Section 45 (Part 2): Commonwealth Care Health Insurance Program

For the purpose of reducing uninsurance in the commonwealth, there shall be a commonwealth care health insurance program within the commonwealth health insurance connector, established by chapter 176Q. The program shall be administered by the board of the connector, in consultation with the office of Medicaid and the health safety net office. The program shall provide subsidies to assist eligible individuals in purchasing health insurance, provided that subsidies shall only be paid on behalf of an eligible individual who is enrolled in a health plan that has been procured by the commonwealth health insurance connector under said chapter 176Q, and shall be made under a sliding-scale premium contribution payment schedule for enrollees, as determined by the board of the connector. Eligibility for premium assistance payments under this section shall be determined in coordination with and using the procedures of the office of Medicaid. After consultation with the director of the office of Medicaid, representatives of any carrier eligible to receive premium subsidy payments under this chapter, representatives of hospitals that serve a high number of uninsured individuals, and representatives of low-income health care advocacy organizations, the board shall develop a plan for outreach and education that is designed to reach low-income uninsured residents and maximize their enrollment in the program.