your 2026 plan options during Open Enrollment.

Key Federal Policy Changes and Their Impact

Federal Changes to Eligibility for Financial Help Impacting ConnectorCare Plan Type 1 Members

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

What’s Happening?

  • Currently, Massachusetts residents who are not eligible for Medicaid due to their immigration status can qualify for federal Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC) and ConnectorCare if their income is below 100 percent of the FPL.
  • Due to federal law changes, subsidized health plans will no longer be available for people with incomes below the federal poverty level.
If your income is below $15,650 for an individual or $32,150 for a family of four, you will no longer qualify for APTCs. As a result, ConnectorCare eligibility will also end for individuals in this income range.

What This Means for Members and Applicants:

  • If you are in ConnectorCare Plan Type 1, you will no longer be eligible for financial help.
  • You will lose help paying for premiums, your co-pays will increase, and plans will include a deductible.
  • From mid-October through early November, members received a Final Eligibility notice from the Health Connector with information about 2026 eligibility based on federal changes and the information on file in your Health Connector account.

Take Action

  • Review your account and update your application. A change in household size, income, or immigration status may change the eligibility result.
  • You may be able to get help paying for your coverage if your information has changed. For example, if you expect your 2026 income to be at least $15,650 for an individual or at least $32,150 for a family of four, you should update your information.Changes to household size or immigration status could also impact your eligibility. The Health Connector will take your most up-to-date information and see if you qualify for Health Connector programs, MassHealth programs, or the Health Safety Net (HSN).

Learn more about MassHealth Limited and Health Safety Net (HSN) →

You may qualify for help paying for coverage through the Health Connector if your expected 2026 household income falls into these ranges:

Income Ranges for 2026 Eligibility

 

Household size If your income is at or above If your income is at or below
1 $15,650 $62,600
2 $21,150 $84,600
3 $26,650 $106,600
4 $32,150 $128,600

Expiration of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs)

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

What’s Happening?

  • Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs), which have helped lower monthly health insurance costs for many people since 2021, are set to expire on December 31, 2025, unless Congress takes action to extend them.

What This Means for Members and Applicants:

  • Many people will still qualify for financial help, but the amount will be smaller.
  • If your household income is above 400 percent FPL, you will no longer qualify for financial help. For 2026, this is about $62,600 for a single person, $84,240 for a couple, or $128,400 for a family of four.

Impact on ConnectorCare Plan Type 3D Members

The ConnectorCare program was designed to help make health insurance more affordable for people with certain incomes who are eligible for federal APTCs. The state further subsidizes the premiums and other costs associated with these private health plans, making them more affordable. Plus, all ConnectorCare plans have standardized benefits, ensuring consistent coverage for members.

Starting in 2024, the ConnectorCare program was expanded as a two-year pilot program to include households up to 500 percent of the FPL. This expansion provides low-cost health insurance, no deductibles, and low co-pays to two new Plan Types:

  • 3C for households with incomes between 300 percent and 400 percent of the FPL, and
  • 3D for households with incomes between 400 percent and 500 percent of the FPL.

Unless Congress extends ePTCs, households earning above 400 percent FPL will no longer qualify for APTCs, and ConnectorCare Plan Type 3D will no longer be available. For 2026, members in this income range will lose access to the reduced premiums provided by federal APTC and ConnectorCare and will lose access to the cost-sharing benefits provided by ConnectorCare.

  • If you are a ConnectorCare member in Plan Type 3D, you will lose access to reduced premiums and cost-sharing benefits. You will need to explore unsubsidized health plan options, which may result in higher out-of-pocket costs.
  • ConnectorCare Plan Type 3C will remain available through the end of 2026.

Past Federal Actions

Effective Date: August 25, 2025

What Happened?
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients is no longer be considered lawfully present by the federal government for the purpose of enrolling in Marketplace coverage.

What This Means for Members and Applicants:

  • Coverage for DACA recipients enrolled in a plan through the Health Connector ended August 31, 2025.

Take Action

  • A change in income or immigration status may change your eligibility for coverage. You should review your account and update your information.
  • If, after updating your information, you find that you are still not eligible for coverage through the Health Connector, you may explore other coverage options, such as employer-sponsored insurance or plans purchased directly through a carrier.

Effective Date: August 25, 2025

What’s Happened?
The special enrollment period (SEP) that allows people with incomes at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to enroll year-round ended.

What This Means for Members and Applicants:

  • Outside the Open Enrollment period, no new SEPs will be opened based on having income at or below 150 percent FPL.
  • This change limits access to coverage for those who miss the Open Enrollment window.
Household size If income is at or below
1 up to $22,590
2 up to $30,660
3 up to $38,730
4 up to $46,800
For each extra person, add: $8,070

Take Action

  • People with incomes at or below 150 percent of the FPL will need to enroll during the regular Open Enrollment period or qualify for a different special enrollment period (SEP) if you experience a qualifying life event.

What Can You Do Now?

  • Make sure your contact information, including your mailing address, email, and phone number, is up to date.
  • Carefully review all mail, email, text alerts, and calls from the Health Connector.
  • Check this page for important updates.

Update Your Account

Review your account and report changes to make sure your eligibility is up-to-date.

Learn How to Start

Send Proof

Send documents (proof) you owe as soon as possible.
Learn More

Find Help Near You

If you need help, enrollment assisters are located throughout Massachusetts.

Find Help

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs) were a temporary expansion of the financial help available to lower the cost of health insurance premiums for individuals and families. These were introduced under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and extended through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

With ePTCs, people

  • Got More Financial Help: ePTCs increase the amount of tax credits you can receive, which lowers your monthly premium costs.
  • Qualify Even with Higher Income: ePTCs allow households earning above 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to qualify for financial help. For example, in 2025, this includes individuals earning more than $58,320 or families of four earning more than $120,000.

ePTCs expired on December 31, 2025.

You can get an eligibility and savings estimate at any time by using our Get an Estimate Tool.

You can find detailed information on how to cancel your health plan in a Help Center page, “Canceling your Health Connector or ConnectorCare plan.”

If you are signed up for AutoPay, you can cancel it at any time.

First, sign in to your account and click the “Make Payment” button on the dashboard to go to the member portal.

Then, go to “AutoPay” under “Payments” in the main menu. Under “Action,” click the “Cancel” link next to the AutoPay setup you want to cancel.

You can also call Health Connector Customer Service at 1-877-623-6765 (TTY: 711 for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled.)

Remember, if you cancel your AutoPay, you will still need to make payments for all upcoming bills. If your bills are not paid on time, you could risk losing coverage.

Note: If you are using AutoPay and cancel your health or dental policy, your AutoPay will automatically be deactivated. If you re-enroll in a Health Connector plan, you will need to set up AutoPay again.

For the first time in 2026, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can be used with all individual plans on the Health Connector’s Bronze tier and Catastrophic plans. HSAs let you set money aside to help you pay out-of-pocket health care costs through an account that lets you save money at tax time. Most larger banks and personal finance companies offer quick and easy HSA options with information about how to deduct HSA contributions at tax time.

Find out more about HSAs →

Get Support

Call us at 1-877-MA-ENROLL (1-877-623-6765) or TTY: 711. Call Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

You can also get help through one of the community organizations we partner with for our Navigator program. Depending on the organization, you can get free help:

  • In person
  • By phone
  • By video chat

Find a Navigator, or other community organization where you can get help.