March 14, 2018
Beginning March 1, 2018, 1.2 million of MassHealth’s 1.9 million members are being placed in one of four programs: ACO Partnership Plan, Primary Care ACO, MCO (Managed Care Organization), and Fee for Service. If you are a MassHealth member and are (1) under age 65, (2) have no other health insurance, private or Medicare, (3) live in the community, and (4) are in one of the following MassHealth categories – MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, MassHealth Family Assistance, or MassHealth CarePlus – you will be automatically enrolled in one of the four programs, and receive a letter from MassHealth to that effect with a green strip on the envelope.
What this means is that these organizations will now be will be financially accountable for cost, quality, and member experience. In his announcement of this approach on August 17, 2017, Governor Baker said that the change “will directly lead to better and more coordinated care for MassHealth members across the Commonwealth.”
You can learn more about the changes at http://thearcofmass.org/resources/services/. MassHealth is conducting in-person information sessions about the change; the schedule for these sessions is available at https://www.masshealthchoices.com/person-help.