Since moving back to the States in the Boston area, I've applied for MassHealth (well really commonwealth care, but they all go through MassHealth or so I'm told). I'm lucky in a sense to be living in a state with something akin to a socialised health care system. I'm still a PhD student, but my funding has run out so I'm no longer getting paid (thus one of the reasons I moved back) and have been looking for work in the area (My partner lives and works here). Since my student loans are about to become due, all my savings is going into paying them off as quickly as possible while still being able to pay for my living expenses... which means that I can't afford health care. Up steps Massachusetts and offers state funding health care, I say "Yes Please". So I've filled out the forms, sent in the application, wait about 4 weeks and get a letter stating that they have refused my application because I'm not a resident. Wait a min... I just voted in this last Tuesday's election, in order to vote you must be a resident. My name was on the ballot roll and all. In order to be a resident, you must live in MA, they sent me the letter to my apartment in (drum roll please) MA?!?!? I have a MA drivers license, I pay taxes in MA, one of the big reasons I need this health care is because I could be fined for living in MA without health care. I guess though that if they think that I'm not a resident, then maybe they'll let that fine slide?
Yesterday I tried to call them and spent from 1:40pm - 5:15pm oscillating from being on hold to having the computer kick me off because they were having a large call volume. So I'm now up early and on the phone with them again. I tried at 8:30 and found out that the call centre doesn't start until 8:45am, so I called at 8:45am. The line was busy, busy as in a busy tone. I called back immediately. Apparently even though it's 8:47am "all agents are busy" because they already have a high call volume.
The next step for me (after I get off of hold) assuming that they can't help me is to call a lawyer with the community legal services. I have 30 days where I can file for an appeal and ask for a "fair hearing" and explain that I think the reasons why I was declined was false. I'm not sure how to show that I'm even more of a resident than I already have. I produced my driver's licence, my pass port, my check book with the address of my current apartment, and I even had some mail with me to also prove my address. I'm not sure what else to do.
I've been on hold now for over 12 mins.
3 comments:
Hi, MassHealth serves over 1
million prople. That's basically 1 out of every 6 MA resident (and this figure doesn't include on Commonwealth Care). Anyway, there are different ways to correct the error you've experienced: call the Customer Service @ 800-841-2900, call one of their regional offices @ 888-665-9993, or use their walk-in service by going directly to any regional Masshealth Enrollment Center. You can find the office closest to you by visiting the MassHealth website. Hope this helps!
Hi, Thanks for your help, I'm currently writing a post on where I was able to find help. I had used the Customer Service line when I was first applying but found them unhelpful, they were unable to tell me where I could find a virtual gateway in my neighbourhood and the robo prompts were not working. Yesterday my friend who was helping me got some of the advice I needed from there while I was on hold for almost an hour with the mass health help line. The walk in service was where I had initially gone, and as I had already applied stated that they couldn't help me and that I would have to go through the appeal process. I'm just about to leave now to try a suggested path around the hearing and will write about that when I find out how it goes.
Thanks for your help though, and I do understand that they are helping many many people, but their service is still sub par, at least on the phone. I also realise that the people who are working there are overworked and understaff do to budget cuts. To me the solution is education of why we pay taxes, the knowledge that many people use and love this service which is provided through tax dollars. For me this is the only health care I can afford at the moment and I'm sure that there are many others in the same situation. Although no one likes to pay taxes, it helps to have reminders of why we do, and that with a few cents more from each of us, programs like MassHealth wouldn't have to face budget cuts.
Correction my friend did not call the 1800 - 841- 2900 they had called the Health Care for everyone line at 1-800-272-4232.
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