Undocumented Must Now Get Tax ID # for CommChoice

As you know, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Commonwealth Care plans, but do still qualify for Health Safety Net. Until now, undocumented immigrants have also been eligible to purchase Commonwealth Choice plans if they want actual health insurance, as opposed to the Health Safety Net. The Connector's enrollment form has always required a social security number; however, individuals could contact the health carriers directly to purchase these Commonwealth Choice plans if they did not have a social security number.

This changed on March 1, 2010. Individuals will no longer be able to purchase Commonwealth Choice plans directly from the carriers without a social security number or a tax identification number. This is due to an administrative requirement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that requires all health plans - not just Commonwealth Choice - to report member social security numbers or tax identification numbers for third party liability matching purposes. The fact that undocumented immigrants are now excluded from being able to purchase health insurance is an unintended consequence of this requirement.

What can undocumented immigrants do if they want health insurance?

Undocumented immigrants may apply for a tax identification number. All health plans will accept a tax id number in place of a social security number. There will be individuals who will be reluctant to obtain a number because they will be notifying the IRS of their status; however, the IRS does not work with Homeland Security to report these individuals in any way.

For more information on how to apply for a tax id number, please see this website: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html#what

-From “ Undocumented immigrants purchasing Commonwealth Choice plans”, e-mail from Kim Simonian, MPH, Associate Director, Patient Access, Partners HealthCare Community Benefit Programs, February 26, 2010.

3/10