Healthcare Financial, Inc. - Industry News and Updates

12.01.06 - Commonwealth Care Update

The Commonwealth Care Connector Authority announced on Wednesday that more than 14,000 low-income individuals have enrolled into a program, which features no deductibles or premiums, since program inception back in early October...
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09.29.06 - Connector Contracts with Insurers- Reform Starts Next Week

The Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority yesterday entered a contract with four "affordable" health insurance providers. The Connector voted in favor of entering a two-year contract
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09.20.06 - Deficit Reduction Act: 10/01/06 Regulations

The Deficit Reduction Act was designed to save the federal government money. Massachusetts hospitals and healthcare providers are about to make their first of many contributions to these savings as MassHealth prepares to deny coverage to otherwise qualified applicants.
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08.30.06 - A Tale of Two Surveys. Mass. Uninsured Down, But by How Much?

Two surveys released this week show that the number of uninsured residents in Massachusetts is shrinking. According to the U.S. Census Bureau report released yesterday, the number of uninsured people in the Commonwealth fell to 618,000 in 2005 from 748,000 in 2004, a 17% decline.
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08.17.06 - Panel sets rate plan for health coverage

Lower-income uninsured residents would have to pay up to 6.6 percent of their income to buy health coverage under a state panel´s recommendation, an amount that is more than is typically paid by higher-income people with employer-provided insurance.
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08.09.06 - Proposed health care minimum criticized as inadequate

The issue concerning the amount employers must contribute to the health care initiative has recently elevated in the minds of advocates. Discussion has opened amongst business organizations, state agencies and advocates on what constitutes a "fair and reasonable" contribution to health care.
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08.08.06 - Recent Healthcare Reform Developments

Executive director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, Jon Kingsdale, is determined to roll out the healthcare program for the population of uninsured residents under 100% of the FPL first. In the meantime, the Connector will work with the public to identify...
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07.28.06 - CMS Approves Healthcare Reform Waiver

The federal government has approved the state's Medicaid waiver application which preserves $770 million in aid to Massachusetts over the next two years. The state had been receiving $385 million since 1997 under a waiver program...
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07.02.06 - MassHealth Citizenship and Identification Update

State associations and MassHealth operations staff have communicated to the DRA that identity and citizenship requirements will take effect in Massachusetts on July 17, 2006.
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06.22.06 - July 1st Citizenship Requirement Guidance

The Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 now requires that all states review documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship before Medicaid eligibility is granted or renewed for any beneficiary declaring U.S. citizenship. The mandate takes effect July 1, 2006.
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06.14.06 - New Medicaid Citizenship Requirement

American citizenship or legal immigration status has always been a requirement for Medicaid eligibility, however, until now beneficiaries were allowed to verify their U.S. citizenship status through a self-declaration checkbox on the Medicaid application form.
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04.14.06 - Governor Signs Historic Health Reform Bill

It was truly an honor and privilege to have been invited to yesterday's historic Health Care Reform Bill signing at Faneuil Hall. For all of us working on the front lines of advocating and caring for the uninsured, it was great to see the bi-partisan support for the idea of universal care.
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04.04.06 - Legislature Passes Compromised Healthcare Reform Bill

The long-awaited, and complex, health insurance reform bill passed in the legislature earlier today even though many uncertainties remain...
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03.28.06 - Health Reform Talks Stall Over Individual Mandate

Three weeks after declaring "The logjam that had been existing in the past is no longer existing" and one week after reporting last week that today would be "the latest" that the legislature would reach a final accord, healthcare reform "might still be far off," according to the State House News...
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03.09.06 - Legislative Leaders Break Bread and Impasse

Dining with their wives last week, Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi broke the impasse that was holding up healthcare reform legislation...
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03.01.06 - Senate Approves Healthcare Bill with Individual Mandate

Yesterday the Senate passed it's "placeholder" bill to meet federal demands and intended to preserve $385 million in federal funding. The Senate claims it will help over 300,000 to afford health insurance.
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02.28.06 - Senate Emergency Health Care Proposal

Senate President Robert Travaglini proposed emergency legistlation yesterday in an effort to preserve $385 million in federal funding....
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02.02.06 - State Pays $212.6 Million in Health Care to Workers

An updated state-issued report released Wednesday estimates public health assistance programs covered $212.6 million worth of care to 160,000 working people and their dependents during the period July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005....
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01.18.06 - MAPAM Meeting

Please join us in attending the MAPAM meeting entitled: "Healthcare Reform, Self Pay Collections & Enrollment Strategies," on Thursday, February 16th in Taunton, MA.
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01.16.06 - Healthcare Reform Deadline Missed

The House and the Senate, while back at the table, have considerable differences to work out and have missed the January 15th deadline recommended by federal officials...
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01.07.06 - Senate Conference Committee Letter

Our charge to arrest health care costs and extend health care coverage to every Massachusetts resident is extremely challenging. The progress made by the Senate Conference Committee...
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