I decided at the last minute to "live blog" the HCFA conference. I wanted to send some of the conference out to outreach and enrollment workers who are in their offices enrolling as I write. John McDonough & Nancy Turnbull, two of the smartest, savviest policy makers, graciously agreed to my blogging them. Here are my impressions.
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).
In response to our post about our poll on the shortened window for Health Safety Net (HSN) applications, several people wrote that increasingly their clients need to submit hardship waivers and/or face bills for uncompensated medical services, even though they are likely HSN eligible.
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.
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.
