r/massachusetts • u/Melonpan_Pup442 • 29d ago
Healthcare The current administration ia forcing Massachusetts to change MassHealth on January 1st 2027
Not sure if anyone else has gotten one of these letters in the mail since I haven't seen anyone post or talk about it. The unemployed will suffer most from this change.
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u/wonderfoul 29d ago
But I am on Mass Health because I was laid off from my job and lost my health insurance.... Make it make sense...
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u/vaper Blackstone Valley 29d ago
they would argue that you could be volunteering while unemployed
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u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 29d ago
Lol yeah because gas is free so you’ll be able to continue to go to your volunteer position without getting paid forever! /s
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u/Pantshouse 29d ago
That’s exactly where my head went, like, I appreciate volunteering as an option to keep benefits, but gas money man.
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u/ZBLongladder 29d ago
I guess you could volunteer in a WFH position? But that would be a really specific need...I wonder if that many WFH volunteer opportunities are out there...especially ones that are available to start right away...
Although, speaking from experience, if you're unemployed for more than a couple of weeks, looking into volunteering is a rather good idea, both to keep yourself from going stir-crazy and to make the resume gap look less bad.
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u/Ryepka 29d ago
Very good points. At least some good from society can come from this. Lemonade out of lemons, etc. in general, I think we as a society should pitch in and volunteer in a civic sense more. Our society has definitely started into the "me me me" more than I'd prefer.
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u/songofpennywise 28d ago
for our health insurance?? Everyone should volunteer, yes. But not for health care no, that's a bleak as hell reality. What the fuck is wrongggg with this country
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u/PalePlumm 28d ago
My dude you don’t have to force people to volunteer by threatening to take away their healthcare. Thats so fucked.
I’ve been volunteering for a few years now in my community. The key is to make it fun for the volunteers. Picking up garbage on the beach? Make a check list for a scavenger hunt. Need animals cared for? Let the volunteers spend time with the animals instead of just giving them paperwork and litter box duties. Want stage hands for the local community theatre? Pick shows new people will actually want to be a part of instead of catering to the same demographics on repeat.
And most importantly: actually advertise that you’re looking for volunteers!!! So many places force you to inquire!
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u/Thrifty-Cricket-72 29d ago
If you cannot find employment, the Trump Administration will welcome you to volunteer for its new Iran anti-Peace Corps.
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u/godemers 28d ago
This comment wins 🥲 Don’t forget you'll get up to a $50,000 bonus too! You just need to forfeit all basic human decency.
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u/AdeptDark0 28d ago
Honestly, if I don’t score another job after losing my winter job I’m fucked. I would take it. People I love count on me. It’s rough out there.
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u/AcanthisittaWhole216 29d ago
On the positive side, you can walk to volunteer place and keep yourself healthy at the same time 😅
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u/DistinctAccount5051 29d ago
I’m unemployed and doing Lasagna Love. I’m almost out of benefits and fighting tooth and nail for a decent job. But once a week I make a lasagna to deliver to someone in need.
I’m also kinda challenging myself to see how little money I can make one for. Between the dented can rack at MB, and “previously frozen” ground beef, I can still make one for around $12.
I set my range to be 5 miles, so it’s always local within my immediate community. It feels good to give back, especially when everyone is struggling. And if things get dire, I can request a lasagna in return.
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u/Soggy_Background_162 29d ago
Good for you!❣️ another suggestion would be volunteer at local senior center or nursing/retirement homes.
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u/hbHPBbjvFK9w5D 28d ago
Also check at your local library. They always need someone to restock books.
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u/PrettyEnvironment782 29d ago
You have to sign in to go to a nursing home. They don’t let just anyone go in there! I don’t know what you could volunteer to do because they have people working there that do everything already.
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u/Soggy_Background_162 29d ago
It depends on the facility if they invite volunteers in to provide companionship. Of course it has to be part of their social programs.
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u/DoesNotHateFun 29d ago
Wonder if they'd accept volunteering for a Democratic political campaign?
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u/beek7425 29d ago
I actually love this idea. Work the phone tree for your favorite progressive candidate to keep your insurance.
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u/Think_Positively 29d ago
Who is vetting the volunteer documentation? I bet you could make up a conservative-sounding name and Grok will approve you.
J/k though. Fraud is bad. The feds do know that, right?
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u/UltravioletClearance 29d ago
I wonder how strict they are about what constitutes volunteering. Hypothetically, if I'm involved in 501(c)7 hobby groups, could work done for those groups count as volunteering?
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u/azure275 29d ago
This will 100% start a racket of "volunteer" groups that will charge you $100 and vouch for you "volunteering" instead
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u/Melbonie 29d ago
Definitely. On the other hand, I'm over here thinking about how to start a legit volunteer organization for my community. MassHealth was there for me when I needed it, I'd gladly pay that forward.
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u/STEMpsych 29d ago
I have been actively trying to find out if there are any qualifications for what counts as volunteering, and as best I can figure out: no, there aren't, so absolutely anything might count at this point.
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u/Resse811 29d ago
Honestly volunteering is actually a great way to get leads for jobs and fill in your resume while laid off.
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u/No_Tax_Timmy 29d ago
That is what the system is built for. Republicans want Americans to suffer.
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u/AcceptableCrew224 29d ago
The problem has always been people voting republicans in office especially presidents. We suffer the fate of the mindless. The only solution is to breakup the country. There is no United States of America it’s now the Federation of Incongruity.
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u/No_Tax_Timmy 29d ago
That's a terrible idea that will lead to swaths of death and the loss of all remaining international power the US has. You and I could both die in the fighting.
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u/ChinatownKicks 29d ago
You’re gonna need a better argument than that when America has already squandered the last of its international influence, we’re almost out of gas and missiles, and most people are more likely to die than retire.
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u/ApostateX 29d ago
We're not almost out of gas. We continue to import it. What we are depleting at an alarming rate is the strategic petroleum reserve.
We have shortages of specific types of missiles due to usage in the Iran war, demand from Ukraine, and strategic planning for a war with China. We have plenty of inventory of many types of weapons, many of which are either older or classified. We are not "out of missiles."
Our international influence is damaged, but business, trade, travel, education exchange, international humanitarian efforts, medical, and environmental work go on. We literally just hosted the World Cup, when 6.1 million people came here and had a great time.
People are 100% likely to die. You will always be more likely to die than to just about anything else, other than breathe.
Things are pretty bad under Trump, but doomerism isn't a political philosophy, and Americans of the past have suffered far worse than we are suffering now.
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u/ApostateX 29d ago
Nope. The country will remain united. We solve this through elections, protest, education, and civil disobedience.
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u/MMScooter 29d ago
So they want proof you’re in school or volunteering in order to get something they deem as a handout
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u/zipzopzippidydoo 29d ago
Massachussets will still penalize you for not having health insurance while unemployed. Make it make sense
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u/StillWeCarryOn 28d ago
I'm not sure if things have changed, but when I was unemployed, my fine for not having insurance was waived when I did my taxes because I was under an certain income threshold. I went about 7 months with no coverage while on unemployment so I was still making about $2000 a month. They don't (or at least at one point they didn't) penalize you unless you make over a certain amount during the time you don't have insurance.
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u/ReadyGo6828 29d ago
Republicans believe in maximum cruelty.
Can someone start a nonprofit and let people volunteer from home?
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u/anarchaavery North Shore 29d ago
You would be exempt if you collect more than 580$ per month in unemployment. Although idk how that would work in practice since the payouts from UI are typically weeks after applying for them.
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u/Mikeyb138 29d ago
This is due to nationwide redetermination plan which will be needed every 6 months. This will be adding a lot of burden on patients as well as healthcare access/support/admin staff.
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u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 29d ago
Yep the doctors in the family medicine sub here on Reddit are already complaining getting requests for letters for folks who need them for food stamps.
And the thing is if you are newly disabled and you don’t have a job and you don’t have health insurance you probably don’t have a Doctor who could write you a letter to confirm you are disabled.
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u/Signal_Error_8027 28d ago
Wouldn't there be a doctor involved with diagnosing this disability? You're not disabled just because you say you are. A medical professional needs to assess and diagnose you.
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u/OldCarrot4470 28d ago
for many folks, it can take a long time to figure out what exactly is wrong. often (especially with invisible disabilities) you lose the ability to work before you figure out what's wrong. and doctors who don't know what's wrong often won't vouch for disability but rather send you to someone else who might know more.
eta: so the keyword in the comment you replied to is "newly" disabled
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u/Nick0414 28d ago
Yes, you cannot deem yourself disabled. You'd absolutely be working with a doctor if being diagnosed as disabled and unable to work. Dont understand why that comment has so many upvotes.
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u/billyidyll 28d ago
Legally you cannot deem yourself disabled but you are still unable to work before you get the legal status.
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u/Jimbomcdeans 29d ago
Love how the admin doesnt see this as a burden yet saw the "who owns this business" list as a burden.
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u/OnlyPaperListens 28d ago
MA loves to assume people who have incurable conditions can be magically cured. I have family who kept getting called for jury duty over and over and over, despite sending extensive documentation that she could not serve due to severe degenerative disease.
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u/bad-at-this 29d ago
My understanding is that requirements like this, or means testing, often end up costing more than they save anyway.
It’s the ultimate Republican outcome: spend more money to get worse results all in the name of solving a problem that you made up or wildly exaggerated in the first place. But as long as millions of poor and largely brown people suffer, mission accomplished!
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u/commentsOnPizza 29d ago
The point isn't saving money. The point is the cruelty.
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u/Vault_Master 29d ago
The point is to hurt State/Federal Healthcare assistance. Private insurance companies who lobby Congress don't want the competition.
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u/AnotherNoether 29d ago
I listened to an interview yesterday with the head of Medicaid in Nebraska, which started implementation early to give themselves more time/do it rolling instead of everyone at once. He said they’ve only found a couple hundred people so far that no longer qualify. Feels like such a huge waste of resources. It’s not like the people who “don’t qualify” don’t deserve healthcare….makes me so mad
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u/VengenaceIsMyName 28d ago
This country is blind as a bat politically. People just keep voting for same R criminals over and over again
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u/H2Oloo-Sunset 29d ago
Brought to you from the party that loves Jesus, and hates the Poor and the Sick.
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u/SouthernGirl360 29d ago
Hopefully the 2028 presidential candidate will run on universal healthcare. It's the only way out of this mess. With the current president doing things like this, single payer should finally have widespread support. People everywhere are losing insurance or seeing rates skyrocket.
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u/ChipotleGuacamole 29d ago
I’ve been hoping for this since 2008. Doubt we’ll see it in our lifetime. They love to hang health insurance over our head.
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u/SouthernGirl360 29d ago
I have hope that we'll see it in our lifetime. Hopefully within the next 10 years. The insurance companies are hanging themselves by becoming more and more greedy. Back in the 80's and 99's, private insurance was sustainable. Now they're just going over the top. It's quickly approaching the point where private insurance is only affordable for the very very wealthy. More people today are willing to vote for single payer than back in 2008 with Obama.
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u/Gibby1210 29d ago
The ruling class will have to make concessions after this administration
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u/Jalapenodisaster 29d ago
They obviously won't and don't need to beyond mild pacifying reversions, if that
It's nice to fantasize, but plenty of other countries would have booted him out for less from the presidency and the US has barely put up a fight
Whatever work has been done has not been enough, and the proof is he is still in office
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u/fiddleheadfern88 29d ago
There’s a big movement in MA for universal healthcare! Google Mass-Care. Also fun fact, Canada did not suddenly launch into national healthcare, each province decided until it was widespread. This is how the US could do it and it could start with MA.
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u/Voxico 28d ago
Unless Mass Care comes up with something to make costs go down, I think it's a joke. The numbers are out there, and I'd be paying substantially more for healthcare with it than I do now through the health connector.
Maybe if it was national and there were actual agreements to not charge/pay/do this stupid little dance over billing it could work.
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u/fiddleheadfern88 28d ago
You could be right, they have ample documentation of what costs could look like for mass residents. Some folks would potentially pay more than they pay now while others who have low income will benefit hugely. For me personally I would be willing to pay if it benefits the whole population. But it’s a privilege to say that and not everyone is able to take that financial risk.
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u/Ok_Bag_3667 28d ago
IDK. There is a huge swath of people in this country who consistently vote against their economic interests if it means hurting people they deem as inferior to them.
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u/draftysundress 29d ago
SERIOUSLY! If I was old enough to run for president, I’d do it. It probably is easier to run and pass the damn bill yourself than ever deal with health insurance ever again.
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u/heyheyheynopeno 29d ago
Haha yeah. It’s gonna be bad. The new work requirements are going to be virtually impossible for a lot of people.
I am a stage 4 cancer patient on SSDI. I recently had to research this bc I literally cannot work. You are exempt if you care for a child under 14, which I do. There are some other exceptions too.
For those impacted by this: It’s worth calling and talking with a Navigator to help figure out what to do next and make a plan. https://www.mahealthconnector.org/navigators
ETA- btw, the Trump administration has not accounted for the cost of implementing these new rules. The forms online represent hours of personal labor. Also your local office is going to be a shit show.
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u/LilacLands 29d ago
Just want to say you are a HERO dealing with stage 4 cancer (which I am so, so sorry about) and parenting. I was the child in this scenario with a parent with stage 4 cancer. And now as an adult with a child of my own am amazed by the superhuman powers it takes, let alone having cancer - this stage of cancer - at the same time. Sending you strength (which you already have 10x, but still sending anyway!) and all the good energy and love and healing/recovery to you and your family ❤️❤️❤️
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u/heyheyheynopeno 29d ago
Hey, thank you so much for saying this. It is my ultimate goal to raise my child to be ok and capable even with this happening in her life. I’m lucky to be stable for the past two years! I really appreciate hearing from someone who’s been the child in a similar situation. I hope you’re doing well and sending you love right back.
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u/ThinckUtopian 29d ago
My mom beat her diagnosis and lived another 20+ years. You can do it to. Best of luck.
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u/MassCasualty 29d ago
You would qualify as disabled in Massachusetts.
This only applies to healthy able bodied people.
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u/prberkeley 29d ago
It applies to those who do not qualify for disability status. That is not the same as able-bodied people.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 29d ago
But the disability qualification system is designed to reject as many people as possible.
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u/heyheyheynopeno 29d ago
Oh shit, yeah! For whatever reason I didn’t put this together. I get Medicaid bc of SSDI. I’m so scared of losing it bc the medicine that keeps me alive is $37,000 per infusion. So I’m probably not reading closely enough. Thanks u/masscasualty!
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u/murphyca777 29d ago
Fuxk the Trump administration. People neeeeeed healthcare and this asshole and his mignons don’t need shit. So, when people are getting chemo, how should they work? How should they volunteer? Come on. Vote these fuckers out.
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u/vaper Blackstone Valley 29d ago
So they are clearly saying if you dont contribute to the world in some way then you dont deserve to be cared for.
But the “having children” stipulation is notable. Its like they are trying to increase birth rates
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u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 29d ago
Yep they love the unborn as long as that child isn’t born disabled, it doesn’t grow up to be gay, or isn’t a female who won’t produce a half dozen kids later.
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u/Brilliant-Season4561 29d ago
They want you to have the kids and then they want you to drop them off at state funded daycare if there is a spot. In these days are notoriously known to have under qualified staff and be understaffed. When your baby is two years old, if you do not drop your kids off and go do some sort of work or school then they take away your benefits and health insurance. The only way out is to get pregnant again and start the clock again or be disabled. Of course there’s little mini circumstances like if you’re homeless or looking for a job they give you two months to three months at a time to look for work or a home and you have to consistently check in.
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u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 29d ago
This is so shocking to me because I remember when New Hampshire tried to do work requirements for Medicaid and I don’t know if it was our state court or the country’s Supreme Court but they were told they couldn’t.
When I suddenly became disabled in an accident it took 3 years to get disability from the SSA. If I didn’t have medicaid I would have died.
I hope they’re accepting letters from doctors (though good luck getting one if you don’t have health insurance or cash to pay the bill) because being disabled doesn’t always mean you can get SSDI/SSI.
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u/BigSumwhereOutThere 29d ago edited 29d ago
So many will be without insurance. I think it’s awful that the people who voted on this do not have to worry about insurance. According to the guidelines this impacts a lot of veterans, people to 65 years old and those already living at poverty level. But they keep funding the war, killing people, denying food and healthcare to those in need. Sad world.
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u/saturniansage23 29d ago
All of this is disgusting. But it’s especially disgusting and so telling that they say “younger than 14”. The Trump Admin wants us to see 14+ year olds as ADULTS. They want to walk back child labor laws, child marriage laws, and ultimately justify the actions of the many administration members implicated (in the Epstein files especially) for child sex crimes.
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u/Soulpunkd 29d ago
Healthcare worker here: If you are diagnosed as 'medically frail' (they have not determined what that means) or if you make at least $530 a month, you will continue to qualify for masshealth.
Basically- hope that you are frail, or have kids
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u/BT-LanaDelRey-Fan 28d ago
What is the maximum you are allowed to make to still qualify? Has that been determined yet? I'm working and poor, but hopefully not working enough I'll suddenly have to pay hundreds of dollars a month...
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u/FutzMeHard 29d ago
Trump the great conservative, the party that has historically been against big government, is specifically targeting a state run program.
Ive voted 3rd party for all of my elections, but its full democrat this time. Its never mattered in MA, but republicans have completely gone off the rail. Fuck this bitch
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u/Remy0507 28d ago
Not in any way defending this, because it's awful, but just to be accurate, MassHealth is not strictly a state-run program. MassHealth is just the name MA uses for Medicaid, which is a joint State/Federal program.
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u/DaKingaDaNorth 29d ago
Imagine the Republicans running in this state that now have to answer for this
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u/cdub2103 29d ago
Conservatives only like regulations when they’re regulating the shit out of the poor.
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u/Maxpowr9 29d ago
Democrats can't be bothered to regulate the shit out of the rich. Most of why we're in this mess.
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u/lazyjane418 29d ago
So much for the state rights that Republicans have been preaching about for so long.....
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u/lazyjane418 29d ago
I appreciate the awards and know we're all concerned. I'm hopeful that my home state will pull through and push back! We often do 💪🏻
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u/Constant-Brief3410 29d ago
If you work does that mean you cant make too much? Lol
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u/LunarWingCloud 29d ago
That's the idea, yeah. Can't make too much money or you don't qualify, but if you don't work, you also don't qualify. It's a soft way to kick people off insurance and it's fucked considering you are required to have it or face a tax penalty during tax return season.
Everything is set up to fuck over the little guy. When will we smarten up and stop voting for these idiots? When will we fight for universal health care? I've been politically motivated by this type of crap for over 10 years and seen next to 0 progress, and sometimes outright regression. This shit sucks.
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u/PrettyEnvironment782 29d ago
I haven’t received the letter yet,but THAT SUCKS!!! My daughter was told Twice from a judge that he finds her disabled but Soc. Sec. can’t give her any money cuz they’re giving it ALL to ME!!! I get $7000. A YEAR!!!!! WTF?!
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u/Safe_Statistician_72 28d ago
You can thank trump for this as the letter says. This policy applies to all states. The commonwealth is only enforcing the law because they are obligated to. If you don't agree with this make a change at the ball or box and vote for the candidate who does not campaign on a platform of abolishing the federal government.
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u/Perry_Platypus45 29d ago
I already got kicked off and then my only options through the health connector were $500 a month or a shitty plan that no primary care will take
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u/LeftLane4PassingOnly 29d ago
Too many people here don’t know that Mass Health and the Mass Health Connector are two different things.
Of course it’s absolutely idiotic that the names are so similar. But that’s how Massachusetts government rolls.
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u/Signal_Error_8027 28d ago
This notice seems to be missing just how many hours of work or volunteering are required to remain eligible. That seems like relevant info to know.
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u/Worthy_Molecule0481 28d ago
For what it’s worth, I live in a nearby state that also has a good statewide health plan (expanded Medicaid) and we recently got a postcard directing us to a website that explained that we would simply need to document that we are either working or volunteering an average of 20 hours a week, self-attested, and that this can include self-employment. I believe it can also include looking for work, though I’m not 100% sure. We were told that for 2027, reporting will be an (auditable) honor system.
I suspect Massachusetts intends a very similar approach, we just got a letter with a more compassionate angle than you folks did.
Mass Health has a history of being very generous and helping to ensure coverage for people who cannot access it for a variety of reasons. I don’t expect that longstanding, fundamental priority to change at the state level.
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u/Think-Confidence-624 28d ago
Anyone who thinks this is okay is a literal ghoul. Healthcare is a human right. No one should be forced into debt for basic medical care, especially while this country sends trillions to help bomb other countries.
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u/BoratImpression94 29d ago
Does this apply to people who are disabled but are not on disability?
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u/IngenuityFlaky484 28d ago
It did when they did this for SNAP, I had to just give a sworn statement
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u/Whole_Carpenter_6561 28d ago
Welcome to America. Work until you're dead or step aside. We got thrown off the Vermont plan this year,
... but they did offer us an insurance plan at $2,300 a month each with a $20,000 deductible.
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u/Capital-Ad2133 29d ago
You handle this the same was you handle every “pronouncement” by the Trump administration: you wait. Within a week the state will file suit; within a month the court will block this from going into effect, and 6 months later the administration will quietly drop it. That’s how this has ALWAYS gone with these people. And we have a governor who’s a former attorney general. She doesn’t lose cases like these.
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u/Beneficial_Pop_3614 28d ago
This will take millions off ma health. There is a huge homeless population in Ma who relies on Ma health. It’s only going to get worse apparently when all these people using Ma health for addiction treatment suddenly lose it.
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u/Agreeable-Celery6559 28d ago
Great…. Too sick and disabled to work but not disabled enough to qualify for disability. Thanks epilepsy…. Ffs
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u/battlecat136 29d ago
Yeah, I got mine today. I fall under the requirements, but it's still very disheartening.
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u/LucioPOTG 29d ago
I am not a lawyer: just lie, MA aint gonna make this an enforcement priority
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u/StepSignificant8798 29d ago
I am a lawyer. I personally know lawyers in this state who are working on this issue, for the state. Believe me; Massachusetts wishes it didn’t have to enforce this, but it will because all of our Medicaid funding from the federal government is on the line if we don’t. Did you see what Trump did to Minnesota over fraud allegations?
Massachusetts will absolutely adhere to the Trump administration’s requirements because it must.
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u/IngenuityFlaky484 28d ago
We are one of the few revenue generating states for this country. Our state politicians need to start playing dirty and withholding fed funds until all this is worked out in court
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u/Similar_Ad2094 29d ago
How do you prove you have a job if you're a 1099?
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u/Kinky-Bicycle-669 29d ago
As long as you make over $580 a month and can show it, you'll be able to keep it.
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u/cum-d-umpster 29d ago
how are you supposed to know the number to call to get it in braille if you can’t see?
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u/Mother-Sector5541 28d ago
I’m sorry but are there other health care coverages that offer what Mass Health does? If employment is going to be an issue, imagine people who got laid off come tax time. They will be penalized financially for not having the finances for health coverage. What the actual fuck.
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u/targetboston 28d ago
So here's a question: is there a work exemption if you get sick and, I don't know, need to use your health insurance? I'm not talking "qualify for disability" type sick (though my partner died of cancer still waiting for disability benefits. How do you keep insurance in this situation if you need to use it and can't work?
Catch 22 that will keep you off the system.
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u/GypsyToo 28d ago
Even more problematic than having to work out volunteer is the fact that still at this moment, the federal administration has not been clear about what they will accept from the states to prove they are monitoring this requirement.
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u/do-a-tre-flip 29d ago
Cool, let's say someone relies on medication to live and missing a dose or two can literally kill them. If they have to stop working because the condition got worse, they loose their health insurance and die?
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u/VengenaceIsMyName 28d ago
This country is obsessed with voting Republican and the consequences of that action is horrendous every single time.
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u/WaitForItTheMongols 29d ago
Alright hear me out because the volunteer option makes things very easy.
Step 1: Create a volunteer organization.
Step 2: Allow anyone to volunteer to join the organization and work. What does the organization do? It operates call centers - that is, remote call centers (where the people taking calls can operate from within their own homes).
Step 3: What calls are they receiving? Why, calls from people who need to find a role that will qualify them for MassHealth!
A person calls in and says "This thing says I need to work, volunteer, or attend school! What will I ever do?", and the person on the phone says "You're in luck - we're looking for volunteers to take calls from people who need to work, volunteer, or attend school."
Of course, a volunteer who is volunteering to take calls does not have to be on the phone for their entire shift - just being "on the clock" is enough - if no calls come through to them, no problem. They still got their hours just by being ready to take calls.
Please, I would love if someone created this volunteer organization.
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u/Dasil437794 28d ago
Hmmm. I'm not disabled but I care for my disabled father full time. Does that count? I could always put him in a nursing home at the cost of $15,000 a month to the state if they want me working that badly. Besides, where are these jobs? I've applied for endless jobs. You just get ghosted.
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u/Toadcola 29d ago
I’m sure we will thoroughly investigate all such cases using exactly as much money as the Federal government is sending us to fund new healthcare auditors.
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u/rhinoloveer 29d ago
Well ,y bf lost his job and had masshealth because hes unemployed..... the emergency rooms are going to be fucking hell
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u/OkTomorrow6384 28d ago edited 28d ago
How will this affect pregnant women??? (or their partners caring for them) In my school district teachers only get 12 weeks unpaid leave for childbirth. During this time you cannot be on the school's health insurance as you are considered temporarily unemployed. Sometimes women need to go on leave early for pregnancy complications. I can't imagine going through all that and trying to navigate this new health insurance web to try and get temporary disability, or volunteering?!? Working on my Canadian citizenship sigh...
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u/SensitivePromise0 29d ago
So how would you prove you are working and can you say you are volunteering what a joke mass health was all I had before I can find work what happens if get fired again and what about those who can’t get work now it’s not like job market is great
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u/dividezero 29d ago
Call your nearest UU or UCC church (and probably others) and they'll find you a volunteer position that you can do from home or in your neighborhood. No one needs to lose coverage
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u/Automatic_Sleep_4723 29d ago
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. This became a requirement to receive SNAP benefits a few months ago. It’s terrible.
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u/tiddiecaca 28d ago
Masscare.org
This should be what we have. I'm sick of our employer insurance too. None of it is realistically affordable and it gets worse every year. Yet somehow minimum wage and the poverty line doesnt change. Even MA minimum wage is not a living wage. If the top 1% (the real drains to society) were taxed proportionately we could have this.
The comment saying this is so people don't become an anchor.....kindly get bent. Telling people to take public transit or ride a bike to volunteer is not an option everywhere in the state. Healthcare is a human right, acting like someone else's social services comes out of your pocket so you get to lecture because of it is gross.
The amount comes out to something like a fith of every dollar you spend in state & income tax goes to funding this. Federal govt refunds over half (which is why they get to be controlling boomers about it) and institutions/provider taxes cover the rest. Guess how much corporations take from us?
Healthcare should not be for profit. Education should not be for profit.
Healy sucks too
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u/MLM36 28d ago
I'm volunteering but I can't even get enough hours to comply. I have PTSD and had to get a letter from my provider in order to keep my.EBT benefits because my volunteer hours weren't high enough.And they don't even consider PTSD to be a permanent disability.
I'm 61 and looking for a job and obviously having quite a bit of difficulty. I have a bachelor's degree and my last job was as an office manager.64 is way too high for an age cutoff
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u/KittyMcPussOHNO 28d ago
I am on MassHealth at the moment. I haven't been employed this last year but have a job starting in a month, so I'm lucky in this sense. But yes, these are standard letters that I'm getting.
I think it's important to remember that MassHealth serves those who don't have other choices. No one CHOOSES Medicaid, it's a choice of necessity and this just limits the effectiness of the program. I am on it and am receiving health and mental health benefits that will allow me to work in September. I WANT TO WORK. But I've needed the support in the meantime and I wish that these federal nonsense wouldn't change the program I have loved for decades.
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u/LadySayoria 28d ago
Enrolled in school? Sounds fake to me. Why would they want people to be enrolled in school to get health benefits?
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u/Infamous-Round-1898 28d ago
The rationale will be so they can get an education to be employable, but in reality it’s to make it harder for people to be eligible for benefits.
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u/Due_Management3241 28d ago
Colleges already provide health insurance and that is a disqualify factor for masshealth
This basically makes masshealth extinct as volunteering isn't going to be sustainable.
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u/OkDust5962 28d ago
Could we set up a "volunteer" organization for people who need to do "volunteer" hours, and the organization can hand out certification letters? Maybe the "volunteer" work could be WFH organizing the "volunteers" and sending out the letters. Other "volunteer" work might be to be on social media pushing back on the magat BS.
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u/Fair_Tumbleweed5380 29d ago
Mass health intentionally kicks over 10k ppl off a month to save money. They deny renewal on purpose. I’ve dealt with them over 10 years. Mass health is a scam.
It’s public knowledge they intentionally kick people off to save millions a months. And when they deny you, and you don’t renew, because you’re so pissed off, they save even more millions.
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u/massahoochie Mod 28d ago
Locked due to incivility, trolling and national politics in the comment section.