Health Update March 3, 2023

Happy Friday, 

It's been another eventful week -

FY 24 Budget (House 1)

Our new Governor released her first budget on March 1. This is a link to MLRI’s preliminary analysis of selected topics affecting low-income state residents: https://www.masslegalservices.org/MLRI_H1_FY24_Analysis.  

Two highlights affecting MassHealth:

·       The  MassHealth budget for the first time revealed the Administration's expectation that as a result of redeterminations resuming April 1, 2023 over 300,000 people currently enrolled will lose MassHealth coverage by the end of FY 24. EOHHS prepared a powerpoint summarizing its budget including its commitment to “working to ensure that eligible members remain enrolled and those that are no longer eligible transition to other coverage.” Putting that commitment into practice will require concerted action and transparency by the MassHealth agency and vigilance from all of us.

·       House 1 also proposes to eliminate the asset test in the Medicare Savings Program. This MassHealth program lowers the out-of-pocket Medicare costs for older adults and people with disabilities. Kudos to the Mass Senior Action Council for their tireless efforts to expand and revitalize this under-used program. Jan 1, 2020 the upper income limit for MSP went up from 135% to 165% FPL and the asset test doubled, and on Jan 1, 2023 the MSP upper income limit went up to 225% FPL. QMB is now 190% FPL. Attached is a flyer from Mass Senior Action with the new income and asset limits as of March 1, 2023.

2023 Upper Income limits in MassHealth Programs

On  March 1, 2023 MassHealth income limits tied to the poverty level were adjusted to reflect the 2023 cost of living increase. The MassHealth's Desk Guide (with the new 190% & 225% FPL limits for MSP) and MLRI's Table are posted at the link above.

Redeterminations 

Finally, at last week’s Health Care Working Group, I previewed some of the slides from our 2023 Basic Benefit Health Access Training. The complete slide deck is attached for MassHealth Redetermination 2023: Preparing for What's Ahead (Feb 27, 2023)