Massachusetts residents who buy health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector can now make changes to their plans for a limited period of time.
Open enrollment on the state-run insurance marketplace began Friday and runs until Jan. 23, 2027. State and Boston officials said residents can take advantage of the Connector’s assistance program, especially after recent federal changes to healthcare spending.
The Health Connector is a program for people who don’t receive insurance from their job or make too much to qualify for MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program.
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s Public Health Commissioner, said rising costs have made it more difficult for people to maintain their insurance, and that having health insurance is the “difference between life and death.”
“Over the years, I have had patients living with HIV who’ve fallen out of care, patients living with diabetes who stopped their medication and literally ended up in the emergency department, and patients who delayed cancer screenings only to eventually present with late-stage disease,” Ojikutu said Friday. “And that’s all because of lapses in insurance coverage.”
State officials urged residents who may be confused about coverage options to reach out to the Connector’s Navigator program for assistance.
Boston officials said city residents concerned about buying health insurance can call the Mayor’s Health Line.