Change In Policy Health Care Mandated For All In MASS by Adiana Castro

On April, 12 2006 Massachusetts passed a health care reform law that mandated all residents to have health insurance. The purpose of the law was to provide access to affordable and quality health care. The main points of the law are:

1.    Improvements to MassHealth as of July 1, 2007: MassHealth benefits for adults include dental, dentures, and vision care. There are no longer any premiums for MassHealth members with income below 150% of the federal poverty level.

2.    Public Program: Commonwealth Care is a comprehensive insurance program for adults (age 19 and older). You are eligible to enroll if your income is below 300% of the federal poverty level, you are a citizen or legal residents and you do not have insurance from your job.

3.    Private Program Commonwealth Choice: Massachusetts offers a private health insurance plan that is called Commonwealth Choice. This plan is only available to you if you do not get insurance through your job.

4.    Changes for young adults (between 19-26 years old): Adults between the age of 19-26 can stay under their family’s plan up to two years after losing dependent status or until age 26, whichever comes first.

5.    Information for businesses: Companies with 50 or fewer employees have the opportunity to buy group insurance through Commonwealth Choice.

Visit Commonwealth Choice online at www.mahealthconnector.org

Reference: Health Care for All MA, The ACT!! Coalition

http://www.hcfama.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=743&parentID=737&nodeID=2 

Fact Sheet:
http://hcfama.org/_data/n_0002/resources/live/Fact%20Sheet%20MA%20Health%20Reform.pdf