MassHealth redetermining eligibility of every member. What’s being done to ensure coverage?

NEW BEDFORD – As MassHealth redetermines eligibility for its 2.4 million members throughout Massachusetts, its leadership and partner organizations are working to educate and inform the public about the renewal process and how to stay covered.

On Oct. 10, the Immigrants’ Assistance Center (IAC) hosted a press conference with leaders from MassHealth, Health Connector and Health Care For All to detail efforts that are underway to prevent gaps in health care coverage, as well as the resources available to people in Massachusetts.

“We are very excited to be a partner of this important effort to spread the word in New Bedford, and can’t emphasize enough, if you’re a MassHealth member you need to act now to stay covered,” said Helena da Silva Hughes, IAC’s CEO.

In Massachusetts, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are combined into one program called MassHealth.

During the Covid-19 public health emergency federal law prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid, which provides health insurance for low-income people. But the federal emergency ended this spring and Governor Maura Healy has anticipated that about 300,000 Massachusetts residents could lose their health insurance coverage with the reopening of the annual review of MassHealth eligibility.

“MassHealth is the lifeline for tens of thousands of people in New Bedford, and across Massachusetts, providing essential access to high quality coverage and care,” Hughes stressed.

MassHealth Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth LaMontagne acknowledged the renewal process “can be difficult and confusing” for MassHealth beneficiaries, but said the agency is committed to making sure they have the support and resources they need.

“We want eligible members to keep their MassHealth coverage, and we want individuals who aren’t eligible to find affordable health coverage, whether it’s through the Health Connector, their employer, or other resources,” she said.

MassHealth members must renew coverage

The process of renewing MassHealth eligibility will run through March 31, 2024. If eligibility can’t be renewed through data matching, beneficiaries will be sent a blue envelope with a notice to be completed and returned by a deadline.

LaMontagne said the agency has launched email, text, and phone outreach to make sure MassHealth members know they must respond to the renewal. It has also utilized billboards and teamed up with libraries and grocery stores across the state to spread that message.

“In partnership with the Health Connector and Healthcare for All, we’ve also been able to increase the number of Certified Application Counselors across the state, providing people on the ground and in the community who can make sure that members know the steps they need to take to complete their renewal,” she said.

LaMontagne said MassHealth is already seeing the “incredible impact” dozens of community-based and faith-based organizations selected across target municipalities and special populations are having in providing resources and renewal support.

In the New Bedford area, where there are about 67,000 MassHealth members, the IAC and Community Economic Development Center have been selected to provide that support. The IAC has three Certified Application Counselors and the CEDC has two.

“MassHealth is a great resource, and a lot of people depend on it. It works great for our community,” said CEDC’s Deputy Director Brian Pastori, noting that his organization works with a lot of Central American immigrants who are not English proficient.

IAC was also chosen to serve the Fall River area, where there are about 63,000 MassHealth members. SER-Jobs for Progress, Inc. is another organization selected to serve that area.

“It’s amazing to see that our partners in the community have already had over 1,100 events across the state and knocked on more than 370,000 doors, making sure that folks in their community know to act now and stay covered,” LaMontagne said.

She said MassHealth members should contact the agency if they have moved in order to update their mailing address, or if they have a better phone number or email address they can be reached at.

“When you get that blue envelope, read it and respond to us by the deadline, even if you don’t think you’re eligible any longer,” she said. “And if you or someone you know finds out you’re losing your MassHealth coverage, it’s important to still give us a call. If you lose your coverage because you didn’t respond, you have about three months or 90 days to call us to give us the information we requested, and if you’re eligible have your coverage reinstated.”

LaMontagne said beneficiaries should call the MassHealth Customer Service Center at 800-841-2900, and interpreters are available to assist individuals who do not speak English.

Get more information this Saturday

Health Connector Executive Director Audrey Morse Gasteier said representatives from her agency will be at the PACE Fall Fest Enrollment Event in New Bedford on Oct. 14 to provide information and assisting people who need health coverage. The event will take place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 477 Park St.

“About 40,000 people who have lost their MassHealth coverage have enrolled in a Health Connector plan,” she said. “That influx has helped us grow our overall enrollment by over 20 percent this year.”

Established by the state, the Health Connector is a marketplace designed to make affordable health insurance available to more people. The agency offers different plan types based on the individual’s income.

“Starting with this coming open enrollment, Health Connector plans are available to more people than ever before in the history of health reform in Massachusetts, with income limits extending to about $73,000 for one person and $150,000 for a family of four. People in those income ranges will qualify, lowering healthcare costs,” she said.

For more information, call the Health Connector Customer Service Call Center at 1-877-623-6765 or visit https://www.mahealthconnector.org.

Health Care For All is running a multilingual, multicultural campaign

Health Care For All Executive Director Amy Rosenthal said her organization is the state’s leading consumer health advocacy agency and focuses on promoting health equity and coverage and access for all.

“We’ve been running a multilingual, multicultural public education campaign to ensure that MassHealth members know what steps they need to take to stay covered,” she said. “The campaign is focused in the 15 municipalities with the largest number of MassHealth members, including New Bedford.”

She noted that of the 2.4 million people currently on MassHealth, nearly 1.3 million live in one of these 15 communities.

“Here in New Bedford, 6 in 10 residents, about 66%, get their health coverage through MassHealth,” she said.

To help people successfully navigate the renewal process, Health Care For All is running a campaign in nine languages - English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Arabic. All related materials can be found at www.masshealthrenew.org.

Knocking on every door

Health Care For All has also partnered with 38 community-based and faith-based organizations statewide to provide resources and support regarding MassHealth.

“These trusted local partners know their communities best,” Rosenthal said. “They are working with their friends, their neighbors, to educate people about the redetermination process. Our community partners have directly reached more than 135,000 people from over 1,000 events and activities. We’ve trained 102 Certified Application Counselors, which is double the amount we expected.”

In addition to the community groups, Health Care For All has canvassing teams going door-to-door in all 15 campaign cities.

“The entire team so far has knocked on over 390,000 doors and had over 105,000 conversations with people about redetermination,” Rosenthal said. “All this work is paying off. In the 15 communities, we are seeing a real difference in how many people are staying covered. There is 60% less change in the enrollment status within the 15 campaign communities compared to the rest of the Commonwealth. But we need to continue to deliver the message that people need to act now.”

Canvassing Director for New Bedford and Fall River Maria Fortes provided an overview of the work being done locally.

“I am managing eight canvassers between the two cities,” she said. “In New Bedford, we’ve knocked on more than 20,000 doors and contacted over 10,000 people. Our canvassers are culturally connected to the neighborhood and from the city. I have been doing community and city engagement work for many years, and I do understand that out of all the forms of contact and initiatives, face-to-face has always been the most effective.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: MassHealth redetermining eligibility of members. What you should know