MAPS offering health insurance enrollment assistance

CAMBRIDGE - The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) has recently partnered with the Massachusetts Health Connector to offer health insurance enrollment assistance and information to uninsured community members.

This free assistance will be provided in English, Portuguese or Cabo Verdean Creole out of MAPS' six offices throughout Massachusetts.

"This is an important step towards our mission of removing barriers and increasing access to healthcare among our communities," said MAPS CEO Paulo Pinto. "We are honored to become a Navigator agency again and look forward to collaborating with the Massachusetts Health Connector towards building healthy and successful communities."

MAPS has served the Portuguese-speaking communities of Massachusetts and others since 1970, providing free health and social services.

In December of 2022, the state's health insurance marketplace attributed a $154,196 two-year grant to MAPS, which will allow the health and social services organization to work with uninsured community members, including those who have never been insured, to inform them about available options and how to enroll, and to help them review eligibility and apply for coverage.

"We are happy to be able to help our uninsured community members access health insurance," said MAPS Chief Program Officer Alirio Pereira. "We recently hired a new caseworker to serve the Greater Boston Area, and now all our six offices can provide this essential and much-requested service."

To learn more about MAPS' health insurance assistance services or schedule a free appointment, visit maps-inc.org/healthinsurance or call 617-864-7600.

The Massachusetts Health Connector is the state's health insurance marketplace and currently serves 275,000 individuals and small-employer members with health and dental insurance. Massachusetts residents who do not have health insurance from an employer or other entity can use the exchange to enroll in coverage. For more information, please visit MAhealthconnector.org.