Massachusetts health care programs for uninsured and underinsured residents
Massachusetts has more health care assistance programs than almost any other state, and most uninsured residents qualify for at least one of them. This page explains the main options in plain terms — including free or low-cost insurance, help paying for care at hospitals and health centers, prescription drug programs, cancer screenings, and services for children and seniors.
One helpful fact makes Massachusetts simpler than it looks. A single application, submitted online at MAhealthconnector.org (website: http://mahealthconnector.org/), checks you for MassHealth, ConnectorCare, the Health Safety Net, and the Children's Medical Security Plan all at once, so you do not need to figure out in advance which program fits. Some people struggle to pay existing medical costs, and if so, see the guide to getting help with medical bills to read about.
MassHealth: the state's Medicaid program
MassHealth is what Massachusetts calls its Medicaid program, and it is the largest source of free and low-cost coverage in the state. Adults age 19 to 64 may qualify based on income alone, and children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities may qualify at a range of income limits. Coverage may pay for a wide range of medical costs, including but not limited to doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health and substance use treatment, dental care, and transportation to appointments.
Two details are worth knowing. Children who enroll keep their coverage for at least 12 months even if family income changes. And people with disabilities whose income is too high for regular MassHealth may qualify for MassHealth CommonHealth instead — including people who work, and even people who already have private insurance or Medicare, since CommonHealth may pay costs those plans leave behind.
Apply online at MAhealthconnector.org, call MassHealth Customer Service at 800-841-2900, or get in-person help at a MassHealth Enrollment Center. If you were turned down in the past, apply again — income limits change every year.
ConnectorCare: low-cost private insurance with state help
People who earn too much for MassHealth may qualify for ConnectorCare, sold through the Massachusetts Health Connector, the state's insurance marketplace at https://www.mahealthconnector.org/. ConnectorCare plans are private health plans with extra state money behind them, so monthly premiums are low, and copays and deductibles are much smaller than in a standard plan. Eligibility and the amount of help are based on income.
The rules for who qualifies may change from year to year, so check your own situation directly rather than relying on older information. Apply at MAhealthconnector.org or call the Health Connector at 877-623-6765. Free application help is also available from certified enrollment assisters at many hospitals and community health centers across the state.
The Health Safety Net: care at hospitals and health centers
The Health Safety Net may pay for medically necessary care that uninsured and underinsured residents receive at Massachusetts acute care hospitals and community health centers. It is not an insurance card. It is a fund that pays those providers directly for treating patients with low incomes, and it is available regardless of immigration status.
Residents with lower incomes may get the full benefit, while those with moderate incomes may qualify with a deductible. There is also a medical hardship option at any income level, for people whose medical bills have grown very large compared to what they earn. The Health Safety Net can even work as a secondary payer for some people who have insurance that does not cover enough.
You are checked for the Health Safety Net automatically when you submit the standard application at MAhealthconnector.org. Financial counselors at hospitals and community health centers can also complete the application with you, which is often the fastest path when you already need care.
Coverage for children and pregnant women from CMSP - for those who do not qualify for MassHealth
The Children's Medical Security Plan, or CMSP, covers Massachusetts children under 19 who do not qualify for MassHealth, regardless of immigration status. It may pay for well-child visits, immunizations, prescriptions, dental and vision exams, lab tests, and other services. Some families pay a small premium, and the lowest-income families pay nothing. Call CMSP customer service at 800-909-2677 with questions, and apply through the same MAhealthconnector.org application.
Healthy Start provides pregnancy coverage for low-income women who cannot get full MassHealth because of their immigration status. It may pay for prenatal visits, lab work, prescriptions, delivery-related care, and postpartum services. Call the Healthy Start program at 888-488-9161, or apply through MassHealth at 800-841-2900.
Help for children with serious health conditions
Families of children and young adults with special health needs can call the state's Community Support Line at 800-882-1435. Resource specialists there explain which public programs a child may qualify for, and care coordinators in regional offices help families arrange services and keep providers working together. The service is free and covers children with chronic illness, disabilities, and complex medical needs.
Massachusetts also runs the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund. It may reimburse families for large medical costs of a child's care that no insurance or other program covered — a wide range of expenses can count, including but not limited to treatment, equipment, and travel connected to the child's condition. Information is at https://www.mass.gov/catastrophic-illness-in-children-relief-fund-cicrf, or ask about it through the Community Support Line.
Help for people living with HIV from Massachusetts HIV Drug Assistance Program
The Massachusetts HIV Drug Assistance Program, or HDAP, is run by the Department of Public Health and administered by Community Resource Initiative. It may pay for HIV medications, other prescription costs, and even health insurance premiums for residents with low and moderate incomes, so that no one loses treatment after losing a job or coverage. Related programs may also pay for PrEP and PEP, which prevent HIV.
Call HDAP at 800-228-2714 or 617-502-1700, or apply online at https://crihealth.org/drug-assistance/hdap/. Members recertify every six months to stay enrolled.
Free or income-based clinics and community health centers
Community health centers as well as charitable clinics across Massachusetts treat patients whether or not they have insurance or can pay for the care. The centers charge for medical or even dental care on a sliding scale based on income, and volunteer-run free clinics charge nothing. The directory of free and income-based community clinics in Massachusetts on this site lists locations, and there is also a guide to free dental clinics in Massachusetts for cleanings, extractions, and urgent tooth problems. The federal locator at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov shows sliding-scale health centers by ZIP code.
Free breast and cervical cancer screening for women
The Massachusetts Breast and Cervical Cancer Program — the new name for what was called the Women's Health Network — pays for screening for uninsured and underinsured residents with limited incomes. Breast cancer services are generally for people around age 40 to 64, and cervical cancer services start younger, around age 21. Screenings happen at participating hospitals, health centers, and clinics across the state, with help available in several languages.
A person diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through the program may qualify for the MassHealth Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, which provides full MassHealth coverage during treatment. Call 877-414-4447 to find a screening site in your community.
Free vaccines for children — and some adults
Massachusetts supplies routine childhood vaccines to doctors' offices at no cost for every child through age 18, whatever the family's insurance status. The vaccine itself is always free; an office may charge a small fee to give the shot, and for eligible uninsured children that fee cannot be a barrier to care. The covered list includes the full recommended schedule, such as measles, whooping cough, HPV, and the yearly flu shot.
Uninsured adults may also receive certain state-supplied vaccines at public sites such as local health departments and community health centers. Contact your local board of health or health center to ask what is available.
Help for seniors and some disabled people with drug costs and Medicare
Prescription Advantage is the state's prescription drug assistance program for residents 65 and older, plus some younger people with disabilities who work limited hours. It works alongside Medicare Part D and may pay drug costs those plans leave behind; members with lower incomes pay no premium at all. Joining also gives members a once-a-year chance to switch Part D plans outside the normal enrollment period. Call MassOptions at 800-243-4636 and choose the Prescription Advantage option.
That same number connects seniors to two other kinds of help. SHINE counselors give free, unbiased advice about Medicare choices, and they can help you apply for the state's Medicare Savings Programs, which are run through MassHealth and may pay Medicare premiums and other costs — Massachusetts has no asset limit for these programs and uses higher income limits than most states. Seniors who need daily support to stay out of a nursing home can also ask about PACE, a MassHealth program that combines medical care and long-term support in the parts of the state where it operates.
A note about this information: NeedHelpPayingBills.com is not a medical provider and does not offer medical advice. The health care information on this site is provided for informational purposes only, to help people locate assistance programs and understand what may be available to them. Program eligibility rules, income limits, and enrollment periods change regularly — sometimes more than once a year. Always verify current details directly with the program before applying or making any health care decisions.
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