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).
At Health Care For All’s Helpline, we have heard from numerous would-be applicants who refuse to sign up for state health insurance programs because they are concerned that MassHealth may recover assets from their estate. We want to get the message out that this requirement does not apply to Commonwealth Care members.
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.
