Community Leaders Highlight Need for Health Insurance as Coverage Deadline Looms
SPRINGFIELD — Local and state healthcare and community leaders met on Dec. 17 at Caring Health Center’s Tania M. Barber Learning Institute to discuss the Dec. 23 deadline for January 2026 health insurance enrollment, and detail the availability of financial help paying for coverage through the Massachusetts Health Connector.
“Recent federal policy changes have led to coverage shifts and premium increases for many Massachusetts residents, creating uncertainty and concern,” said Cristina Huebner Torres, chief executive vice president, Strategy & Research Officer at Caring Health Center. “During times like these, trusted, local support becomes even more essential, and our navigators have been on the very front lines, helping residents understand their options, maintain coverage, and navigate a complex and evolving system.”
Most people who apply for health insurance through the Health Connector get help paying for their coverage through the ConnectorCare program. The Health Connector is the state’s health insurance marketplace, the only place where residents can get help paying for their coverage, and where residents can be assured they are getting a comprehensive health plan they can count on and avoid the junk plans that lurk on search engines.
Open Enrollment started Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 23, 2026. However, most people who need health insurance — whether it’s people who aren’t covered by job-based insurance, have recently moved to Massachusetts, work in the state’s gig economy, or are otherwise without insurance — want coverage to start the new year. The deadline for a plan starting Jan. 1 is Tuesday, Dec. 23.
“We have a deadline that’s fast approaching,” state Sen. Jacob Oliviera said at the press conference. “This holiday season, give a gift to your yourself, give a gift to your family, and sign up on Health Connector by the deadline.”
Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector, added that “Massachusetts has a nearly 20-year history of being fully dedicated to providing healthcare access and the most affordable coverage possible to everyone. And despite the federal challenges, we continue to do everything we can to offer coverage to everyone who needs it. Now is the time for people who don’t have coverage to come in, apply, and find out what kind of plan for which they qualify.”