EOHHS selects BMCHP to provide health care coverage for MassHealth CarePlus members

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has selected Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan (BMCHP) to provide comprehensive health care coverage for MassHealth CarePlus members in all five MassHealth regions of Massachusetts. The notification comes following a thorough review of BMCHP's submission to the CarePlus Request for Responses. CarePlus is the Massachusetts health plan for the Medicaid expansion, a result of the Affordable Care Act. The population eligible to enroll in a CarePlus managed care organization, which encompasses approximately 260,000 individuals, includes adults ages 21 to 64 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The anticipated contract effective date is October 15, 2013 with an anticipated operational start date of January 1, 2014.

In addition, the Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors unanimously voted to award BMCHP a final Seal of Approval for its Qualified Health Plan (QHP) offerings, including the ConnectorCare plan for individuals under 300% of the Federal Poverty Level who qualify for state and federal subsidies. BMCHP has been approved to offer ConnectorCare in all seven QHP rating regions and is the lowest cost ConnectorCare offering in five. ConnectorCare enrollment will be composed primarily of those premium paying members currently enrolled in the state's Commonwealth Care program. Due to the December 31, 2013 termination of Commonwealth Care, many of these individuals must apply for coverage and shop for health plans through the Health Connector – this process began October 1, 2013. These include all those with incomes above 133 percent of the federal poverty level who will not qualify for MassHealth coverage. BMCHP will also offer QHP "metallic" plans in Greater Boston: Platinum A, Platinum B, Gold A, Gold B, Gold C, Silver and Bronze. Coverage for all begins January 1, 2014.