DMA will now require all individuals who are eligible for MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth to obtain and/or maintain available group health insurance, provided the health insurance meets DMA's cost-effectiveness test and basic benefit level, and is available to the member at no greater cost than MassHealth coverage. Timeframe for implementation is unclear.

Members whose health insurance or potential health insurance is determined to meet these requirements will be denied MassHealth if they do not enroll in this health insurance, unless the member is under 19 or pregnant.

This program will now be called MassHealth Standard/CommonHealth Premium Assistance.

MassHealth will provide wrap-around coverage and will pick up the cost of the premiums for households enrolled in these programs.

-From Kim Simonian, 9/12/03 Program Manager, Medicaid and Uncompensated Care Programs, Community Benefit Programs, Partners HealthCare. Bed-hold information from ElderLaw News, Margolis & Associates, 9/22/03