'What is your burning question about Commonwealth Care?'
Selected Survey Responses
- What happens to people who are offered insurance by their employer but declined or discontinued coverage because of expense?
- I know that people who get offered health insurance by their employers won't be eligible, but what if that premium is so high that the person cannot afford it?
- What recourse is possible if one finds their financial situation changes after enrollment and they can't afford the premiums for the plan in which they are enrolled?
- How is the 6-month 'look-back' for employer-sponsored insurance monitored?
- Does the patient have to re-apply on the Gateway when the 6 months has passed?
- Should they call?
- Do they need documentation from the employer?
- When someone's Medical Security Plan six-month coverage period ends, will they have to wait six months to become eligible for Commonwealth Care?
- What if someone cannot afford MSP?
- If someone is self-employed and on Insurance Partnership, can they change to Commonwealth Care?
- What are the income guidelines for a household?
- Since most private insurance plans have an individual and family premium rates, why do Commonwealth Care plans only offer individual rates? This practice can increase the premium burden on families.
- How can I effectively convince our patient population that the benefits with CCHIP far outweigh the price of paying a small premium?
- I would like to know if a person on Commonwealth Care could have their medical problems screened to determine eligibility for an upgrade.
- How long will it take a person to find out if they are eligible for this insurance?
- How do I know if a patient is eligible to enroll in commonwealth care if they don't get the letter from MassHealth telling them that they are?
Some Answers -
- Is this program coverage the same as Standard or just a level below and above Essential coverage?
- Is Commonwealth Care an option for an individual who may have lost their job and declined COBRA due to the high cost?
- If an individual is unemployed and has declined COBRA, they would be eligible for Commonwealth Care if they meet the other eligibility requirements. Even if a person did take COBRA, they would still be eligible for Commonwealth Care. Click here for more information.
- If someone is enrolled in the Medical Security Plan (MSP), are they eligible for Commonwealth Care?
- MSP and several other kinds of subsidized coverage make someone ineligible for Commonwealth Care. Click here for more information.
- Will REVS indicate Commonwealth Care eligibility, enrollment and plan choice? What should a Commonwealth Care member do if their income changes?
- Click here to see many of the REVS codes for Commonwealth Care
- How often will eligibility re-determination for Commonwealth Care happen? What does the individual have to do if their income changes?
- Re-determinations will happen yearly, and any time there is a change of income, address, or family status, clients should inform Commonwealth Care Customer Service within two weeks.
- What is the state residency requirement for Commonwealth Care?
- Initially, Chapter 58 required a person to be a state resident for six months before becoming eligible. At their December meeting, the Connector board waived that requirement, so there is no minimum residency requirement for Commonwealth Care.
Why denied?
I had been working full time for my employer through whom I received health benefits until the first week of January. I made less than $30000 last year year. Within ten days of losing coverage (I was reduced to a part-time position with the same employer) I applied to the Health Connector. I have received two rejections before being finally approved, yet nothing in my financial status changed. Each time I submitted the same information.
The person at the public health clinic who helped me to file my application online told me to expect to be rejected at least twice before being approved, and that I could wait as long as six months before being approved.
I don't understand why an initial application and initial appeal were rejected and the third try was accepted when nothing changed in my income.
Additionally I would note that there was no way COBRA was an option for me to bridge the gap in health coverage. I did not make enough before going part-time to afford that much money each month for healthcare.
As I understand it, I am required to have helath care coverage, but I can't afford it, so the State of MA which requires me to carry health insurance rejects my application for said coverage under their plan twice before accepting the very same application a third time. How does this make sense? For three full months I was without health care overage when I was required to have it.
To me the system seems unjust. The state is not living up to it's part of the common good, and is putting people like myself in a catch 22. "You must have it, but you can't have it... at least not yet." "Justice delayed is justice denied."
insurance partnership and commonwealth care
I currently am self employed and on the insurance partnership. My BCBS premium is going up 71% and is NO LONGER AFFORDABLE. I have heard that I have to wait 6 months before I can get commonwealth care. I am otherwise income eligible. Is this true? To add insult to injury, I heard that the state is going to penalize me for those 6 months for not having health insurance. This CANNOT be true?
Re: insurance partnership and commonwealth care
Technically, as far as I know, you do have to go through a six-month waiting period after dropping the Insurance Partnership before you are Commonwealth Care eligible. I would recommend talking to someone at the Insurance Partnership about what other options may exist. For example, Commonwealth Choice plans can be used with the Insurance Partnership, if switching to different private insurance is an option.
If your income really does make you eligible for Commonwealth Care (which for an individual, would mean that your adjusted gross income is less than $32,508 a year), then an "affordable" premium for you, by the Health Connector's standards, would be $116 or less a month. If you're paying more than that, you won't be penalized.
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