Know your choices

As the new regulations implementing the Health Care Reform law begin to take shape, it is important for Massachusetts residents to understand how these changes will affect their health care choices. These regulations will be administered by the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, a quasi-public authority. The purpose of the Connector is to provide more affordable health insurance product options.

Four insurers offer these plans through the Connector’s Commonwealth Care: Fallon Community Health Plan, Network Health, Neighborhood Health Plan, and Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan. To enroll in a plan, a resident must complete an application using either the ‘Virtual Gateway’ or a paper application. The resident will receive a packet with the four options from each company. The Virtual Gateway is a service available at many hospitals and community centers that allows residents to apply on a computer with help from personnel at the location. Once the packet is received, the resident must choose one plan and enroll. Within 14 days of being sent a packet by Commonwealth Care, if the resident has not chosen a plan, he or she will be assigned to one. The resident can choose to change his or her plan within 60 days after that. If the resident is already eligible for the Uncompensated Care Pool, however, there is no need to apply because all such residents will automatically be sent a letter of approval from Commonwealth Care.

For more information, visit www.mass.gov/connector. You can also speak to a Commonwealth Care Customer Service Representative with questions about requesting a paper application or finding a Virtual Gateway center by calling (877) MA-ENROLL (623-6765) (TTY: (877) 623-7773 for those with hearing loss). Commonwealth Care receives calls Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.