Yesterday, the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) voted to make sweeping changes to the health plans offered to hundreds of thousands of state and municipal employees and retirees.
Beginning July 1st, all plans offered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and Fallon Community Health will no longer be available to GIC enrollees, and Tufts Health will only sell plans to Medicare recipients. This will cut the current number of carriers available to GIC enrollees in half, leaving only Neighborhood Health Plan, Health New England and Unicare, a for-profit plan based out Indiana. Medicare enrollees will only have the choice of Tufts Health or UniCare.
These changes were made with no advance warning or discussion prior to yesterday’s vote. GIC members were only provided with the meeting materials containing the changes the night before the vote!
Over half of the GIC’s 400,000 enrollees will need to select a new health plan as a result of these changes. While the GIC made statements yesterday that most enrollees could likely keep their current health care providers, that is far from certain and many others will have to seek out new doctors and networks. This could mean major disruption for you and your family!
The GIC has announced a series of public hearings and the MNA strongly encourages members to attend these sessions to provide feedback on these abrupt and concerning changes.
If you plan to attend one of the following meetings, the GIC requires that you RSVP in advance to: gic.events@massmail.state.ma.us.
PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE
Western Massachusetts – Greenfield
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Greenfield Middle School
Auditorium
195 Federal Street, STE 100
Greenfield, MA 01301
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Greenfield Middle School
Auditorium
195 Federal Street, STE 100
Greenfield, MA 01301
Western Massachusetts – Pittsfield
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Berkshire Athenaeum: Pittsfield’s Public Library
Library Auditorium, Basement
One Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Berkshire Athenaeum: Pittsfield’s Public Library
Library Auditorium, Basement
One Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Eastern Massachusetts – Boston
Thursday, Jan. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Charles Hurley Building
Minihan Hall
19 Staniford Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Thursday, Jan. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Charles Hurley Building
Minihan Hall
19 Staniford Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Northeast Massachusetts – Lowell
Thursday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
UMass Lowell
O’Leary Library, Room 222 (South Campus)
61 Wilder Street
Lowell, MA 01854
Thursday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
UMass Lowell
O’Leary Library, Room 222 (South Campus)
61 Wilder Street
Lowell, MA 01854
Southeastern Massachusetts – Dartmouth
Friday, Jan. 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
UMass Dartmouth
Woodland Commons, Conference Room #1-3
285 Old Westport Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747
Friday, Jan. 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
UMass Dartmouth
Woodland Commons, Conference Room #1-3
285 Old Westport Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747
Cape Cod – Hyannis
Friday, Jan. 26, 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Hyannis Youth & Community Center Shepley Community Room
141 Bassett Lane
Hyannis, MA 02601
Friday, Jan. 26, 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Hyannis Youth & Community Center Shepley Community Room
141 Bassett Lane
Hyannis, MA 02601
Eastern Massachusetts – Boston
Monday, Jan. 29, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Charles Hurley Building
Minihan Hall
19 Staniford Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Monday, Jan. 29, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Charles Hurley Building
Minihan Hall
19 Staniford Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES!
