For Immediate Release:
November 6, 2023
Media Contact:
Laura Giordano
lgiordano@melwoodglobal.com
774-214-6410
Press Release
MassHealth, Health Connector, Health Care For All Recognize Community Organizations’ Efforts to Keep Residents Covered During MassHealth Redetermination Process
Boston – Today, Undersecretary for Health at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, Assistant Secretary for MassHealth Mike Levine, Health Connector Executive Director Audrey Morse Gasteier, Health Care For All (HCFA) Executive Director Amy Rosenthal, Senator Cindy Friedman, Representative John Lawn, and others joined together on Monday to recognize the work of the 38 community-based organizations that have been on the ground helping MassHealth members stay covered during the year-long redetermination process.
From March 2020 – March 2023, MassHealth suspended eligibility redeterminations and maintained members’ health care coverage throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in compliance with federal rules. On April 1, 2023 MassHealth began the year-long process of redetermining its full caseload of 2.4 million members. Members should continue to check for mail from MassHealth and respond to it in order to get the best coverage for them and their family.
“We realize that having health insurance is a necessary part of life today, which is why our efforts to make redeterminations happen quickly and correctly are of the utmost importance,” said Dr. Kiame Mahaniah. “This is a year-long process and requires many partners to not only get the work completed, but to do it well. We must recognize the efforts that many are doing in their own communities to make sure that people can access information about maintaining coverage or can get new coverage through the Connector.”
“MassHealth is committed to providing members with the information and resources they need to stay covered during and after the redetermination process,” said Mike Levine. “That is why we have been working with Health Care For All, the Connector, and community based organizations to reach those at risk of losing coverage in communities where a high percentage of residents are enrolled in MassHealth. We are grateful for all of the work our partners have done to this point to make sure we are keeping residents covered and we will continue to work to this end as renewals continue.”
Massachusetts is committed to reducing unnecessary loss of health care coverage and ensuring that all members receive the appropriate coverage during the redeterminations process. MassHealth and the Massachusetts Health Connector have an integrated eligibility process that ensures that information about members who are no longer eligible for MassHealth will automatically be sent to the Health Connector for outreach, where they may be eligible for subsidized coverage. Since the redetermination process started, more than 53,000 people moving from MassHealth have enrolled in Health Connector coverage, and Health Connector overall enrollment has increased nearly 25 percent to more than 250,000 people.
“Massachusetts has a long history of leading the way on health care access and affordability, and through this collective effort, we are making sure everyone who needs health insurance has it,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier. “The Health Connector’s role is to make sure everyone in the Commonwealth who needs coverage can get covered in an affordable, high-quality plan. With Open Enrollment for 2024 ongoing and featuring more financial help to more people to pay for coverage, there is no better time to come to the Health Connector.”
“Health Care For All is thrilled partner with MassHealth, the Health Connector and local community organizations to conduct a multicultural, multilingual campaign aimed at educating people about the steps they need to take to stay covered,” said Amy Rosenthal. “This all-hands-on-deck effort to keep our communities covered is only possible with the collaboration of community-based organizations, who are working tirelessly to help MassHealth members maintain their health coverage.”
The renewal process for members began on April 1, 2023 and will go through March 31, 2024.
The targeted community outreach includes door-to-door canvassing in the 15 communities with the highest number of MassHealth members to share materials and resources, sub-grants to community-based organizations to conduct community outreach and train staff to provide enrollment assistance, and a multilingual media buy. To date, canvassers have knocked on over 412,295 doors.
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