MassHealth Updates

MassHealth Essential:

The MassHealth Essential program remains closed. However, there is a lot of churning in this program, so individuals have been enrolled at a steady pace from the waitlist. For example, the waitlist had been at 4,100; however, the state was able to enroll around 2,500 from that list last week. The state is reviewing the situation every month or two and will enroll from the list as members fall off the program.

Advocates have been assured that there will be supplemental funding made available for MassHealth Essential, but not until the Fall.

Restoring Dental Coverage to Pregnant Women:

Restoration of adult dental coverage for pregnant women who are on Medicaid did make it into the final budget, although Romney vetoed the restoration of coverage for new moms. MassHealth has said that they do not know how they will operationalize the restoration of coverage to pregnant women only, as it is difficult for them to know when a member is pregnant. Also, MassHealth was unsure whether this would apply to women on Healthy Start as well.

-From Kim Simonian’s notes from July 12, 2005 Health Care for All - MassHealth Defense Group meeting.

07/2005