Our June 6 Western HAN meeting was an opportunity to step back and reflect on the next steps toward universal coverage in Massachusetts.
Our last Boston HAN meeting came in the wake of the Connector Board’s decisions to shift more of the costs of Health Care Reform to consumers by raising co-pays and premiums for Commonwealth Care. Advocates continue to oppose these cost increases and push for sharing the costs more evenly with businesses. Meanwhile, outreach and enrollment workers are seeing an increase in administrative barriers to enrollment in Commonwealth Care and MassHealth.
As I carefully placed a paper cup full of coffee on the note-taking table, a stream of people both familiar & new passed by the pastry table and settled in for our March 7 Western Health Access Network Meeting. Nearly every chair in the circle was full with HAN members who had driven to Amherst from as far as Leominster and Great Barrington to share enrollment concerns and have a discussion about estate recovery rules (PDF).
Our recent email about how to apply for a MassHealth premium waiver or reduction has just become especially relevant. Our colleagues at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) tell us that MassHealth is getting serious about collecting overdue premiums.
