As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“Creditable coverage”, coverage of an individual under any of the following health plans or as a named beneficiary receiving coverage on another's plan with no lapse of coverage for more than 63 days: (a) an individual or group health plan which meets the definition of “minimum creditable coverage” as established by the board of the connector; (b) a health plan including, but not limited to, a health plan issued, renewed or delivered within or without the commonwealth to an individual who is enrolled in a qualifying student health insurance program under section 18 of chapter 15A or a qualifying student health program of another state; (c) Part A or Part B of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act; (d) Title XXI or XIX of the Social Security Act, other than coverage consisting solely of benefits under section 1928 or section 1903 (v) of said Title XIX; (e) 10 U.S.C. 55; (f) a medical care program of the Indian Health Service or of a tribal organization; (g) a state health benefits risk pool; (h) a health plan offered under 5 U.S.C. 89; (i) a public health plan as defined in federal regulations authorized by the Public Health Service Act, section 2701(c)(1)(I), as amended by Public Law 104-191; (j) a health benefit plan under the Peace Corps Act, 22 U.S.C. 2504(e); (k) coverage for young adults under section 10 of chapter 176J; and (l) any other qualifying coverage required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, or by regulations promulgated under that act; provided, however, that the following shall not qualify as creditable coverage: a plan issued as a supplemental health insurance policy including, but not limited to, accident only, credit only, or limited scope vision or dental benefits if offered separately; hospital indemnity insurance policies if offered as independent, non-coordinated benefits which, for the purposes of this chapter, shall mean policies issued under chapter 175 which provide a benefit not to exceed $500 per day, as adjusted on an annual basis by the amount of increase in the average weekly wages in the commonwealth as defined in section 1 of chapter 152, to be paid to an insured or a dependent, including the spouse of an insured, on the basis of a hospitalization of the insured or a dependent; disability income insurance; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; specified disease insurance that is purchased as a supplement and not as a substitute for a health plan and that meets any requirements the commissioner, by regulation, may set; insurance arising out of a workers' compensation law or similar law; automobile medical payment insurance; insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in a liability insurance policy or equivalent self insurance; long-term care if offered separately; coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under 10 U.S.C. 55 if offered as a separate insurance policy; or any policy subject to chapter 176K or any similar policies issued on a group basis, including Medicare Prescription drug plans.

“Resident”, a person who has:

(1) obtained an exemption under clause Seventeenth, Seventeenth C, Seventeenth C 1/2 , Seventeenth D, Eighteenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-second A, Twenty-second B, Twenty-second C, Twenty-second D, Twenty-second E, Thirty- seventh, Thirty-seventh A, Forty-first, Forty-first A, Forty-first B, Forty- first C, Forty-second or Forty-third of section 5 of chapter 59;

(2) obtained an exemption under section 5C of said chapter 59;

(3) filed a Massachusetts resident income tax return under chapter 62;

(4) obtained a rental deduction under subparagraph (9) of paragraph (a) of Part B of section 3 of chapter 62;

(5) declared in a home mortgage settlement document that the mortgaged property located in the commonwealth would be occupied as his principal residence;

(6) obtained homeowner's liability insurance coverage on property that was declared to be occupied as a principal residence;

(7) filed a certificate of residency and identified his place of residence in a city or town in the commonwealth in order to comply with a residency ordinance as a prerequisite for employment with a governmental entity;

(8) paid on his own behalf or on behalf of a child or dependent of whom the person has custody, resident in-state tuition rates to attend a state-sponsored college, community college or university;

(9) applied for and received public assistance from the commonwealth for himself or his child or dependent of whom he has custody;

(10) has a child or dependent, of whom he has custody, who is enrolled in a public school in a city or town in the commonwealth, unless the cost of such education is paid for by him, such child or dependent, or by another education jurisdiction;

(11) is registered to vote in the commonwealth;

(12) obtained any benefit, exemption, deduction, entitlement, license, permit or privilege by claiming principal residence in the commonwealth; or

(13) is a resident under any other written criteria under which the commissioner of revenue may determine residency in the commonwealth.
 

Summary

Chapter 111M provides for the individual mandate to have health insurance coverage. Section 1 provides definitions of "creditable coverage," which also provides that the board of the Connector has authority to further determine "minimum creditable coverage" standards for individual and group health plans; and defines "resident" for purposes of the individual mandate.

Legal Source

M.G.L. Chapter 111M, section 1; added by section 12 of Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006; last amended by section 12 of Chapter 205 of the Acts of 2007