CARING FOR A SICK OR DISABLED RELATIVE ON FRIEND?
The Adult Fan=mily Care Porgram pays family members and friends to provide are at home.
Receive up to $18,000 per year to provide care that prevents or delays Instituional care.
Sick or disabled individual must be 18 years or older and eliglbe for MaasHealth
CARING CHOICES
www.eldercare.org
CALL THE AGING INFORMATION CENTER AND ASK ABOUT ADULT FAMILY CARE
617-628-2601 EXT 3151
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Massachusetts Health
Massachusetts
August 2007
Where Did the State’s Coverage Expansion Efforts Start?
Massachusetts has a long history of health reform efforts, which culminated in legislation thatwas passed in 2006. Since 1988, state lawmakers have pushed for expanded coverage throughpublic programs, greater employer participation, and safety net programs for the uninsuredand underinsured.
Before embarking on this most recent sweeping reform, Massachusetts had taken incrementalsteps to create a robust safety net of public programs for low- and moderate-income residents In 1985, Massachusetts established the Uncompensated Care Pool to reimburse hospitals andcommunity health centers for care provided to uninsured and underinsured individuals withincomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($20,420 for an individual in 2007). In1995, the state obtained a Medicaid waiver that provided federal funding for the Uncompensated
Care Pool and created MassHealth, an expanded Medicaid program that covers children, parents,and childless adults. Today, MassHealth is the state’s combined Medicaid and SCHIP program.
Under the 1995 Medicaid waiver, Massachusetts created MassHealth Essential, which covers non-disabled, unemployed, childless adults with incomes below the poverty level ($10,210 foran individual in 2007). The MassHealth Essential benefit package is somewhat more limitedthan the benefits that are offered to other Medicaid enrollees (see “What Benefits Do People Receive?” on page 6). The state implemented MassHealth Essential in 1997, but in 2004, ithalted enrollment due to an enrollment cap.
The 1995 waiver also allowed the state to implement MassHealth Family Assistance, which
provides coverage for children with family incomes up to 200 percent of poverty ($34,340 a
year for a family of three in 2007). The program also provides premium assistance for some
low-income, working parents.
The 2006 reform built on Massachusetts’ expanded public programs and its highly regulated
insurance market. The state’s small group and individual insurance markets were already
subject to rate regulations that were designed to bring down premiums and provide greater
access to health coverage.
Thanks in part to these earlier efforts, Massachusetts had fewer uninsured people than most other states: According to Health Care for All Massachusetts, the state had approximately 500,000 uninsured people in 2005. Massachusetts is among the 14 states with the lowest percentage of uninsured residents.1
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
August 2007
Where Did the State’s Coverage Expansion Efforts Start?
Massachusetts has a long history of health reform efforts, which culminated in legislation thatwas passed in 2006. Since 1988, state lawmakers have pushed for expanded coverage throughpublic programs, greater employer participation, and safety net programs for the uninsuredand underinsured.
Before embarking on this most recent sweeping reform, Massachusetts had taken incrementalsteps to create a robust safety net of public programs for low- and moderate-income residents In 1985, Massachusetts established the Uncompensated Care Pool to reimburse hospitals andcommunity health centers for care provided to uninsured and underinsured individuals withincomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($20,420 for an individual in 2007). In1995, the state obtained a Medicaid waiver that provided federal funding for the Uncompensated
Care Pool and created MassHealth, an expanded Medicaid program that covers children, parents,and childless adults. Today, MassHealth is the state’s combined Medicaid and SCHIP program.
Under the 1995 Medicaid waiver, Massachusetts created MassHealth Essential, which covers non-disabled, unemployed, childless adults with incomes below the poverty level ($10,210 foran individual in 2007). The MassHealth Essential benefit package is somewhat more limitedthan the benefits that are offered to other Medicaid enrollees (see “What Benefits Do People Receive?” on page 6). The state implemented MassHealth Essential in 1997, but in 2004, ithalted enrollment due to an enrollment cap.
The 1995 waiver also allowed the state to implement MassHealth Family Assistance, which
provides coverage for children with family incomes up to 200 percent of poverty ($34,340 a
year for a family of three in 2007). The program also provides premium assistance for some
low-income, working parents.
The 2006 reform built on Massachusetts’ expanded public programs and its highly regulated
insurance market. The state’s small group and individual insurance markets were already
subject to rate regulations that were designed to bring down premiums and provide greater
access to health coverage.
Thanks in part to these earlier efforts, Massachusetts had fewer uninsured people than most other states: According to Health Care for All Massachusetts, the state had approximately 500,000 uninsured people in 2005. Massachusetts is among the 14 states with the lowest percentage of uninsured residents.1
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
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