I need health insurance and MassHealthConnector is broken

December 19, 2013 9:56 AM

Hello all, I was laid off from my job in July and went to Europe for a few months. Now that I am back in USA, I tried to sign up for affordable care act via www.mahealthconnector.org/ only to find out this site is the reincarnation of the devil. I cannot finish my application for this health insurance because I get stuck on a page that requires me to put in my employer info. Now since I am unemployed I obviously do not have an employer. This site literally will not let me complete the rest of the application without entering a whole bunch of information on my current employer which does not exist! How on earth do people without jobs apply for this?? Does anyone else run into this frustrating issue? Is there any other health insurance I can sign up for?
posted by bostonhill to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

If you don't have a job (and other members of your household aren't bringing in income) you may qualify for medicaid. Start out with healthcare.gov and take it from there.
posted by Oktober at 9:59 AM on December 19, 2013

@Oktober, that is what I did and it keeps re-directing me to www.mahealthconnector.org
posted by bostonhill at 10:00 AM on December 19, 2013

Does MA have a paper application? On California's site there's a pdf you can download to print out.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:02 AM on December 19, 2013

Call yourself self-employed.
posted by dfriedman at 10:03 AM on December 19, 2013

They'll still ask for an EIN. Call the number on the main page, they should be able to complete the application for you (or they'll tell you to fill out the paper form located in the pink column).
posted by Lyn Never at 10:06 AM on December 19, 2013

Try calling 1-877-MA-ENROLL (1-877-623-6765). They should be able to help you out. That website just gets WORSE and WORSE.
posted by mskyle at 10:11 AM on December 19, 2013

The Health Connector website is a total nightmare; you might just be encountering a glitch. What "worked" for me was literally trying to process my application over and over (each time it deleted all my info) and eventually it somehow took. It's been weeks and I haven't heard anything from them, though.
posted by threeants at 10:13 AM on December 19, 2013

You may be able to get it filled out by putting in none for the written information and 000000 for any numerical information.
But I'd call first to confirm that that is what they want you to do to by-pass it.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:25 AM on December 19, 2013

You don't have to use the health connector (unless you're applying for the subsidized program, then I don't know). When we moved to MA I used the connector to price and compare plans, then, since I couldn't get the website to work either, called a company (Tufts) directly when I'd decided. Got the same plan and price listed on the connector. It was easy. Unless something has changed since then, I recommend not using the connector application.
posted by Kriesa at 10:56 AM on December 19, 2013

The Health Connector web site is definitely the last thing to try right now if you're looking for state or federally subsidized health care coverage. Even if you get through the rest of the site, you won't be able to complete the final step (paying your first premium, if you have one) to enroll in a plan. The Connector number, as mskyle says above, is 1-877-MA-ENROLL (1-877-623-6765).

However, the Connector may not even be your best bet. If you're unemployed - especially if you've been unemployed for a while and are between 21-64 - you might be better off talking to MassHealth (Medicaid). The Massachusetts Medicaid expansion has opened up Medicaid to non-disabled adults in need through a program called MassHealth CarePlus, with coverage starting 1/1/14. At the very least, MassHealth will be able to tell you if you're more likely to qualify for a Connector plan.

You can reach MassHealth Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m, 1-800-841-2900.
posted by kythuen at 11:01 AM on December 19, 2013

Yup, if you don't have any income because you're unemployed, you're not going to qualify for subsidized insurance through the Health Connector anyway; they'll just screen your application and transfer it over to MassHealth anyway. It's probably less frustrating to simply apply to MassHealth directly.
posted by iminurmefi at 9:01 AM on December 20, 2013

Today's boston.com: They're putting web site applications on hold, and accepting them offline only.
posted by Melismata at 9:20 AM on December 20, 2013