This is special information for immigrants
If you are sick do not forgo care because you do not have insurance or due to your immigration status! We highly recommend that you locate the Community Health Center or Hospital in your neighborhood and go to them for care.
NOTE the Community Health Centers, Hospitals, and Health Care Advocacy Organizations are not obligated under the health care reform law to report any undocumented people to immigration officials and they are safeguarding everyone's information. To read more about this Medical Privacy applies to Undocumented Immigrants.
There has been a major change to the Commonwealth Care Program as it is no longer covering LEGAL immigrants. Community Partner's has a fact page for http://www.compartners.org/news/30000-immigrants-likely-lose-coverage.
If you are an immigrant (legal, illegal, documented, or undocumented) there is an organization that can help you navigate visa options, citizenship issues, adjustment of status, replacement/renewal of legal permanent residency cards, etc.. The organization is the Massachusetts Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Coalition and the contact number is: 617-350-5480
The first thing you need to determine is- if you are considered a Massachusetts resident. If you are considered a MA resident (and are 18 years old), what is called the "individual mandate" applies to you (we recommend you print out that page).
All immigrants who are uninsured should contact a health care advocate to find out what their health care options are and you should also see our section "You Don't Have Insurance"
Health Care For All has a wonderful pdf fact sheet.
It is important to be aware that in order to attend a college/university in Massachusetts, most students (MA residents, non MA residents, and international students) will be required to have proof of health insurance (if they are 3/4 time or more-note BUT those enrolled for full-time for online courses are not required to have health insurance). Those students who are not covered by their parent's or their family's insurance can buy insurance themselves either on the private market or they can purchase from their school what is called Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program (QSHIP). For more information on QSHIP, see Community Partner's website QSHIP page on it.
What you also need to be aware of is what was called the "free care pool" that covers the uninsured medical expenses of those who are under a certain income level, has changed in name and how it operates. It is now called the Health Safety Net (HSN). From what we understand, the State will now be tying payment for medical expenses for those who are eligible for free care to if they are Massachusetts residents (only Massachusetts residents will be able to covered by the free care pool). WHAT this does not mean is that they will not deny you health care- but it may mean your medical expenses for receiving the care may not be covered by "free care pool" even if your income level would make it so. Again we strongly suggest you contact a health care advocate for more information on HSN and if you are eligible for it. Please also see our section on the HSN
AGAIN WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE IMMIGRANTS (documented & undocumented) work with an health care advocate to find out what health care coverage they are eligible for. Health Care for All's FREE helpline is worth the call: 800-272-4232
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Some Senarios that may apply:
You are a Massachusetts resident (you are filing MA tax returns)
All immigrants who are uninsured should contact a health care advocate to find out what their health care options are and you should also see our section "You Don't Have Insurance"
You currently do not have insurance and you are NOT a Massachusetts Resident.
If you are not a Massachusetts resident and you are not planning to become one (i.e. you may stay in the state for the summer after graduation, but you are not going to file Massachusetts Income Tax forms), the individual mandate does not apply to you. Nor do any of the other requirements under the MA Health Care Reform law. (This also applies to international students who are not Massachusetts residents.)
What you also need to be aware of is what was called the "free care pool" that covers the uninsured medical expenses of those who are under a certain income level, has changed in name and how it operates. It is now called the Health Safety Net (HSN). From what we understand, the State will now be tying payment for medical expenses for those who are eligible for free care to if they are Massachusetts residents (only Massachusetts residents will be able to covered by the free care pool). WHAT this does not mean is that they will not deny you health care- but it may mean your medical expenses for receiving the care may not be covered by "free care pool" even if your income level would make it so. Again we strongly suggest you contact a health care advocate for more information on HSN and if you are eligible for it. Please also see our section on the HSN
AGAIN, if you are an immigrant (legal, illegal, documented, or undocumented) there is an organization that can help you navigate health care options, visa options, citizenship issues, adjustment of status, replacement/renewal of legal permanent residency cards, etc.. The organization is the Massachusetts Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Coalition and the contact number is: 617-350-5480
If you need legal help, contact the Massachusetts Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts: 617-350-7600
You may want to see if the Commonwealth Choice Plans (available to those who are age 18 and older) or if the Young Adult Plans (available for those who are 18-26 yrs. old- Note it used to be 19-26) are choices for you. A buyer beware on the Young Adult plans (YAP). Like the student health insurance plans offered by colleges/universities to students, all of the YAP plans, with the exception of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Young Adult Plan, have an annual limit on benefits or benefit caps on the amount they will pay out per year for coverage (i.e. they may only cover a total of $50,000 worth of medical bills per year and after you hit that amount you are responsible for the bills). Make sure you know what you are buying and what the plan covers and what its benefit cap is before you buy it. There are NEW Private Insurance Rules: IN 2010 the insurance companies convinced the state legislature that people in the private insurance makret were "gaming the system" and causing the insurance companies to lose money. So the state legislature changed the law governinng when and under what circumstances individuals can buy insurance in the private market place. No advocates were consulted on this change before it became law. This new law did not change the rules for those in subsidized care, or how businesses can buy insurance. The law only changed it for those individuals who earn over 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Line. (For the record the Artists Health Care Working and Healthcare for Artists.org were against how this change was put into place and testified against it). There is now a strict open enrollment period and if individuals miss that period (or they get kicked off their plan) they will more than likely be locked out of buying insurance unless they have a "qualifying event". Note if your employer offers you insurance and it meets minimal credible coverage, you are not allowed to forgo your employer's insurance and buy insurance on the private market place- unless you have a qualifying event (so if you dont' like the insurance your employer is offering you is not sufficent to allow you to buy private insurance even if you can afford it). The Connector has Young Adult Plans (YAP) for those who are 18-26 years of age. The YAP plans can only be purchased through the Connector. Please make sure you read our buyer beware information on the YAP Plans in our Health Care Options Available section of our Guide for Artists. Note the same applies on the YAP plans as it does in the private insurance market place. For more information and to find out what a "qualifying event is" see the Connector's PDF fact page. We also urge you to call Health Care for All's FREE Helpline for information and help: 1-800-272-4232. AND call your state representative and state senator and urge them to change this law!
You are a Massachusetts resident and you are enrolled in college/university in Massachusetts or you are attending a college/university not in Massachusetts.
First is to understand is that individual mandate does apply to you and you will need to get insurance if you do not want to be penalized by DOR (MA Department of Revenue) on your State income taxes.
Please see our section:
http://www.healthcareforartists.org/dontpanic/special_student.html