The Massachusetts Health Connector has been revamped for the upcoming health insurance open enrollment period that will go live on Saturday. The Health Connector is an independent state agency that helps Massachusetts residents find health insurance coverage and avoid tax penalties.
The major difference between the updated Health Connector and the old Health Connector is the application process, which determines which program people belong in, said Jason Lefferts, spokesman for Massachusetts Health Connector.
“This new system will allow people to create an account,” he said. “They will be able to fill out an application, when they complete the application they will find out what program they belong in, whether that would be MassHealth [Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services] with their Medicaid program, whether they qualify for the subsidy through the Health Connector, or whether they can just purchase a plan unsubsidized through the Health Connector.”
About 250,000 Massachusetts residents are currently enrolled in health insurance through the Health Connector site, helping the Commonwealth achieve the highest rate of health insurance coverage in the nation, according to the site.
“The key part, that we have this time that we didn’t have last time, was the program determination. The point where we can figure out whether it was MassHealth or the Health Connector,” Lefferts said. “We weren’t able to do that last year. So that’s going to be the key part of all this.”
Users often could not properly complete the application on the original Health Connector site because they had a hard time determining which program, MassHealth or the Health Connector, they were eligible for, Lefferts said. Additionally, when filing for subsidies, users would be put on temporary coverage. The site, which had previously only been in English, also presented problems for those who did not speak English as a first language.
The open enrollment will continue through Feb. 15, Lefferts said. During open enrollment, those who are on MassHealth temporary coverage can reapply for insurance.
“If someone filled out an application during the last open enrollment and they were looking for a subsidy, what we did was put them in temporary coverage,” Lefferts said. “They’ve been in that temporary coverage since they applied and this fall they can submit a new application and then figure out definitely where they belong and pick a plan.”
Beth Baker, director of Health Access and Wellness Services at the Boston Public Health Commission, said the website is being revamped because the previous site had not been as successful as they had hoped.
“The new system aims to ensure that those seeking a health care plan will be able to complete an application with little to no issue,” she said. “This open enrollment … there will be a functioning website, so people will be applying on online applications and gain real-time eligibility for the various programs, if they qualify for tax credits or if they qualify for care through MassHealth they’ll be finding that out in real time.”
Baker said since last year, The Affordable Care Act has funded BPHC, and health care organizations nationwide, to reach out to community partners to meet people where they are and make it more convenient for them, no appointment necessary. While the Massachusetts Health Connector facilitates assist residents in finding the right plan, the BPHC is more engaged with the community to help them.
BPHC is a certified navigator organization, meaning that they are trained by the state to assist people with their health insurance applications, Baker said. In an effort to break down barriers, they have navigators who speak a total of eight different languages including, English, Spanish, Haitian, Creole, French, Portuguese, Cape Verde Creole and Vietnamese.
Many of those who would seek help through the Massachusetts Health Connector can be considered “vulnerable populations,” such as the elderly, the illiterate and those whose first language is not English, Baker said.
The updated Health Connector site can be accessed in English and Spanish, as well as the paper application, Baker said. However, the online application can only be viewed in English.
“That’s why there is the role of the navigator because that’s not what the Connector is equipped to do,” she said. “So we’re filling that gap. We might have a little more language capacity than the Connector has as far as staff who actually speakers the language versus than the language line. Again that’s why there are navigators. That’s the idea, that we’re in the community, we know the community.”
Several Massachusetts residents said they have mixed feelings about the updated Health Connector.
AJ Landau, 26, of Brighton, said he would prefer if there were a way to give those seeking help from the Health Connector more of a choice.
“It’s a tough one because I get where they’re coming from in terms of being helpful with people,” he said. “But at the same time I’m big on people choosing for themselves and having free choice and not being cornered in to something.”
Meghan Pipp, 22, of Brighton, said she can see why some people might have an issue with the site, but thinks it is a good program for the people of the Commonwealth.
“It sounds like a great program, especially because I’m having difficulty right now, where I just moved here and I can’t find a provider near me so I’m going to have to probably switch health plans and I think it sounds like a great resource,” she said.
Maroof Alam, 37, of Bowdoin, said he is impressed by the initiative the government is taking by partnering navigator organizations, such as BPHC, with the Health Connector.
“It’s definitely a good thing, and it’ll help with bringing more people into the program,” he said. “It’s an attempt from the government to reach out and I think it’s good.”
okesman for Massachusetts Health Connector.
“This new system will allow people to create an account,” he said. “They will be able to fill out an application, when they complete the application they will find out what program they belong in, whether that would be MassHealth [Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services] with their Medicaid program, whether they qualify for the subsidy through the Health Connector, or whether they can just purchase a plan unsubsidized through the Health Connector.”
About 250,000 Massachusetts residents are currently enrolled in health insurance through the Health Connector site, helping the Commonwealth achieve the highest rate of health insurance coverage in the nation, according to the site.
“The key part, that we have this time that we didn’t have last time, was the program determination. The point where we can figure out whether it was MassHealth or the Health Connector,” Lefferts said. “We weren’t able to do that last year. So that’s going to be the key part of all this.”
Users often could not properly complete the application on the original Health Connector site because they had a hard time determining which program, MassHealth or the Health Connector, they were eligible for, Lefferts said. Additionally, when filing for subsidies, users would be put on temporary coverage. The site, which had previously only been in English, also presented problems for those who did not speak English as a first language.
The open enrollment will continue through Feb. 15, Lefferts said. During open enrollment, those who are on MassHealth temporary coverage can reapply for insurance.
“If someone filled out an application during the last open enrollment and they were looking for a subsidy, what we did was put them in temporary coverage,” Lefferts said. “They’ve been in that temporary coverage since they applied and this fall they can submit a new application and then figure out definitely where they belong and pick a plan.”
Beth Baker, director of Health Access and Wellness Services at the Boston Public Health Commission, said the website is being revamped because the previous site had not been as successful as they had hoped.
“The new system aims to ensure that those seeking a health care plan will be able to complete an application with little to no issue,” she said. “This open enrollment … there will be a functioning website, so people will be applying on online applications and gain real-time eligibility for the various programs, if they qualify for tax credits or if they qualify for care through MassHealth they’ll be finding that out in real time.”
Baker said since last year, The Affordable Care Act has funded BPHC, and health care organizations nationwide, to reach out to community partners to meet people where they are and make it more convenient for them, no appointment necessary. While the Massachusetts Health Connector facilitates assist residents in finding the right plan, the BPHC is more engaged with the community to help them.
BPHC is a certified navigator organization, meaning that they are trained by the state to assist people with their health insurance applications, Baker said. In an effort to break down barriers, they have navigators who speak a total of eight different languages including, English, Spanish, Haitian, Creole, French, Portuguese, Cape Verde Creole and Vietnamese.
Many of those who would seek help through the Massachusetts Health Connector can be considered “vulnerable populations,” such as the elderly, the illiterate and those whose first language is not English, Baker said.
The updated Health Connector site can be accessed in English and Spanish, as well as the paper application, Baker said. However, the online application can only be viewed in English.
“That’s why there is the role of the navigator because that’s not what the Connector is equipped to do,” she said. “So we’re filling that gap. We might have a little more language capacity than the Connector has as far as staff who actually speakers the language versus than the language line. Again that’s why there are navigators. That’s the idea, that we’re in the community, we know the community.”
Several Massachusetts residents said they have mixed feelings about the updated Health Connector.
AJ Landau, 26, of Brighton, said he would prefer if there were a way to give those seeking help from the Health Connector more of a choice.
“It’s a tough one because I get where they’re coming from in terms of being helpful with people,” he said. “But at the same time I’m big on people choosing for themselves and having free choice and not being cornered in to something.”
Meghan Pipp, 22, of Brighton, said she can see why some people might have an issue with the site, but thinks it is a good program for the people of the Commonwealth.
“It sounds like a great program, especially because I’m having difficulty right now, where I just moved here and I can’t find a provider near me so I’m going to have to probably switch health plans and I think it sounds like a great resource,” she said.
Maroof Alam, 37, of Bowdoin, said he is impressed by the initiative the government is taking by partnering navigator organizations, such as BPHC, with the Health Connector.
“It’s definitely a good thing, and it’ll help with bringing more people into the program,” he said. “It’s an attempt from the government to reach out and I think it’s good.”
