On August 31, Governor Patrick announced a plan to use the $40 million allocated by the Legislature to cover the 31,000 legal, taxpaying immigrants in Massachusetts who will lose their Commonwealth Care Health Insurance at the end of August.

See announcement on Boston.com

CeltiCare (the provider network chosen for the plan) will provide coverage to all 31,000 legal immigrants. Benefits will be similar to those in current commonwealth Care plans; however, dental, vision, hospice and skilled nursing services will not be covered. We do not yet know if there will be premiums for the plans. There will be a $50 copay for name brand prescription drug coverage (a problem).

CeltiCare still needs time to develop its provider network statewide, and therefore, coverage will phase in for the program. The plan will automatically cover all of the 31,000 legal immirgants who will be losing their Comm. Care coverage, but new enrollees who qualify as special status immigrants will not be able to join the plan. They will be eligible for the Health Safety Net program.

While this plan is not as comprehensive or affordable as Commonwealth Care, GBIO leaders should be proud that our actions and those of our ACT!! Coalition allies have preserved some coverage for legal immigrants in this state. GBIO and the ACT!! Coalition will monitor the progress of implementation, including expanding the provider network, determining affordability of the new plan, and outreach to enrollees.