First, MassHealth has experienced membership growth in addition to the new children and Essential members. Growth has come mainly among families, and the expanded Insurance Partnership. Altogether, the net growth in MassHealth since July 2006 is 55,148.

Second, people have been joining private insurance plans apart from the Connector-sponsored Commonwealth Choice plans. All of the major insurers are advertising heavily, driving consumers directly to their plans. At a Connector meeting this summer, it was announced that a survey of the major health plans showed a net growth of 15,000 newly insured. That number is certainly higher today.

Adding all the numbers up (CommCare: 127,134; MassHealth: 55148; CommChoice: 8306; Private insurance: 15,000) totals almost 206,000.

While we are still a distance from universal coverage, providing coverage to this mostly low-income group of residents is an achievement we should welcome.

Children’s Expansion up to 300% FPL
On July 1, 2006, MassHealth implemented expansion of MassHealth Family Assistance coverage to children in families with income greater than 200%, and up to 300% of the FPL. As of August 2007, there were 53,500 children enrolled in Family Assistance, up from 31,000 in June 2006. More than 16,800 of those children are new members and/or converted Children’s Medical Security Plan
members enrolled as a result of the income expansion.

MassHealth Essential
Effective July 1, 2006 the enrollment cap for MassHealth Essential was increased from 44,000 to 60,000. This allowed MassHealth to enroll more than
12,000 applicants who were on a waiting list at that time. As of August 2007,Essential enrollment was 52,700. Given the amount of additional enrollment capacity for the program, MassHealth does not anticipate having to reinstate the waiting list for Essential

Commonwealth Care
As of October 1, over 127,000 people have enrolled in Commonwealth Care, over 26,000 of which are in premium paying categories.

Commonwealth Choice
As of October 1, 8,306 individuals have enrolled in health insurance plans through Commonwealth Choice.

MassHealth
Children: 16,800
Adults: 16,000
Commonwealth Care: 127,134 (about 26,000 paying any premiums at all)
Commonwealth Choice: 8,306 (out of projected 250000)

Total = 168.204

Numbers from the periodic 60 day report by EOHHS (10/12/07) and the Operations Report to the Board of the Connector at the Oct. meeting.

So how does the number 168,204 transmute into 200,000? A difference of 31,706 is 18.88% MORE than shown by the reports – hardly insignificant and most definitely NOT “approximate”! Exaggeration is so tacky and damages the crediblity of the speaker.