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).
Responding to outreach workers' concerns, we recently polled the Health Access Network to learn whether the reduced application timelines for the Health Safety Net are affecting people’s access. From what we've heard, the answer is likely yes.
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.
