The City of Chelsea, through the Department of Housing and Community Development and Senior Center, La Colaborativa, and the Neighborhood Developers (TND) are forging an innovative partnership to improve access to critical health insurance for residents of Chelsea, with a focus on assisting the most vulnerable households.
“Through the MassHealth Community Enrollment Campaign, the Department has contracted with La Colaborativa and The Neighborhood Developers to establish a local initiative,” stated Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang, Senior Project Manager with Housing and Community Development. “The main goals of the program are to make it easier for residents to access health insurance, as well as prevent residents enrolled in MassHealth from losing coverage as the state reinitiates a renewal process.”
Housing and Community Development Director Alex Train said the program will ensure all residents, regardless of economic means or immigration status, have equitable access to high quality healthcare.
“Due to the leadership of Chelsea City Council, our City Manager Ned Keefe, and partners at The Neighborhood Developers and La Colaborativa, the MassHealth Community Enrollment Campaign will provide a central hub for residents to receive multilingual assistance on all issues related to MassHealth insurance,” said Train.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), MassHealth members did not need to have their eligibility verified yearly in order to stay enrolled in MassHealth. Moreover, new residents applying for MassHealth were presumed to be eligible. As of April, MassHealth has re-initiated the yearly renewal process and new applicants will have to undergo a complicated determination of eligibility process.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services estimates that 50 percent of MassHealth members will be auto-renewed. The remaining 50 percent of members will be required to complete a manual renewal process to verify their eligibility and retain coverage. Based on these estimates, approximately 16,780 Chelsea residents will be required to complete a manual renewal.
To ensure residents do not lose coverage and have support navigating the complex renewal process, Housing and Community Development, La Colaborativa, and The Neighborhood Developers new program can help residents with completing renewal forms, collecting necessary documentation, submitting their renewals, and verifying they are enrolled in the highest level of coverage they are eligible for. The program can also aid residents in completing initial applications for MassHealth, tracking application status, and related issues.
Prioritizing accessibility for residents that may be unavailable during normal MassHealth business hours, this resource can be accessed by visiting bilingual drop-in sessions, scheduling in-person appointment times, or seeking assistance over the phone. Services are available
during evenings and on weekends, hours when the MassHealth customer service line and other traditional assistance are unavailable.
Residents can schedule an appointment or request to speak with a program staff member specializing in MassHealth benefits, by calling the Neighborhood Developers’ at (617) 370-5910 or by visiting one of the MassHealth walk-in sessions outlined below. Program staff are fully bilingual in English and Spanish and will provide interpretation services for residents who speak other languages.
Drop-in sessions for the program are listed below. No appointment is needed:
MONDAYS
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – La Colaborativa, 318 Broadway
TUESDAYS
4 p.m.- 7 p.m. – TND-Connect, City Hall, 500 Broadway #102
THURSDAYS
4 p.m.- 7 p.m.- La Colaborativa, 318 Broadway
SATURDAYS
August 5 and 19, September 2 and 16: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.- TND-Connect, Chelsea Public Library Auditorium, 569 Broadway
Every Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – La Colaborativa, 318 Broadway. To schedule an appointment outside of these hours contact The Neighborhood Developers at (617)370-5910.