Open Enrollment for Non-Group Health Plans,
Including Commonwealth Choice

You may recall that state law now sets an annual open enrollment period for people who do not qualify for employer-sponsored or govt subsidized health coverage. Anyone who wants to buy commercial health insurance or switch plans must act between July 1 and August 15, 2011. This includes Commonwealth Choice plans - the non-subsidized insurance plans available as part of health reform.

Current health plan subscribers who do not act by August 15, 2011 will be unable to switch plans or insurers when their plan comes up for renewal. The law allows them to use the open enrollment period to change their coverage without penalty, even if they have months left under their current plan.

Uninsured people could be locked out of the market for a full year if they do not buy a plan in time.

Some people might meet special conditions to allow them to buy a plan after August 15. See this fact sheet from the Connector and this consumer alert from the Division of Insurance for more information.

Remember, these rules are for people buying private-market, commercial, "non-group" health insurance from any source, including Commonwealth Choice. They do not apply to government-subsidized coverage such as MassHealth or Commonwealth Care, or employer-sponsored health benefits.

Massachusetts residents may use the www.mahealthconnector.org website to "shop" for Commonwealth Choice plans and compare their options.

-From “July 1 - Aug 15 is the time to buy or switch Commonwealth Choice plans”, Kim Simonian, MPH, Associate Director, Patient Access, Partners HealthCare Community Benefit Programs, June 30, 2011.

 

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