- Make a payment as a guest; or
- Mail a check or money order to the address on your invoice, or
- Drop off your payment at a Health Connector walk-in center.
If you need affordable health insurance, you may be able to get free or low-cost health coverage from MassHealth or ConnectorCare. MassHealth and ConnectorCare are separate programs but you apply for both at the same time. If you are not eligible for full MassHealth coverage, you may be eligible for ConnectorCare instead.
How do I apply for MassHealth and ConnectorCare?You apply for both MassHealth and ConnectorCare at the same time, through one application.
The application form and the way you apply are different, based on whether you are over or under the age of 65.
For many people, the best way to apply is with help from an “enrollment assister,” “certified application counselor” or “navigator.” These are people who are trained and certified by MassHealth and the Health Connector. Find a statewide enrollment assister or one near you.
If you are under 65, or the primary caretaker of a child under 19, you can:
What happens after I submit my application?If you are on Medicare
If you only want help with your Medicare premiums, copayments and deductibles, but do not want to apply for full MassHealth coverage, there is a 1-page application for MassHealth Medicare Savings Programs that only help with Medicare costs. Find out more about Medicare Savings Programs.
You will get a written notice in the mail telling you if your application was:
If you applied online or by phone, you may find out right away if you qualify or not or whether more information is needed.
If you are approved, the notice tells you what program you qualify for and when your coverage will begin.
If you are denied, the notice will tell you the reason and include information about your right to appeal.
Sometimes the notice will tell you that more information is needed before MassHealth can decide if you qualify. Sometimes the notice will say that you are qualified but only temporarily, to give you time to submit more information. A second letter will tell you what other information you need to send.
What happens if I qualify for MassHealth?If MassHealth finds you qualify, you are covered by MassHealth right away. Usually it will also cover you for a period before you submit the application. This is called a “retroactive” coverage period. If you were charged for any medical expenses during the retroactive period, let your providers know so they can bill MassHealth for those expenses.
MassHealth will send you a blue card with your unique MassHealth ID number. The number will be on the notice from MassHealth too. Be sure to always show your card or have your MassHealth ID number when you see your health care providers.
Most people under 65 also need to pick a managed care plan soon after they qualify for MassHealth. If this applies to you, MassHealth will mail you information about your plan options. If you do not pick a plan for yourself, MassHealth will assign a plan for you. Your managed care plan will send you a plan card that will also have your MassHealth ID on it, and information about your plan benefits.
You can get help to decide which managed care plan you want or change your plan. For help, call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900. Or call one of the certified enrollment assistance organizations that help people apply.
qualify-connectorcare What happens if I qualify for ConnectorCare?If you qualify for ConnectorCare, you will get 2 notices in the mail: 1 from MassHealth and 1 from the Health Connector.
The MassHealth notice will tell you:
Some people who qualify for ConnectorCare may also qualify for a kind of MassHealth called MassHealth Limited that only covers emergencies. Some people who qualify for ConnectorCare may qualify for the Health Safety Net temporarily to give them time to enroll in ConnectorCare.
If you apply online or over the phone, you may find out right away if you were denied MassHealth but qualify for ConnectorCare.
If you qualify for ConnectorCare, the notice in the mail will tell you:
* Some people may have no premium contribution and may be automatically enrolled into a plan.
If you qualify for ConnectorCare, you first have to choose and enroll in a health plan to:
To enroll, you have to select a health plan and pay the first month’s premium (if any) by the 23rd of the month to have coverage on the 1st of the next month.
If your income is low, you may not have to pay a premium and will just have to select a plan by the 23rd. If you do not have to pay a premium and you selected the option to let the Connector automatically enroll you into a plan, you may be automatically enrolled into ConnectorCare.
After enrolling, you will get a card and information in the mail from your plan.
Important
You can apply for coverage from the Connector at any time, but there are deadlines about when you can enroll. You must enroll within 60 days from the date you get a letter that says you can enroll in ConnectorCare or other coverage, unless there is a special reason for you to enroll later. One special reason you will be able to enroll in 2024 is that you lost your MassHealth coverage after April 1, 2023.
To make a premium payment: