Massachusetts Connector Board Plans Campaign To Inform State Residents Of Health Insurance Law

April 20, 2007 – 1:16 pm | posted in Health Insurance

The Massachusetts Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, which is overseeing implementation of the state’s universal health coverage law, is launching an educational campaign that includes television and radio advertisements, direct mailings, community meetings and a new Web site to help state residents, employers and health care providers comply with the coverage mandate, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Under the law, all state residents must obtain health coverage by July 1 or face tax penalties, including a $219 personal exemption on their income tax returns next year and more during the second year. The cornerstone of the new campaign is a call center that will be established by May 1 to help residents enroll in health plans before the deadline. Rosmarie Day, the Connector’s deputy director and chief operating officer, said call center staff will be able to help explain the details of the law and direct people to a Web site for additional information on lower-cost health plans. Day said she expects as many as 100,000 callers or more within the first two months, and she is confident that the system will be able to accommodate them. The Connector also plans to send informational fliers to at least three million taxpayers and 193,000 employers. Jon Kingsdale, executive director of the Connector, said, “It’s going to be week after week, month after month of getting the word out.” Some Connector board members said the state should provide more outreach. According to the AP/Globe, state officials are “relying in part on the assistance” of private, not-for-profit and advocacy groups to inform residents about the law (LeBlanc, AP/Boston Globe, 4/15).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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