Massachusetts Health Connector Marks 18th Anniversary of Healthcare Reform

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Health Connector is celebrating the 18th anniversary of healthcare reform in Massachusetts, highlighting all-time-high enrollment in health and dental plans and providing health insurance to more than 1.1 million Massachusetts residents since 2015.

Today, 350,000 Massachusetts residents get their health or dental coverage (or both) through the Health Connector, the most in its history. This includes more than 250,000 in ConnectorCare coverage, the Health Connector’s landmark subsidized health-insurance program.

“Massachusetts’s historic healthcare reform law was signed into law on April 12, 2006, and not only created new opportunities for Massachusetts residents to access affordable health coverage, it also served as the model for national reform and the Affordable Care Act,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “Over just the last decade, more than 1 million Massachusetts residents have relied the Health Connector at some point for the coverage they needed, and today, more than 21 million people are in ACA plans due to what Massachusetts proved was possible nearly two decades ago.”

The traditional fall open-enrollment period is when anyone can access coverage, but special enrollment opportunities are available year-round for a wide range of reasons, including recently losing other coverage, newly moving to Massachusetts, or being eligible for ConnectorCare. Residents who need coverage can go to mahealthconnector.org to see if they qualify for a plan and help paying for coverage.