to 5 p.m.The resources below can help you get more information about eligibility for MassHealth and how to apply. Advocacy for Access (Fairview Hospital), Great Barrington, (413) 854-9608, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. Community Health Programs, Great Barrington, (413) 429-2953, Mon.-Fri. CHP Neighborhood Health Center, 510 North St., Pittsfield: (413) 447-2351, Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. We just have to get through challenging times."īy mail: An application packet can be requested by calling the number listed above. mahealthconnector login payment, online, health connector pay by phone, renewal, my. We will confirm your email address and send your invitation code via email with the subject line Take Action: Enter your Health Connector account invitation code. "I don't anticipate ‘sticker shock' for folks on Commonwealth Care, and I'm still optimistic about the goals of the law. If you don’t have a recent notice, you can get help with MA Login by calling (844) 365-1841 or TDD/TTY 711. "The only thing harder than passing health reform is implementing it," he said. MassHealth Disability Special Accommodations Ombudsman. By calling the number below you can learn about MassHealth processes and requirements and get help filling out an application over the phone. ![]() But, he emphasized, "we're adapting to it." MassHealth provides personal assistance to help people with disabilities. Joffe-Halpern said that as a "navigator" assisting clients, he has encountered the same technical problems on the state website as everyone else. So far, only 1,001 applicants have selected new insurance plans since payment is not due until two weeks before the coverage goes into effect.Īt Ecu-Health Care in North Adams, Executive Director Charles Joffe-Halpern acknowledged that "there's still a lot to be worked out, but I think state officials have responded very positively to the technological difficulties." "We've had some issues when the site is really busy and gets really slow," he added, "but it hasn't crashed."Īs of Monday, 63,510 applications for new coverage had been started statewide, and 22,050 had been completed, Lefferts told The Eagle. "We anticipated bugs and we've certainly had them." "We are frustrated when people can't complete their applications," Lefferts acknowledged. The federal law also expands subsidies for middle-income families not covered by employer insurance - for example, individuals making up to $45,960 a year or a four-person household with annual earnings of up to $94,200 will now qualify for reduced premiums through the Massachusetts Health Connector. That group includes individuals earning up $15,282 and a family of four with an income up to $31,322. They earn less than the federal poverty line - for example, up to $11,490 a year for an individual and $23,550 for a family of four.īecause the federal law expands eligibility for MassHealth to people earning up to 133 percent above the poverty line, some low-income Commonwealth Care recipients are being asked to re-apply in order to gain enhanced, low-cost benefits through MassHealth. Statewide, he said, 105,000 Commonwealth Care customers have to sign up for new insurance plans created to conform with the national Affordable Care Act, often referred to as ObamaCare.īut about 100,000 low-income residents covered by MassHealth, the state's version of Medicaid, automatically will be transferred to a new plan, Lefferts pointed out. 23.īut, as explained by Jason Lefferts, the communications director for the Health Connector, the mailing went out before a decision last Thursday to extend the deadline. 31 unless they re-enrolled through the Health Connector by Dec. Some confusion arose when Commonwealth Care clients received a mailing recently indicating that their benefits would expire on Dec. "We avoid the frustration of trying to struggle with the system," he said, though he urges applicants to create online accounts since, in time, the website problems will be overcome. "There's no point to waiting longer."Īcknowledging that the state website, like the federal, is "very complicated, confusing for everyone including advocates like myself," Hernandez said he uses paper applications to smooth out the enrollment experience for clients. "We're encouraging people to apply as soon as possible," he emphasized. ![]() However, people seeking new or renewed subsidized coverage should move ahead promptly with their applications, according to Octavio Hernandez, a certified applications counselor for Community Health Programs (CHP) in Great Barrington. In Massachusetts, the Health Connector website has encountered similar technical difficulties. The new deadline lines up with the national extension granted for people seeking insurance through the troubled site.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |