Health Care Access: Upcoming events & updates
04/12/21
1. Health Care Working Group tomorrow April 13, 2021 3:30-5. Agenda: American Rescue Plan Act, MassHealth Redeterminations, MassHealth 1115 amendments & renewal.
2. VACCINE EQUITY STORY CAMPAIGN-town hall tonight: The Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition invites you to a virtual town hall amplifying the voices of those on the ground working to get their communities access to the COVID-19 vaccine. It will also launch the #MyVaccineStory campaign which will encourage participants to use our online tool to submit videos sharing their experiences trying to access the vaccine. The goal of this event and campaign is to use storytelling to outline the work that still needs to be done at the state level to ensure everyone – especially our Black, Latinx, AAPI and immigrant communities – has equitable access to the vaccine. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Register)
3. COBRA Premium Assistance: Health Connector SEP & DOL Guidance:
The Health Connector announced a special enrollment period (SEP) for people who enroll in COBRA but cannot afford to continue it after the temporary 100% premium assistance for COBRA, authorized by the ARPA, expires after Sept 30, 2021. People who qualify for this SEP will be able to sign up for private insurance through the Health Connector for the balance of 2021 and many may qualify for the more generous subsidies under ARPA in 2021 (and 2022). The federal Dept of Labor has also released information and model forms about the temporary 100% federal subsidy for COBRA premiums.
Health Connector announcement: April 9, 2021 bulletin
More info from federal Dept of Labor about COBRA premium assistance: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/cobra/premium-subsidy
4. IRS Releases Guidance implementing ARPA Provision waiving repayment of excess advance premium tax credits on 2020 tax returns
Those who already filed a 2020 return and were assessed an overpayment had been advised by IRS not to file an amended return and to await further guidance. This is the guidance, the IRS says it will be processing refunds for these taxpayers with no need for an amended return, the guidance also has instructions for those who have not yet filed or completed filing s 2020 return. (The tax filing deadline for 2020 was previously extended to May 17, 2021).
The April 9, 2021 IRS announcement is here: