Health Connector sees record draw

State House News Service

BOSTON - With less than two weeks remaining in its open enrollment period, the state's health insurance marketplace has notched a record volume of people signing up for coverage.

Nearly 50,000 people have newly enrolled in plans available through the Massachusetts Health Connector since open enrollment began in November, Executive Director Audrey Morse Gasteier said Thursday. Since last January, she said, enrollment has climbed by 27 percent at the Connector, which offers plans for individuals, families and businesses through major health and dental insurance providers.

The increases come as MassHealth officials continue their effort to reassess eligibility for 2.4 million members. MassHealth has dropped about 203,000 members from its rolls in the first seven months of the eligibility redetermination process.

"We continue to reach and cover people who are found ineligible for MassHealth during the redetermination process and now need new coverage," Morse Gasteier said during a virtual board meeting. "So far, over 75,000 of these residents have transitioned into Health Connector coverage. We expect to continue to work very closely with MassHealth and Health Care For All and continue our full-throated outreach efforts." That 75,000 figure translates into 23 percent of people who have qualified for Health Connector plans after being deemed ineligible for Mass-Health, said Marissa Woltmann, the marketplace's chief of policy.

"We do see a sizable contingent, another 30,000, who have reported on their application that they have other coverage or access to other coverage," Woltmann said. "We think that there's another bucket of individuals who maybe have that coverage or access but just didn't report it to us. We are continuing to look for ways to learn more about those who aren't enrolling with us even though they're eligible to do so."

Health insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts and most people get it through their employers or state government programs. The Connector Authority was established in 2006. People who are not eligible to receive MassHealth coverage may obtain health insurance through the Connector, which operates programs that offer subsidized and unsubsidized assistance to help people get insurance.

Woltmann said officials are waiting to see broader market data that could show an increase in employer-sponsored coverage. The Health Connector also plans to survey people who are eligible for coverage but aren't enrolling, she said.