Must Pay for Medicare Part A
If someone was on a subsidized Health Connector plan and wants to go back to the HC plan, a) can he do so, b) will he continued to received the subsidized premium, and c) is there a relevant SEP to do so?
From Health Connector to Medicare
I have a client who is about to turn 65 and will qualify for Free Part A Medicare. She is currently on her small employer’s Health Connector plan, she pays 50% and her employer covers the other 50%. Is she required to drop Health Connector and enroll in Medicare since she is turning 65 and […]
Estate Recovery and Mass Health Programs
I know that MSP is exempt from estate recovery, and that LTSS programs are explicitly subject to them, and that MassHealth has the right to recovery payments for other Medicaid programs. But I’ve not found a clear statement on which programs are at risk for estate recovery? MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, HSN, Extra Help, etc. Can […]
MSP Letter from MassHealth
My client recently received a letter from MH in response to his application for MSP. They approved him for the program, but it was unclear which version. I was able to decipher that it was QMB, but that would not have been obvious to the typical client. Also, there is no reference about Extra Help. […]
Medicare Savings Programs (aka Buy-in programs for Seniors)
I’ve been told that this past year the state government approved the elimination of the asset ceilings for the Mass Savings Program, to be effective Jan 1, 2024. I’ve also heard that the state is waiting for approval of this change by CMS. Does anyone know the status regarding CMS approval and when we can […]
Purchasing diabetic test strips under Medicaid
I’ve always known people to purchase test strips from pharmacies, but have recently heard of a person on MassHealth who was told by several pharmacies that she could purchase the strips from them, but had to use a DME. And when she called ome DMEs, they said they couldn’t sell them to her! Does anyone […]
Limitation to the Coverage Determination due to PHE
Although the PHE continues, the Mass Health public notice indicates that the coverage extension will be allowed for most clients, not all. I’ve already had three clients who received a notice from Mass Health indicating they need to reapply for coverage because they are turning 65 and need to submit a SACA.