Health Care -- General

Another great resource from the Center on Budget in D.C. to help advocates understand the new Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology that will be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid for most adults under age 65 & eligibility for premium tax credits & other assistance…

Database with information about topics such as Demographics and the Economy Health Costs & Budgets Health Coverage & Uninsured Health Insurance & Managed Care Health Reform Health Status HIV/AIDS Medicaid &…

Comparison of the House & Senate budget proposals for MassHealth & Health Reform program in the FY 15 budget. 

Memo from the Health Connector reminding colleges and universities that under the Jan 2014 Student Health Insurance rules, the following programs are comparable coverage and eligible for a waiver of the school's student health insurance plan: Commonwealth Care, ConnectorCare, MassHealth (except…

Summary of MassHealth, Connector and Health Safety Net related provisions in the House budget bill for Fiscal Year 2015 passed on May 1, 2014.

The Disability Policy Consortium has a contract with MassHealth to operate an Ombudsman program to assist MassHealth members having problems with their managed care plans. It was originally created to help people in One Care, an integrated managed care program for individuals with…

The 'Support Information' tool is designed to help Navigators and Certified Application Counselors quickly find: 1.     The most direct customer service telephone number for your need; 2.     Where to Fax, Mail or Walk-in important…

Links to medical definitions and medical information: https://medlineplus.gov/ National Library of Medicine (NIH)  https://www.cdc.gov/ Centers for Disease Control.   Complements  Medline Plus. Has an up-to-date compilation of late-breaking news from medicine, without a spin, just…

Attached are the new income guidelines for MassHealth effective March 1st.   There are two charts.  The first from MLRI includes a couple of new features.  First of all, the 100% poverty guidelines used for MassHealth Elders includes the $20 income disregard in its base.  The…

The Commonwealth Care program was slated to end Dec. 31, 2013 with its enrollees transitioning into new coverage on Jan. 1, 2014. However, the transition did not go as planned. Commonwealth Care has been extended into June 2014. This document summarizes the situation as of February 2014. UPDATE:…

The following are links to government and nonprofit agencies addressing health law issues: Government agencies: CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services --  Formerly known as the Health Care Finance Administration, (HCFA) this is the federal agency the oversees Medicare,…

Tomorrow the Governor releases his proposed budget for the next fiscal year.  Meanwhile, the health coverage landscape gets ever more confusing. Attached and reprinted below is our best effort to describe the Jan 1 transition with links to information from MassHealth & the…

On January 1, 2014 a new type of MassHealth coverage became available called MassHealth CarePlus for adults age 21 to 65 with income at or below 133% of the poverty level and who are not eligible for Medicare. It is part of the expansion of the Medicaid program under federal health reform.…

Effective January 1, 2014, an extensive set of regulatory changes took effect in MassHealth related to implementation of the Affordable Care Act including the repeal of MassHealth Basic, Essential and the Insurance Partnership and creation of a new program called CarePlus along with many other…

Fact sheet prepared by the Connector describing health insurance options for post-secondary students under health reform.

Guidance in Q & A format on Jan. 2014 rule changes affecting the Student Health Insurance Program including the required scope of benefits, when colleges & universities must waive the requirement for students to obtain the student health plan for students with comparable coverage, and…

The helpful website developed by the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities is devoted to Affordable Care Act implementation issues. It includes powerpoints from past CBPP webinars on topics such as MAGI and Premium Tax Credits, frequently asked questions and other resources. It addresses a…

Commonwealth Care has been extended until March 31st, 2014.  Fact Sheet describes new enrollment opportunities for Commonwealth Care members looking to re-enroll into ConnectorCare. UPDATE: Comm. Care extended to June 30, 2014

Income Chart good through February 28, 2014, showing MAGI income amounts effective January 1st, 2014.

Good summary of the changes in subsidized coverage scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2014 & other reforms in the private insurance market in Massachusetts.  Readers should be aware that many of the changes described have been delayed due to the failure of the new HIX-IES eligibility…

Applicants for subsidized coverage to start on  Jan. 1, 2014 or later from MassHealth or the Connector for whom the broken computer system has been unable to make anl eligibility determination have instead been enrolled in MassHealth Standard Fee for Service coverage on a temporary basis until…

This link takes you to a helpful set of FAQs from Georgetown's Center on Health Insurance Reforms, chis.georgetown.edu, focusing on private insurance reforms of the Affordable Care Act including the Marketplaces, Benefits, Cost standards and Premium Tax Credits.  It is written for a…

Click the "Go to Website" link below to find Navigators and Certified Application Counselors in your area who can help you understand your health insurance options and apply for coverage.  According to the Connector's website,  "Navigators and Certified Application Counselors (CACs) can…

This budget brief compares the MassHealth, Commonwealth Care and related health care provisions in the FY 2014 House & Senate budget bills. A conference committee is currently working out the differences between the two bills. 

What Advocates Who Don't Practice Health Law Should Know About Health Law: May 2013. This helpful 2013 fact sheet gives basic information about how your clients can get subsidized health coverage, get access to medical and behavioral health care and take advantage of some little known…

Disability Evaluation Services in MA updated and improved its website posting information for consumers about the DDS services and programs.  Director of DDS, Gus Adams, Ph.D. provides an on-line quick tutorial that describes the disability determination process required for the eligibility…

Click the "Go to Website" link below to download this overview of an individual's rights regarding the privacy of mental health records.

The US Dept. of Labor website describes the rights of workers under COBRA to purchase continued health coverage under their employer-sponsored health plan after the workers' employment ends. 

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law that  protects the privacy of your medical records and information.  HIPAA limits who your health care providers can share your medical information with, unless you give your permission in writing by…

guide to prescription medication; medicine; drugs

The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, usually referred to as "The Partnership" is the managed care organization which manages the mental health and substance abuse services package for MassHealth recipients in the PCC program. The Partnership also contracts with various MCOs…