Outside Section 19

Codify MassHealth Essential

SECTION 19.   Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting after section 10F the following section :-

          Section 10G. The executive office of health and human services shall administer a program of preventive and primary care for chronically unemployed persons who are not receiving unemployment insurance benefits, whom the office determines to be long-term unemployed. These persons shall meet the eligibility requirements in section 9A, but their income shall not exceed the federal poverty level. Persons who are employed intermittently or on a non-regular basis shall not be excluded. The office may restrict provision of care to persons under this program to certain providers, taking into account capacity, continuity of care, and geographic considerations. The office may limit or close enrollment in this program if necessary to ensure that expenditures for this program do not exceed the amount appropriated. Persons eligible under subsection (7) of section 16D shall also be eligible to receive benefits under this program.
 
 

Summary:
This section codifies in the General Laws the MassHealth Essential program, which provides health benefits to long-term unemployed residents.