transcript

transcript  Mitigating The Costs of Housing Program Overview

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Hi everybody, we're gonna get started in just a few minutes. We have a very large number of people registered for this.

 

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So we it's actually just take you a few minutes for everybody to join. So just give us a few minutes.

 

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Good afternoon everybody. Thank you for joining us. My name is Emily Cooper. I'm the special adviser on housing at Mass Health, which is the state Medicaid agency.

 

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I appreciate you taking the time to be on this webinar today, which is about the match program. I wanna let you know that, there are over 600 people registered for this presentation.

 

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I'm speaking particularly slowly because I'm watching the numbers as they join. So it takes a few minutes to get everybody joined.

 

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Because there are so many people, we are, we have muted everybody and we ask that, questions be submitted in writing.

 

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I am going to go ahead and, do the presentation. Straight through and then we will.

 

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Do questions at the end. So if you have questions, you can hold them till the end or you can type them into the chat or into the question and answer session.

 

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Question answer page and we will get to them at the end of the recording. That should be at the end of the presentation.

 

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We are recording this presentation. If that is something that you don't consent to, you can leave it this time.

 

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We are recording the presentation and we'll be posting it on the Mass Health Match program website, along with these materials.

 

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You should have received the materials. When you registered, if you, need the materials after this, as I said, they will be on the website, which we will provide in the session.

 

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Okay, so I see we are at about Almost 300 people so I'm gonna go ahead and start it is 2 33 I have some great people in the background here from HMA.

 

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From you health solutions and from mass health. And I want to thank them ahead of time for their support in pulling this all together.

 

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It would be too much for me to do 600, people, 600 people and all their questions.

 

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Just, doing me and the slides. So with that, next slide, please, Okay, so what is the match program?

 

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Match stands for mitigating the cost of housing program. So it's an acronym match.

 

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It provides funding for housing costs that help eligible mass health members move from a situation where they do not pay for housing costs currently or related expenses into what's known as community based home where they're gonna be paying for this.

 

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And don't worry, I'm gonna answer all the questions that you have about what that means.

 

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What is eligible mass health member? What is a situation where they're not paying a situation, what is eligible mass health member, what is a situation where they're not paying a situation, what is community based, all of those fun things.

 

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But just to get us started, the match health member, what is a situation where they're not paying a situation, what is community based, all of those fun things.

 

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But just to it is not housing search. It is not helping people identify housing. It is tech for certain people when they find housing.

 

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We will pay for goods that they need to make that housing a home. And you can get up to $5,500 to pay for some of those goods that relate to like moving costs, security deposits, things like that.

 

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And other things that you need to make your home a livable place that you want to be in a comfortable place like sheets and pillowcases and dishes and you know.

 

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Office the different supplies that you might need for your pantry. So this is not a mass health.

 

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Service per se and what I mean is it's a grant program. It's paid for a special cut of money that the mass health got from the federal government.

 

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We have that money until March of 2025 or until we run out of it, whichever happens first.

 

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But what it means is it's not an entitlement. It is not offered to everybody. Not everybody is eligible.

 

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It's not like for example when you mass health is an entitlement it's a cover it's a something that you get health insurance means you can go to the doctor.

 

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That is not the case here. Here there are special rules about who can get this. And so it's not something that everybody's gonna get and it's first come first serve. So we will.

 

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If we run out of money, then that is how it happens. So it's not like regular mass health where everybody gets it and it's not like regular mass health where everybody gets it and it's all it's equitable and it's it's it's equitable and it's it's given to every little

 

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piece to everybody. It's it's given to every little piece to everybody. It is given to every little piece to everybody.

 

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It is actually a grant program and it and it's done on the first come first. I have put the website here.

 

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Everything I'm presenting today is on the website and I'm gonna go through the website a little bit later.

 

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Next slide, please. The first thing I'm sure you're all interested in knowing is who can participate in this program who is eligible and there are 3 eligibility criteria.

 

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Next slide please, Angelica. Thank you. So there are 3 things that an individual must meet in order to be eligible for match.

 

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And I'm gonna briefly touch on them here and then I'm gonna go in depth into each one.

 

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So first of all, they must be on mass health. But they also must be in a mass health managed care plan.

 

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So somebody will say, oh, I'm a mass health standard. That's not enough. You need to have joined a managed care plan and that managed care plan might have a name like well sense something or community care cooperative or tough.

 

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Or something like that. And we'll give you a list later, but you need to not only be on mass health, but you need to be in a managed care plan.

 

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And that managed care plan needs to have chosen to participate in match. So we'll tell you how you figure all these things out but I want to be clear that this is not for everybody on mass health this is for a subset of people on mass You have to be a person who is living currently in a place where there where you're not really paying

 

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for housing costs. So you might be in a hospital. You might be in a jail. You might be in a shelter.

 

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You might be in a congregate group home or you might be in a state system of care for youth or a substance use treatment.

 

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You're not really the person who had to worry about how you paid for the use or a substance use treatment.

 

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You're not really the person who had to worry about how you paid for the bed that you're sleeping in.

 

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Somebody else did that. And you're moving from there. You're living in there and now you're moving out.

 

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And when you're moving out, you're moving into an apartment somewhere in the community. And you're gonna live there and you've already found that apartment.

 

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So we need to know that you found the apartment and what you need is some money to move from moving costs or you need some money to pay for a shower curtain or other things.

 

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And we've set a shower curtain, or other things. And we've set a time frame.

 

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So you need to be moving into the apartment. Within like a hundred 20 day period sick we will you can submit your application 60 days before you move in and 60 days after you move in because we know that sometimes you you say oh well I need a security deposit and then you move in and now you need a couch.

 

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So we're giving you a long period of time. Assuming, let's say you're move you found this housing your lease update is a.

 

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First you can apply and you would get 60 days before August first you can ask for things as 60 days after August first you can ask for things.

 

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I'm gonna spend a little bit more time on this in a few minutes. Next slide, please.

 

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So let's talk about the first criteria. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in mass health on a managed care plan.

 

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Not every managed care plan has chosen to participate in match. Now again, This is a not an entitlement.

 

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This is not something that we have that people have to do. This is a grant program. So not everybody not everybody, not everybody's health insurance has chosen to participate in match.

 

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On the screen is a list of the mailaged care plans. I think there are 27. I may be wrong that as of today are participating in match.

 

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If you look at your health insurance card and it doesn't say one of these names or the person that you're working with doesn't say one of these names, then you are not participating in match.

 

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You cannot access the match program. But you'll see there are 27 agencies and I think we're only missing 3 or so that are not participating.

 

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If what I've said to you is kind of sounding like gibberish. What does managed care mean?

 

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I don't know what plan I'm on. All I know is I have mass health or I have this mass health card.

 

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I don't know if I even ameligible. Call this number, which is at the bottom of the screen, (180) 841-2900.

 

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That is mass health customer service. And if you give them your information, they will tell you if you're enrolled in a managed massage care plan.

 

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If you are not enrolled in a mass health managed care plan and you would like to, they will also help you enroll in a minute managed care plan and they will do that by asking you who your doctors are and making sure that you can keep seeing your doctors.

 

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That they are part of a plan. One of the plans listed above or one of the plans that we offer.

 

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So it's you need to know not just that a person is on mass health, but are that in one of these plans if you don't know that information you can call mass health.

 

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And mass health has implemented a, a virtual hold right now. So if there, if you are on hold with mass health, you can put in your phone number and they will contact you when when, when they're done serving the other people.

 

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So you don't have to sit on hold for that long. So that's a nice feature.

 

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Cause I know some people are like, oh, I don't wanna call and I'll be on hold for a while.

 

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So that is criteria number one for being eligible. You need to be have getting insurance through one of the plans listed here.

 

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Next slide, please. The second thing is you mentioned as I mentioned was you need to be living currently and moving out.

 

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If from one of these situations you're at a nursing facility or residential care facility also known as a rest home.

 

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A congregate care setting such as a group home, a hospital, chronic rehab facilities, psychiatric hospital, you can be in an emergency shelter or unsheltered, you could live in uninhabitable housing, you could be in a medical respite for people experiencing homelessness, transitional housing, doubled up situation

 

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where can't stay. You can be aging out of state systems of care. You could be in a 24 h diversionary residential program for substances treatment.

 

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Or a correctional facility. Now I'm sure people are like, what does it mean to be inhabitant?

 

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Well, what is double that mean? So actually at the end of this I'm gonna go through some frequently asked questions which are also all on the website and I will answer exactly what these different definitions mean.

 

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But so criteria 2 is you're living in one of these settings. And you're moving out of that setting.

 

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You're moving out of the shelter. You're moving out of the substance use treatment program. And the third criteria, next slide please.

 

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Is that you have already found an apartment. Again, this is not housing search. This is the goods.

 

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So you've already found an apartment. It's at 1 2 3 main street and you're gonna be moving into it in the next 60 days within the next 60 days and you're gonna pick when you live there that housing is someplace you'll probably have to pay a rent or a fee or something to reside there but

 

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you have your own private room. You have a door with a lock. You can decorate, you know, your room as you would.

 

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With any apartment, you can go and come as you please. Nobody's sending reports saying, oh, you know, this person, there's an elopement and the person is run off.

 

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You can have visitors. So it is it is community based housing that is, you know, not a facility setting.

 

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As I mentioned. Applications for match assistance can be submitted 60 days before the person transitions into the community meeting moves into their apartment and up to 60 days after the person has relocated to the community.

 

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So it's a hundred 20 day time period. And what you can do is you can submit what we say is you submit an application and then you you submit multiple requests within that 120 days.

 

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So you don't have to do it all at once, right? You have submitted an application. Right? You have submitted an application.

 

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We have your basic information. You ask for security to. We have your basic information. You ask for security deposit.

 

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2 weeks later you say I need a couch and a dining room table. Okay, so that's kind of how that works.

 

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So you need to meet the 3 criteria. Mass health managed care. Enrollment in a plan that's participating.

 

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You are in a setting. That, is, where you're not paying for rent and you're not worrying about your dishes.

 

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Somebody else took care of them and you're moving out and you've already found an apartment and you need some money to make it to secure the apartment or make it your own.

 

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Next slide, please.

 

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So later today I'm gonna walk you through the website, but we have a really cool, very easy, very quick eligibility tool.

 

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And it it you click on it you answer yes or no to I think it's 4 different screens and you will find out if you're eligible for match assistance.

 

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What I'm gonna ask is that anybody you work with go there first, ask these questions first, go to the website first and find out if you're eligible.

 

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Okay. That's the best thing to do. And it'll walk you through the process because I know there's a lot of questions about eligibility.

 

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Okay, I know that there are questions coming in. As I mentioned, for the folks who join late, we're going to hold all the questions until the end of the presentation and then we'll go through them then.

 

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So we talked about who is eligible. Now we're gonna talk about what you can get. So next slide please, Angela.

 

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So you can get next slide again.

 

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You can get up to $5,500. For up to 25 things. And we'll tell you about those things.

 

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So first of all, if you have a couple that's living together and they both take that that eligibility test and they're both eligible it's going to be $500 each.

 

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If you have a household where the child, the minor child is the only one who's eligible, they would get $5,500 even if their name is not on the lease for example.

 

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So the household will be the $5,500 is based on each individual and whether or not they're eligible so you could combine it.

 

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So if it's 25 items per person and you have 3 people living in a household and they're all eligible it's going to be $5,500 times 3.

 

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For 75 total items. Okay, so that's how that works. Yeah, only get to access this program really once.

 

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And part of that is because we have limited funding and we've got a time clock and the money might go away.

 

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So you get to you get to move out of wherever you are into the community. You get $5,500 and that's it.

 

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However, if something happens, and unfortunately you lose your housing and you wind up for example you lose your apartment and you wind up back in a shelter.

 

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You would then be able to access the $5,500 again if funding allows and the program is still running.

 

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So, you know, we don't want that to happen. But however, if it does, they would be eligible for match again.

 

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Next slide.

 

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So the types of types of funding, excuse me, types of, items that you can get.

 

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Through match include things like furniture. And furnishing furniture being you know bedroom bathroom living room furnishings being sheets like it's pillows things like that personal care.

 

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We will give you up to one month of personal care supply items. Shampoo, soap bodywash, clothing.

 

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Food pantry kind of stocking like spices and condiments and things like that. So you utilities, we will pay, you can ask for a utility setup fee or deposit.

 

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If the utility company says in order to to turn on your utilities, you need to pay back. Utility owns, Owned, Sydney, Oed like a rearages, then we will, you can ask to pay off the but nothing is ongoing in this program.

 

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So we will pay to start it up. And we will pay to pay it off. But then that's it.

 

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And utilities here are electricity and natural gas, propane, fuel, etc, basic phone service.

 

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We'll pay for moving costs. So you need a security deposit or first month's rent.

 

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No, we cannot pay for last month's rent. That's a federal role. So we can pay for security deposits, first month's rent.

 

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Things that like, you know, moving vans and things like that or if there's some fees in your lease for like one-time fees like for a parking space or a laundry fee.

 

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We can pay that. Fee as you start up. We could pay for a one-time cleaning or past eradication if the landlord or the owner, is not doing it.

 

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And if you have some special equipment that you need that insurance won't cover or third party won't cover.

 

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We can pay for that as well. It's called durable or special medical equipment. Next slide, please.

 

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So how do we pay for these things? So we do 2 things. One is we do EFT or Llectronic funds transfer payments.

 

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So if you submit an application and you're requesting assistance with any of the following expenses, we're going to do an EFT payment.

 

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So the security deposit. Utilities, pest eradication broker, things like that.

 

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And we're going to ask you to upload. A bill, an invoice. A lease, something to show what agency we're paying.

 

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Because we're gonna pay it directly. We don't give the $5,500 to you or to the member to the individual.

 

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We make the payments on their behalf. So the application says I need a broker realtor fee and we say great give me the give me the information about how much that costs and who is gonna go to.

 

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We generally process the EFT, I should say, is available. And staffed 7 days a week and we generally process the EFD payments 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

 

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And as I mentioned, they will require some documentation, a copy of a lease, a copy of utility bill, bill, things like that.

 

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To show who we're paying and how much. Also, because it's an EFT, we will probably need the bank information of who we're paying, the routing information so that we can process the EFT payment.

 

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When EFT is not an option because the, agency or the person will not accept it or participated.

 

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We can issue checks. Of note it will take a lot longer to get a check. It's tip where EFTs are typically one to 3 business days.

 

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Checks can take up to 2 to 3 weeks to process and we still need information from the landlord or whoever it is and so we're gonna need information from them in order to issue the check.

 

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So we can do checks, but whatever possible try and do an EFT payment because that would be done quickly.

 

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It's processed. It's done. No problem. Next slide, please.

 

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In addition to EFT, we, I mentioned shower curtains and sheets and things like that.

 

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So we will make online purchases on your behalf. So you put into the application what it is you would like to buy on line with the URL.

 

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The website link. And we will buy that for you. So we will also send it to the delivery address that you have provided us.

 

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Doesn't have to be your home if it while you want it to be your sisters or whatever it is.

 

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You just tell us what to buy and where to send it and we will take care of that.

 

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You can buy it from any website with some exclusions which will tell you about but in general any website will do.

 

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A few key things we've learned since this program has been up and running for the past few months is please measure first to make sure that the item will fit in your housing.

 

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If it shows up and it doesn't fit and you refuse it, you're out of luck.

 

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We're not, there's no refunds. There's no exchanges. We don't handle that.

 

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We've also unfortunately had a fair amount of. Packages being delivered and then stolen. So please make sure that the address that you use is a safe place to have the items delivered.

 

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So we contract that they got delivered and you can get them, successfully. A couple of things to note.

 

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We're not showing up to help you move that box into your house if it's really heavy or that couch into your house or to put together that IKEA set.

 

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So those are things you need to plan for if you're buying items that need to be put together are really heavy.

 

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You're gonna want to make sure that you have some resources in place, some friends, tools, pit, whatever it is that you need in order to make that happen.

 

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We cover, you can put in there shipping and delivery and taxes if you need, if you somebody is gonna come and set it up or there's a service plan or warranty, those are all included but they will count towards the overall $5,500 maximum amount.

 

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We do not assist with any returns or refunds. You should consider these gifts. So everything that's bought is final and non-refundable.

 

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If there's a problem, for example, it didn't show up. We will look into that.

 

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But if you receive something and it's the wrong color, the wrong size, the not what you wanted.

 

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We will send a receipt or a purchase order with it and you will work with those with. We will send a receipt or a purchase order with it and you will work with those with, you'll say a receipt or a purchase order with it and you will work with those with, you'll say I receive this as a gift

 

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and you can decide what you want to do with it if you want to keep it you want to sell it you want to talk to the vendor the website and get an exchange that's fine but you should consider anything but to this program a gift.

 

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That you will then deal with as you would with any gift if it's something you didn't want Next slide, please.

 

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:15.000

So here is one page of a 2 page list of everything that is eligible in the match program. And I'm gonna leave this up here for a few minutes while I talk.

 

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:25.000

As you can see it is pretty extensive coming like air conditioner alarm clock you know to window shades and waist baskets.

 

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:32.000

If it is on the list you can buy it. And I don't care how much you spend on it.

 

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:39.000

If you want to buy an expensive rug that is $5,500 and spend it all on that that is fine with us.

 

00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:47.000

But you can only choose 25 things from this list. So, you know, when you, when you buy things, think about buying things in sets.

 

00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:55.000

Because when you the 25 things is based on the website URL address. So I'll talk to you about that in just a second.

 

00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:57.000

But you're gonna want to buy not, oh, I'm gonna buy a measuring spoons over here and a measuring cup over here.

 

00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:09.000

See if this comes in a set, right? Because those would count as 2 things, but if it comes in a set, it counts as one.

 

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:20.000

Everything on this list is eligible for whatever cost. But not if you see this list and it's not on here, it's not eligible.

 

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:25.000

So that's the limitation. You could have 25 things on the list, but you must choose from the list.

 

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:31.000

So this is the first half of the list. Angelica, can you go to the next slide?

 

00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:42.000

And this is the second half of the list. So as you can see this humidifier diffuser tables of variety sets toolkits for your IKEA set, all those things like that.

 

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:57.000

Don't panic if you don't have to scribble madly. First of all, this PowerPoint was sent out and it's also gonna be online, but also this list is online on the website and I'm gonna show you later where it is and it's not changing so Nothing everything you see here is online and so I

 

00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:04.000

don't want you to be to be worried about writing every word down, but I wanted you to see what's here.

 

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:12.000

Next slide, please. So there are 25 things you can buy and then 25 things you can ask for.

 

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:25.000

And I wanna tell you how that works with a few nuances. So if you ask for a check for a security deposit and an EFT for, first month's rent, there's a gonna count as 2 separate things towards your 25.

 

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:34.000

If you ordered a something online and it was a pack of socks. And it has one URL, one website address.

 

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:42.000

It counts as one thing. If you order a towards the 25 if you order a box of 15 glasses.

 

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:48.000

It's all in one box and it's all at one URL. It counts as one thing towards the 25.

 

00:26:48.000 --> 00:27:00.000

If you are ordering 2 tables of the same thing they're gonna account they're not a set there's just 2 2 items but it's the same exact thing.

 

00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:08.000

It counts as 2 items towards the 25 and this is because we have to track every URL and every purchase separately.

 

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:12.000

And so we track them on the back end. We order them for you. We track them. We make sure it gets to.

 

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:21.000

And so we need to track. You know the desk one and desk 2 even though the same URL there's 2 purchases that we need to track.

 

00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:34.000

If, for example, you buy 3 t shirts and 3 different colors. They're gonna show up as 3 different URLs, then they're gonna count as 3 different items towards the 25 allowed.

 

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:41.000

So that's kind of how that plays out. One other nuance for the next slide, please, Angelica.

 

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:48.000

Is I mentioned before we do these one month supply. So there's one month supply of cleaning supplies, one month supply of pantry supplies or one month supply of toiletries.

 

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:59.000

Now how much is one month supply? So first of all, it counts as one of your 25 items, one month supply of fill in the blank.

 

00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:05.000

So, 25 of those. But then within your mom one supply that we 1 one supply is about 15 items.

 

00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:14.000

So if you, you know, you could order if you wanted 50 if you wanted one month to 5 cleaning supplies it would be 15 items.

 

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.000

And that would count as one item out of your 25 total. I hope that's making sense.

 

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:25.000

We have sort of a sub-category there. Next slide, please. So as always, there's some limitations, right?

 

00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:34.000

So I already told you the first one, only those items on the list are eligible. Hi, I also told you the second one.

 

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:41.000

You can only request up to 25 items on the list. And I've only, they, but they can be of any cost.

 

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:49.000

So they can be really expensive or really cheap, but they can be no more than 25. We can't do gift cards.

 

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:53.000

We can't do anything that you pay for an ongoing basis. It's a one time thing.

 

00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:58.000

We don't pay for rearage or rearages or arrears for rental or mortgage. We only do utility and only if it's for a starting up of the utilities.

 

00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:18.000

That needs to be paid off so you could start the utilities in your new home. We don't provide funds directly to an individual or to an organization and we don't reimburse people like, oh, I already went out and bought a couch.

 

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:32.000

Can you pay for it now for match? No, that doesn't work either. We also, if there is another mass health resource that could do provide the same service to this individual, then they may get the assistance through them, through that other mass health resource.

 

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:41.000

So this plays out a lot for some of these mass health managed care plans they offer a similar program called ACO Flexible Services.

 

00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:51.000

And so if you call them and you ask about match, they may say, oh, well, you're also eligible for flexible services and we at Mass Health have told them they've used the flexible services first.

 

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:56.000

So you get the same assistance, the same things. It would just be paid for by a different source.

 

00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:03.000

And this is just to avoid double dipping. So it just means that when you call, you'll still get your needs met and get what you're looking for.

 

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:08.000

It just may be that they're paying for it differently on the other end.

 

00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:17.000

Okay, now. The big question. How do you get match assistance? I've told you who's eligible and what you can get.

 

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:25.000

It sounds a little bit like Ed McMahon showing up and offering you, you know. You won the clearinghouse sweepstakes or something like that.

 

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:33.000

But how do you apply is really an important area. So let's go to the next slide and actually the next 2.

 

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:41.000

Thanks. So how do you apply for match assistance? So the first thing is. Those managed care plans that I put on the earliest slide.

 

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:47.000

Are the only plans that the only agencies that can submit and match applications. You, if you're eligible, you can't submit it on your own.

 

00:30:47.000 --> 00:31:04.000

You don't go anywhere online to apply for it. If you are a provider organization working with someone, let's say in a shelter or in a justice-involved situation, you don't get to submit the application.

 

00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:12.000

It is only those managed care plans that we put on the slide earlier and I'll show them to you again in a few minutes that submit the applications.

 

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:20.000

And that is because it's a mass off program. So it's a little bit weird and a little bit of a systems change to call your health insurance say, hey, can I have some blinds?

 

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:29.000

Can I have a mattress? Can you pay my security deposit? Things like that. So it is a little bit we recognize that but that is how this plays out.

 

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:39.000

So there is an online secure portal. Where applications are submitted and we have trained the managed care plans on how to submit those applications.

 

00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:49.000

What they do when they put in the application is they provide information about who is eligible and they include what's called a transition date, which is really the date that your lease.

 

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:56.000

Goes into effect or your occupancy agreement or whatever it is for your apartment. So let's pretend that is September first.

 

00:31:56.000 --> 00:32:07.000

They can submit an application for you up to 60 days before September first and 60 days after September first and the system the online portal is set up to track to that 60 days before 60 days after.

 

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:16.000

So that transition date is very important because we want to make sure the time frameworks and that you get your full 120 days.

 

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:26.000

They will. Create an application in the online portal and then they can make multiple requests through that 120 day period.

 

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:32.000

Up to the 25 items or $5,500 whichever comes first. And that's how that works.

 

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:47.000

So they put that in in the application in the online portal. All of the managed care plans who are participating in the program have specific designated staff who are trained in completing and submitting these applications through the online portal.

 

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:54.000

They are responsible for working with the in an individual to complete and submit the application. And also, which is hard, right?

 

00:32:54.000 --> 00:33:02.000

They have to gather all those URLs and gather information about who they have to pay security deposit too and things like that, which is something they don't have.

 

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:09.000

They're gonna have to work with you, the provider, you the individual. And then their job is to pass along information.

 

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:18.000

We're gonna email the portals gonna send them an automatic email say we've ordered this couch for you and they're gonna say just so you know they order the couch, you know, so they're going to pass along and be a conduit of information back and forth.

 

00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:33.000

And gathering information to submit the application and then telling you the progress on it. So next slide please. This is again a list this time a little bit bigger.

 

00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:39.000

Of the plans that are participating the managed care plans participating in match and these are the people you need to call if you would like match assistance.

 

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:48.000

If you don't know if you're in a managed care plan, the mass health customer service or you want to enroll in one.

 

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:59.000

The mass health customer service line is at the bottom, 808 4 one to 900 and you these agencies on this slide are the agencies that submit applications for mask assistance.

 

00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:07.000

You, if you're enrolled, if you're eligible, you are enrolled with one of these agencies and that's who you're that's who's going to submit the application.

 

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:13.000

However, don't pick up your insurance card, turn it over and call the 1 800 number.

 

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:19.000

And say I'd like to match assistance because that 1 800 number They might not know what you're talking about.

 

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:26.000

In fact, we made it so easy for you. We have gotten you a very specific person who will know exactly what we're talking about.

 

00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:43.000

Next slide, please. So these slides and if when you get them when you click on those links it generates an email to the exact person who is running the match program at Berkshire Fallon at Commonwealth Caroline's One Care at Cum with Caroline senior care options. You don't have to wait on hold.

 

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:55.000

You don't have to call the 1 800 customer service line. You click on that link. And it will take you directly to the person who knows what the match program is or you call that phone number and it will take you directly to that.

 

00:34:55.000 --> 00:35:02.000

This chart is online on the website. I'm gonna show you where, but this is who you contact.

 

00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:09.000

Now in a few months that we've had this program up and running, some of the complaints that we have gotten are I called mass health and they didn't know anything about match.

 

00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:16.000

First of all, we have talked to the customer service line so they can tell you don't call us, but let me get you the right number.

 

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:26.000

Then they've said, I called, XYZ. I called the number on the back of my XYZ insurance card and they didn't know and I said I want matches and they know what they're talking about.

 

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:35.000

I cannot emphasize this enough. You need to use the numbers that are on the website that are on the screen in front of you in the PowerPoint that we sent out.

 

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:40.000

They are here and that's who knows and that's who is handling the applications. So when you call the numbers on the back of your cards.

 

00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:51.000

It's just gonna take you longer to get to the same place. And you're gonna be frustrated because you're gonna say, this woman told me to it's a mass health program.

 

00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:54.000

I call mass health or I call my insurance and they don't know what I'm talking about.

 

00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:05.000

Let me also reiterate your insurance may not be on this list because they might not be participating. Again, it's not a requirement for every mass health plan to participate if they've chosen not to.

 

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:11.000

They're not on this list and therefore you you can't access the match program at this point.

 

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:18.000

Next slide, please. So let's say I'm interested. Oh my gosh, all these great things. $5,500.

 

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:23.000

I can get a couch. First of all, let's walk through the steps of what you would do.

 

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:28.000

One, you'd go to the website, you use the online eligibility tool to figure out if you're eligible.

 

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:39.000

2, you'd go to the website and it would direct you from the online eligibility to find the exact match contact that the slide I showed you before for your specific plan.

 

00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:47.000

3, you're gonna email them or call them that match contact and say, I'm interested in getting assistance submitting a match application.

 

00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:49.000

They are gonna ask you. Okay, what tell me your situation, tell me when you're moving.

 

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:59.000

Does that transition date for your lease date? Tell me what you think you're gonna need and then they're also gonna they're gonna ask your contact information and then they may ask you, oh gosh, you need a security deposit.

 

00:36:59.000 --> 00:37:08.000

I'm gonna need, you know, a copy of your lease or I'm gonna need a copy for the EFT payment.

 

00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:16.000

Or you wanna order online items, send me, email me a list of those links so I can put them in the application of what you want.

 

00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:23.000

And then, you know, they're gonna be able to put those in so that. The people always ask me how quickly this works.

 

00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:37.000

Well, the longest part is putting together this application and working between the match contact and the managed care plan, the mass health managed care plan and the person who wants assistance pulling together all that information and submitting it online.

 

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:47.000

Once it's online, we process it very quickly. The things that might take a while are if you bought something from Amazon it's gonna take as long as Amazon takes right to ship something.

 

00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:49.000

So that's You know, we don't have any control over that, but we will process the applications very quickly.

 

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:58.000

The part the things that take a while are putting pulling together all the information to put in the application.

 

00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:12.000

So if this is something you're interested in, I would suggest that once you reach out to the match contact and start talking to them that you might want to put together a list of those you are of those URLs of those websites are the things you wanna order.

 

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:18.000

Make sure that they add up to no more than $5,500 that they're no more than 25 things so that you're ready.

 

00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:27.000

When the match person says, okay, let's submit the application. So when to do that, you're gonna look at the list of eligible items that's online.

 

00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:32.000

You're gonna choose 25 of them and you're gonna make sure they don't cost more than $5,500.

 

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:40.000

Again, you might have to require you might have to provide some documentation, the specific URLs or the EFT payments.

 

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:56.000

And then your application will be submitted. And you just want to continue to communicate with the managed care match person that you're working with until you've received everything and you know you you're content and all the purchases and payments have been made.

 

00:38:56.000 --> 00:39:06.000

I'm gonna ask that, Angelica stopped. Sharing the slides for a second and allow me to share my screen.

 

00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:22.000

And I'm gonna walk us through the Masshealth website for a second. So. If somebody from my team could put the website address, they can't, they can't see it now from my team can put the website address because I can't they can't see it now in the chat that would be great.

 

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:28.000

This is the Mass Health Match program website. Everything I've said is here. And I'm just gonna give you a little tour.

 

00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:42.000

So first we're gonna talk about eligibility, which I covered. So we're gonna talk about, here, well, first, here are the 3 categories enrolled in a mass health managed care plan that has chosen to participate.

 

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:53.000

Only these healthcare agencies could submit the applications. And if you do not know the name of your mass health managed care plan, here's the mass health customer service center line.

 

00:39:53.000 --> 00:40:03.000

That you're moving, it's criteria to you're moving into the community from one of these places and you'll see there on links and those will take you to definitions for each one of them.

 

00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:14.000

And that you have secured community based housing. You've already identified a housing unit. And you're gonna be moving there within 60 days remembering that you can request match up to 60 days before you move in.

 

00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:24.000

Up to 60 days after. Here is this eligibility tool I mentioned. As I said, it's pretty quick and easy.

 

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:31.000

So it's gonna say, do you currently live in one of these following situations? If the answer is no.

 

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:44.000

And it's gonna say unfortunately this program is not gonna work for you right at this time. But if the answer is yes, I am living in a you know I've doubled up situation and I can't stay there any longer.

 

00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:50.000

And but I found an apartment. Have you found housing in the community? And I'm moving into within the next 50 days.

 

00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:54.000

Yes, I have. And September first is my least day. Great. Yes.

 

00:40:54.000 --> 00:41:01.000

Are you currently enrolled in one of these health insurance plans? And if I'm not sure, I'll call this phone number.

 

00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:04.000

Right? And they'll tell me. So here's this list and, actually I am.

 

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:11.000

I'm in, I'm gonna just help unify. So it says yes. I'm gonna one of these.

 

00:41:11.000 --> 00:41:17.000

Well, click here to contact the health plan. Okay. And it takes me to this list. Of the health plans that are participating.

 

00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:21.000

I'm gonna look for my toughs health unify. Which is the one I said I was on.

 

00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:30.000

I'm gonna email your health plan. You probably can't see this, but it generates an email right away.

 

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:39.000

Alright, I'm gonna go back, get out of here. Sorry. I am back to this website, which I hope you are still seeing.

 

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:48.000

So that's how. The matched, eligibility tool works. I is back to the home page.

 

00:41:48.000 --> 00:42:00.000

Where we can click on assistance. And here it gives you, I as we mentioned before, 525 item limit, general cost categories.

 

00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:07.000

Can't use for recurring costs and here is a list of the items that you could choose up to 25 and that's what was on the slides.

 

00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:13.000

All of it's here. Nothing different. You can look here and see what it what is here.

 

00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:24.000

And then some discussion as I provided in the slides about what you how you deal with multiple items or one mud supply and things like that.

 

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:27.000

Lastly.

 

00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:38.000

There is how to apply. So we just went through that a little bit. But first you find out if you're eligible and that takes you to that little quiz.

 

00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:46.000

You could also find out the name of your health plan and we provided some samples of what your health insurance card might look like.

 

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:50.000

And how you can find out this is Brook Share Fal and Health Collaborative. This is Commonwealth Care Alliance.

 

00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:58.000

So look at the card, see what health insurance you are on. that, that the car that you have.

 

00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:02.000

And again, if you don't know, lost your card, call us and we'll tell you.

 

00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:09.000

Or if you want to enroll in a plan you're not in one. Again, that takes us to who you're supposed to contact.

 

00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:20.000

Only use the links that are in this contact list online. If you are. agency is not there and they're not participating in the program at this time.

 

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:25.000

We keep this up to date, both in and in the future your agency does decide to participate. We will update it.

 

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:34.000

But please don't call the number on the back of your insurance card because they won't know this is where you come for information.

 

00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:41.000

So I'm gonna go ahead and stop sharing and ask Angelica to bring the slides up again.

 

00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:50.000

And I think we're at slide 24.

 

00:43:50.000 --> 00:44:05.000

Perfect. So that was the this is the website I just showed you. And that's where all of the information from today and we are also going to post a recording of this webinar and the PowerPoints on the website as well.

 

00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:13.000

So I know you have lots of questions. I see at least 20 or 30 questions in the chat and thanks to my team, I see people answering as well.

 

00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:14.000

I am gonna go through some frequently asked questions which may answer some of the ones that you are found.

 

00:44:14.000 --> 00:44:30.000

And I apologize because I'm probably gonna read them. But, let me go through them and then we'll get to the end of the presentation and we will.

 

00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:37.000

Stop and then we will see if any you still have any outstanding questions that I didn't get to in this section.

 

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:41.000

Next slide, please. So first we'll talk about eligibility. So how can somebody determine that they're eligible?

 

00:44:41.000 --> 00:44:57.000

Use the brief and simple online eligibility tool that I just showed you. If somebody has a mass health card and receives mass health services, does that mean that they're enrolled in a mass health managed care plan.

 

00:44:57.000 --> 00:45:06.000

No. It's a second step for many people. So for example, somebody who is 66 years old may have mass health standard.

 

00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:10.000

And have an insurance car that's in mass health standard but that does not mean they're in a managed care plan.

 

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:29.000

They would have to enroll in a managed care plan called, you know, commonwealth care alliance senior care options or something like that in order to be eligible so just being on mass health and having a mass health ID does not meet that first criteria of being in mass health ID does not meet that first criteria of being in a managed care

 

00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:32.000

plan. Again, if there's any confusion. How do you find out if you're enrolled?

 

00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:51.000

You call (180) 841-2900 and you ask you ask from with the person who's asking about their mass out coverage they could tell you about if you're enrolled in a managed care plan what it's name is what the name of the plan is and if you're not if they want in rolling

 

00:45:51.000 --> 00:46:04.000

one they can do that at that at that customer service line as well. Next slide, please. Okay, so some of those settings that you're moving out of into the community I wanna define.

 

00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:12.000

What is considered a congregate care setting? So it's a residential setting that's owned or operated by a service provider.

 

00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:20.000

In which residence you could have your own bedroom but you share other amenities like a bathroom, kitchen or living spaces and you don't have a lease or an occupancy agreement or something that gives you rights of tenancy.

 

00:46:20.000 --> 00:46:30.000

Most people think of it as a group home. It's you might be a license setting.

 

00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:34.000

That is a congregate care setting and for match. And people who are in that setting who are moving out into a department in the community.

 

00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:51.000

Will would be out and meet the other criteria, might be eligible for match assistance. We also said people who are in 24 h diversionary residential program for substance use treatment.

 

00:46:51.000 --> 00:47:04.000

Might be eligible. So what does that mean? It's a mouthful, right? It is a residential setting for the treatment of substance use disorder that is owned or operated by a and contracted with mass house.

 

00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:10.000

And you may have your own room or share one. You may share other amenities like a bathroom or kitchen or living spaces.

 

00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:20.000

You may have meals brought in. There might not be a kitchen, but again, you don't have a lease or an occupancy agreement or gives you rights of tenancy.

 

00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:38.000

It is a controlled provider operated, often license setting. And if you're in there and you're on a mass health managed care plan that's participating in the in the program and you found you're moving out and you found an apartment then you might be eligible for match.

 

00:47:38.000 --> 00:47:45.000

Another question, another group of people that might be eligible or people aging out of state systems of care for youth.

 

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:57.000

What does that mean? So for the purposes of match that includes individuals who are turning 18. I are not voluntarily continuing services with Department of Children and Families DCF.

 

00:47:57.000 --> 00:48:07.000

For the Department of Youth Services DYS. As well as those individuals were turning 22 and exiting extended voluntary services from DCF or DYS.

 

00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:18.000

So if you are in that situation, if you're on one mass health managed care plan that's participating in the program and you're moving out and you found an apartment in the community, you might be able to be to apply for math assistance.

 

00:48:18.000 --> 00:48:23.000

Next slide, please.

 

00:48:23.000 --> 00:48:30.000

Okay, I saw in the chat one of the first questions is what is doubled up? So I can answer that right away here.

 

00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:39.000

What is considered a doubles up situation is defined as one where an individual is sharing the housing of another person because they couldn't afford a place of their own.

 

00:48:39.000 --> 00:48:53.000

Hey, and the housing has insufficient space to accommodate everybody, all the residents. The individuals not permitted to stay in the housing or and or the individuals not permitted to stay in the housing because it's a lease violation.

 

00:48:53.000 --> 00:48:59.000

The other person who's housing it is is gonna get in trouble because that person is staying there and they're not supposed to.

 

00:48:59.000 --> 00:49:11.000

So either the housing space is insufficient or they're legally not allowed to stay there. Things like in-law apartments what they call accessory dwelling units somebody might call it a granny flat are not doubled up situation.

 

00:49:11.000 --> 00:49:15.000

This is a separate residence, but they just might be on the same plot of land. What is considered transitional housing?

 

00:49:15.000 --> 00:49:24.000

It's temporary time limited housing in which residents are required to move out after a specified period of time.

 

00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:34.000

You may have an Occupy Agency Agreement or something in writing, in this in transitional housing, but in this in transitional housing, but it doesn't allow you to stay in that housing after.

 

00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:37.000

But it doesn't allow you to stay in that housing after your time is up after that specified period of time.

 

00:49:37.000 --> 00:49:55.000

What is considered uninhabitable housing and habitable housing includes those locations that are not zoned for living spaces like you're living in a garage or an ATM booth as well as those locations that are not properly set up for living spaces like an unheeded basement or something like that if it was wintertime.

 

00:49:55.000 --> 00:50:03.000

Unheeded basement might be nice right about now. Okay, so those are the frequently asked questions around participant eligibility.

 

00:50:03.000 --> 00:50:17.000

These are also all online. I didn't go through the frequently asked questions section. Again, this was about if somebody's eligible mostly for the criteria number 2 where they're living now and where they're moving out of into community based housing.

 

00:50:17.000 --> 00:50:24.000

Now we're gonna spend some time talking about questions that come up around what you can buy or get through match.

 

00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:29.000

So eligible items. Next slide, please.

 

00:50:29.000 --> 00:50:34.000

So, oh, I lied to you. There's one more slide. I'm participant eligibility.

 

00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:44.000

So If an individual, so people wanna know what community based housing is. You're moving out of one of those settings I just reviewed and moving it to community based housing, what does that mean?

 

00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:52.000

That means a place where somebody is Probably paying for the housing. Maybe when you calculate that payment at 0, but they're supposed to pay 30% of their income, their income is 0.

 

00:50:52.000 --> 00:50:58.000

That's considered paying for housing even if the payment is 0. They have privacy. They can shut their door.

 

00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:14.000

They have a lock and a key. They can furnish their their apartment, their room the way they'd like, assuming that the, you know, in accordance with the lease, they can come and go.

 

00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:20.000

They can go to the fridge in the middle of the night if they're hungry. They could have visitors come over as long as they're not a nuisance.

 

00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:26.000

So that's what community based housing is. So if you're moving in with family or friends, it would have to meet that criteria.

 

00:51:26.000 --> 00:51:42.000

What if a person is leaving a facility and as a home to go back to? Would they be considered eligible and no they would not they have to be moving into a new housing situation and new where they are in need of financial assistance to secure the housing or furnishings.

 

00:51:42.000 --> 00:51:58.000

The home they're going back to we're gonna assume they don't need a security deposit for and they don't need, well they might like a new couch they probably are it's already furnished so this would be a new apartment where our new housing situation where they don't have anything and this will help furnish it and

 

00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:05.000

make it at home. Some shelters ask that guests there pay a fee in order to stay there. Does that make them ineligible?

 

00:52:05.000 --> 00:52:09.000

Cause then they're paying rent. No, that's not that does not make them ineligible.

 

00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:10.000

It's not considered paying for housing so they would still be eligible if you are an emergency shelter or homeless shelter.

 

00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:18.000

So they would still be eligible. If you are an emergency shelter or homeless shelter, you're eligible.

 

00:52:18.000 --> 00:52:27.000

Even if that shelter says in Okay, now we're gonna move to eligible questions about eligible items.

 

00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:31.000

Next slide, please.

 

00:52:31.000 --> 00:52:38.000

Oh, I'm missing a page. That's what my issue is. Sorry. Okay, we still have eligibility questions about participants.

 

00:52:38.000 --> 00:52:47.000

I'm so sorry. So can a family apply for match assistance if the only individual in the household that's eligible is minor?

 

00:52:47.000 --> 00:52:59.000

Yes, in the situation, an application will be submitted for each of the minors. If who is eligible and they can request up to $5,500 each for each individual who is eligible, even if that's a minor.

 

00:52:59.000 --> 00:53:09.000

The lease for the new apartment can be in the parents name. It doesn't need to be in the miners name, the bill for the utilities can be in the parents name, not in the miners name. That's okay.

 

00:53:09.000 --> 00:53:17.000

We totally understand that. And we have served people ages 0 to 93 in this program so far.

 

00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:22.000

For individuals who are incarcerated, oh, nope, thanks for individuals who are incarcerated.

 

00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:33.000

Their mass health coverage is paused while they're in jail or prison. So upon release, if they're still eligible, their mass health coverage is automatically reactivated, which includes them rolling them in a managed care plan.

 

00:53:33.000 --> 00:53:45.000

So are these folks eligible? So yes, they are. Individuals are in cash, incarcerated may access the match program once they are released, if they are enrolled in a managed care plan and have secured community based housing.

 

00:53:45.000 --> 00:53:55.000

So there's a little bit of timing issue there. But, once they're eligible, once they're in a managed care plan, they're eligible and we can help with some of those resources.

 

00:53:55.000 --> 00:54:00.000

If an individual is eligible for the match program, they'll be moving to housing located outside of Massachusetts.

 

00:54:00.000 --> 00:54:10.000

Can they access match? And unfortunately, no. It's a mass health program. Mass health is a state program and you can only use it to access housing that is in Massachusetts.

 

00:54:10.000 --> 00:54:17.000

Next slide, please. Yeah, now we're up to FAQs about eligible costs and items.

 

00:54:17.000 --> 00:54:26.000

Okay. So what is considered a miscellaneous fee outlined in a lease? That is something that we had in the list of eligible items.

 

00:54:26.000 --> 00:54:33.000

So, those include those fees that are not related to rent or utilities, but they're often included in the tenants payment.

 

00:54:33.000 --> 00:54:39.000

In order to use some amenity in the building. So common things would be like a parking space or a garage fee, a laundry fee.

 

00:54:39.000 --> 00:54:50.000

Again, these will only be once that we pay those fees you can't repay them on a recurring basis but if there's a fee at a time of move-in, we can that can be something that you request.

 

00:54:50.000 --> 00:54:57.000

Ken an individual receive assistance to the security deposit first month's rent and moving costs after they've moved into community based housing.

 

00:54:57.000 --> 00:55:21.000

So if somebody's moved in, we actually had somebody move into housing. And didn't have to pay those things right away but still was on the hook for paying them so given that the application for assistance includes documentation the documentation is still needed but the application is submitted within 60 days after the individual moves in.

 

00:55:21.000 --> 00:55:28.000

So let me do this as an example. I'm not being clear. So I move in on August first.

 

00:55:28.000 --> 00:55:38.000

And the landlord says I have until August fifteenth. To actually pay the security deposit and the moving cost.

 

00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:47.000

Or any other cost related to that. So I submitted application now. And I have 60 days from August first.

 

00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:52.000

To, submit applications for assistance that could include a security deposit or any other cost that the landlord had.

 

00:55:52.000 --> 00:56:03.000

So it's possible in some situations where you've already moved into the housing that if you need help paying for some of those costs you can.

 

00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:12.000

More what happens is people move into that they ask for a security deposit before they move in and once they move in they ask for many of their furnishings and things like that.

 

00:56:12.000 --> 00:56:22.000

That is more typical. Does it payment request and EFT or check for security deposit and first month's rent count is 2 items or one when you're talking about the 25 item limit.

 

00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:30.000

So 2 security deposit first month's rent 2 different items within the 25. Our warranties are service plans eligible.

 

00:56:30.000 --> 00:56:37.000

Yep, they're counted as taxes and fees and they're calculated in to your maximum $5,500 amount.

 

00:56:37.000 --> 00:56:48.000

There are some EFTP fees for participating and doing an electronic funds transfer. Does that count as a 5,500.

 

00:56:48.000 --> 00:56:52.000

We take care of that on our end doesn't count as a 5,500 any EFT fees you don't have to worry about.

 

00:56:52.000 --> 00:57:01.000

Can somebody go and shop in person in store for eligible items? We must buy them by check or online.

 

00:57:01.000 --> 00:57:09.000

And so we can't, we can't actually. Oh, excuse me. We can't.

 

00:57:09.000 --> 00:57:13.000

Sorry, can you hear me? I'm gonna help you there. We can't actually thank you.

 

00:57:13.000 --> 00:57:15.000

Yes.

 

00:57:15.000 --> 00:57:20.000

We can't. As people can't, we can't buy items in a store and you can't buy items in a store.

 

00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:27.000

Can you go to Target and look at that couch and say? Huh, I wanna see if I like that.

 

00:57:27.000 --> 00:57:37.000

And then find out that you can order it online and order it through us. Yes, but we're not going, but if you go into a store, you're not, you can't buy something and be reimbursed and we're not gonna come there with you and buy it.

 

00:57:37.000 --> 00:57:44.000

So it's all online purchasing. Next slide please.

 

00:57:44.000 --> 00:57:50.000

Okay, what about submitting these applications? So again, who's responsible for submitting the application?

 

00:57:50.000 --> 00:57:58.000

The mass health managed care plan. So your health insurer is responsible for submitting the application, assuming that they're participating.

 

00:57:58.000 --> 00:58:02.000

In the in the program. Do they have to submit in the program? They participate in the program.

 

00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:08.000

No, they do not. They're encouraged, they participate in the program. No, they do not.

 

00:58:08.000 --> 00:58:10.000

They're encouraged, but they're not required to participate in the program. No, they do not.

 

00:58:10.000 --> 00:58:14.000

They're encouraged but they're not required to participate in the match program. If a mass health managed care plan chooses not to participate.

 

00:58:14.000 --> 00:58:22.000

Does this impact the ability of the people to get assistance? So if they choose not to participate and you that's your health insurance.

 

00:58:22.000 --> 00:58:24.000

You do not have access to the match program and there's not much we can do about that at this point.

 

00:58:24.000 --> 00:58:37.000

Except that we are currently, we continue to encourage those people who aren't participating to participate. And if they're not participating, can they choose to participate in the future?

 

00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:46.000

Yes, at any time the program is operating, they could choose to participate. There it wears an up-to-date list of the managed care plans participating.

 

00:58:46.000 --> 00:58:54.000

We keep that list online and we update it as it as it gets updated. What number at the managed care plan?

 

00:58:54.000 --> 00:59:06.000

Do I call to get help with a match application? So as I showed you, there is a chart online and in this PowerPoint with a specific person, a specific email, a specific phone that you should call to get help with match.

 

00:59:06.000 --> 00:59:12.000

If you do not, if you contact the information on the back of your health insurance card, you will be frustrated.

 

00:59:12.000 --> 00:59:19.000

Instead, use the links or the numbers found online or in the charts. That are in this presentation.

 

00:59:19.000 --> 00:59:32.000

Where are match applications submitted? They are done through a secure online portal. Next slide. Okay, do individuals have to purchase items from specific website stores?

 

00:59:32.000 --> 00:59:51.000

No, you can actually purchase for anywhere except we have had some problems with security of websites. So at the moment we have, eliminated these 6 sites from being able to buy from, that we've also had problems with them not following through on orders.

 

00:59:51.000 --> 00:59:57.000

We will revisit this if there's something you really really want. We can look into it, but Bath and Body Works, Finish Line, T.

 

00:59:57.000 --> 01:00:00.000

Moo, Stock X, light in the box and foot locker. We're confident that what you might buy at some of these places you could probably find in another website.

 

01:00:00.000 --> 01:00:12.000

So we're hoping that doesn't too much of an inconvenience. When documentation is requested must be of a particular format. Excuse me.

 

01:00:12.000 --> 01:00:20.000

So if we ask for a lease or you. statement invoice.

 

01:00:20.000 --> 01:00:27.000

So it must be from a third party. They did it on Letterhead. And consistent with what you're asking for.

 

01:00:27.000 --> 01:00:40.000

So if you ask us for a first month's rent and you upload something saying actually it's a security deposit we will come back to you and say hey that these don't match so make sure that these don't match so make sure that these don't match so make sure that your documentation reflects what it is you're asking

 

01:00:40.000 --> 01:01:00.000

for. If for some reason you can't get documentation from the party that is being paid like the landlord or something and the managed care plan feels comfortable they can they can submit documentation say this is what's happening and we would test to the to the fact that you know this is this is the landlord and please you know take

 

01:01:00.000 --> 01:01:06.000

this as documentation. And then the last question is can purchased items be shipped to a post office box?

 

01:01:06.000 --> 01:01:12.000

Yes. The company you're buying for allows for it to be shipped to a post office box and whatever you're buying will fit in that post office box.

 

01:01:12.000 --> 01:01:22.000

You're not gonna ship a couch to the post office box for example. Okay, so that is been about an hour.

 

01:01:22.000 --> 01:01:29.000

I think the next slide is the last slide and there is the website. I mean, go ahead and ask.

 

01:01:29.000 --> 01:01:34.000

That Angelica stopped the recording.