Tuesday is a big deadline for Mass Health Connector plans — and not all subsidies are going away

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We're getting a little snow today. And while it may not be enough to guarantee a white Christmas, it could complicate travel plans this afternoon. (Put it on your list of Festivus grievances.) Meteorologist Danielle Noyes has more here on the timing of today's storm, plus the rest of the Christmas week forecast.

Now, to the news:

The subsidies that aren't expiring: Today is the last day for Massachusetts residents to use the state's health insurance marketplace to sign up for coverage that starts on Jan. 1. And while many will see higher premiums in 2026 due to the imminent expiration of enhanced federal Affordable Care Act subsidies, the people who run the Massachusetts Health Connector don't want you to write off the exchange yet.

* Why? Massachusetts is "more buffered" from the impact of the expiring federal subsidies "than any other state in the country," Audrey Morse Gasteier, the executive director of the Health Connector, told WBUR's Cici Yu. That's because the state continues to offer subsidies through its ConnectorCare plans. "It's very important people are not scared away and drop their coverage without taking a look and seeing all the affordable options available to them," Gasteier said, even as early open enrollment numbers suggest some are dropping coverage.

* Who is it good for? The Health Connector offers subsidized plans to residents who don't get health insurance through an employer or the government. That includes self-employed and gig workers, as well as those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but may still need help affording insurance. That's where the ConnectorCare plans come in, with premiums as low as $0 to $235 a month for people making between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty line.

* What's changing? The end of ACA's enhanced premium tax credits means subsidies will be lower for everyone — and those making between 400% and 500% of the federal poverty line no longer get any ConnectorCare subsidies. (As WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey reported this fall, older residents who make too much for ConnectorCare plans will be hardest hit by the federal changes.)

* How much will it cost me? You can get a monthly premium estimate based on your age, location and income via the Health Connector's online calculator.

* What if you missed the deadline? People who don't sign up by today can get health plans that begin on Feb. 1 — as long as they enroll by Jan. 23.

Blowback offshore: The Trump administration announced yesterday that it's pausing the leases of five large under-construction wind farms off the East Coast, a new escalation of its campaign against offshore wind. The affected projects include Vineyard Wind 1, the more than half-completed 62-turbine project south of Martha's Vineyard that's already sending power to the Massachusetts electric grid. The move came less than two weeks after a federal judge in Massachusetts vacated Trump's executive order suspending leasing and permitting of new wind projects.

* Why? The U.S. Interior Department cited national security risks identified by the Pentagon from the massive turbine blades and the reflective towers creating radar interference. However, security experts and lawmakers said that the permitting process already included a review of national security concerns.

* What's next? The lease suspension was described as a "pause," but did not include an end date. Both the developers behind the projects and state officials said yesterday that they're considering a lawsuit against the administration. “We are evaluating all legal options, and this will be stopped just like last time," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement.

Tax-free: Personal care attendants in Massachusetts who live with the people they assist no longer have to pay state or federal income taxes. Gov. Maura Healey announced the change yesterday to bolster worker retention in the "incredibly challenging" (but not especially well-paid) field. "The fact that they have a little bit more money that's able to stay in their pocket is going to help," Rebecca Gutman, the vice president for home care for Local 1199 SEIU, told WBUR's John Bender.

* Who benefits? The change will save an estimated 18,000 PCAs who do live-in work (nearly a third of all PCAs in the state) upwards of $5,000 a year.

* What's a PCA? PCAs are home health care workers who help mostly elderly people with disabilities with daily activities, like dressing, bathing and shopping. It's run through MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program.

* The state can just do that? Well, technically they needed some help. According to Healey's office, the state asked for and got a ruling from the IRS that income earned by PCAs for MassHealth-covered live-in services qualifies as “Difficulty of Care" payments. Such payments can be excluded from your taxable income.

P.S.— For the first time in over two weeks, the Green Line resumed full service this morning. And if you're lucky, you could catch one of the MBTA's extremed decked out holiday trains, featuring Santa Phil Eng.