Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said the state is working to make sure the roughly 300,000 residents who could lose health insurance through MassHealth in the coming year are covered in other ways.
"The fact is some will move off of MassHealth," she said. "Right now we have about 2.3 million residents on MassHealth. So there are going to be a few hundred thousand that move off of MassHealth, but they're not going to be without health insurance. That's really really important. We're working to secure them health insurance through the [Health] Connector or other means."
MassHealth is the state's version of Medicaid. During the pandemic, the federal government told states they had to keep providing health coverage to those in the program, but that requirement is now expiring.
The state now has to reassess who is still eligible for MassHealth.
New Veterans Council
Healey made the remarks in Agawam on Memorial Day at an event at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery. She also commented on a new advisory council on veterans' services, which she had previously announced.
"I want veterans and service members helping drive policy and inform policy and the only way you're really going to have that input and have that perspective is if you have representation," she said.
Healey said the council will be diverse, including members from all branches of the military and all parts of the state.
Healey was joined by Jon Santiago, the state's secretary of veterans services.
In the wake of numerous deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home during the pandemic, the state Legislature created the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services to be led by a cabinet-level position.
Healey says the new members of the council will be announced soon.
