The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University today announced the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority as a 2009 Innovations in American Government Award winner. As the country explores ways to expand access and reduce costs to health care, Massachusetts’ innovation is a key focus of the national debate. This independent state authority increases the pool of citizens with health insurance in Massachusetts, a central mandate of the state’s health reform law of 2006. The program is one of six government initiatives honored at yesterday’s reception in Washington, D.C. which concluded with the premier of 2009 Visionaries, a PBS-produced documentary highlighting this year’s Innovations winners. The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority will receive a grant towards the replication of its best practices nationwide.
Launched in 2006, the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority is a public private hybrid entity, which combines funding from both government and private insurance agencies to operate. Under the provisions of the 2006 health reform law, all Massachusetts adults must purchase health insurance if they can afford it. In order to meet this requirement, the Connector offers residents two coverage programs:
- CommCare: This subsidized coverage plan is for low-income adults who previously could not afford non-group coverage and were not eligible for employer-sponsored insurance or Medicaid. In FY09, the Connector estimates that over 200,000 adults are eligible for this plan and currently 160,000 have enrolled.
- CommChoice: CommChoice is a commercial insurance tool for individuals and small businesses designed to reduce the cost of plans through managed competition. Using the Connector’s website, users can comparison shop through a host of brand-name insurance plans to determine the most appropriate for their needs.
Results
Since the Connector’s inception, the state’s uninsured rate has dropped from 10.4 percent in 2006 to 2.6 percent in 2008. The national average uninsured rate remains at 15.3 percent. Other results include