130 CMR 505.004
MassHealth CommonHealth
(A) Overview.
(1) 130 CMR 505.004 contains the categorical requirements and financial standards for
MassHealth CommonHealth coverage available to disabled children and disabled adults.
(2) Persons eligible for MassHealth CommonHealth coverage are eligible for medical
benefits as described in 130 CMR 450.105(E): MassHealth CommonHealth.
(B) Disabled Adults. Disabled adults must meet the following requirements:
(1) be 21 through 64 years old;
(2) (a) be permanently and totally disabled, as defined in 130 CMR 501.001: Definition of
Terms; or
(b) be HIV positive and have a modified adjusted gross income of the MassHealth Disabled
Adult household that is less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL);
(3) be ineligible for MassHealth Standard;
(4) be a citizen as described in 130 CMR 504.002: U.S. Citizens or a qualified noncitizen as
described in 130 CMR 504.003(A)(1): Qualified Noncitizens; and
(5) comply with 130 CMR 505.004(J).
(C) Disabled Young Adults. Disabled young adults are eligible for MassHealth CommonHealth
if they meet the following requirements:
(1) (a) be permanently and totally disabled, as defined in 130 CMR 501.001: Definition of
Terms
(b) be HIV positive and have a modified adjusted gross income of the MassHealth
Disabled Adult household that is less than or equal to 200% of the FPL;
(2) be ineligible for MassHealth Standard;
(3) (a) be a citizen as described at 130 CMR 504.002: U.S. Citizens or qualified noncitizen
as described in 130 CMR 504.003(A)(1): Qualified Noncitizens; or
(b) be a nonqualified PRUCOL as described in 130 CMR 504.003(C): Nonqualified
Persons Residing under Color of Law (Nonqualified PRUCOLs) with a modified adjusted
gross income of the MassHealth Disabled Adult household income that is less than or
equal to 150% of the FPL; and
(4) comply with 130 CMR 505.004(J).
(D) Disabled 18-year-olds. Disabled 18-year-olds must meet the following requirements:
(1) be ineligible for MassHealth Standard;
(2) be a citizen as described at 130 CMR 504.002: U.S. Citizens or lawfully present
immigrant or a nonqualified PRUCOL, as described in 130 CMR 504.003: Immigrants, and
either
(a) if not working, be permanently and totally disabled, as defined in 130 CMR 501.001:
Definition of Terms; or
(b) if working, be permanently and totally disabled (except for engagement in substantial
gainful activity), as defined in 130 CMR 501.001: Definition of Terms.
(E) Disabled Children Younger than 18 Years Old. Disabled children younger than 18 years old
must meet the following requirements:
(1) be permanently and totally disabled, as defined in 130 CMR 501.001: Definition of
Terms;
(2) be ineligible for MassHealth Standard; and
(3) be a citizen as described at 130 CMR 504.002: U.S. Citizens, lawfully present immigrant,
or a nonqualified PRUCOL, as described in 130 CMR 504.003: Immigrants.
(F) Determination of Disability. Disability is established by
(1) certification of legal blindness by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB);
(2) a determination of disability by the SSA; or
(3) a determination of disability by the Disability Evaluation Services (DES).
(G) MassHealth CommonHealth Premium. Disabled adults, disabled young adults, and disabled
children who meet the requirements of 130 CMR 505.004 may be assessed a premium in
accordance with the premium schedule provided in 130 CMR 506.011(B)(2).
(H) Use of Potential Health Insurance Benefits. Applicants and members must use potential
health insurance benefits, in accordance with 130 CMR 503.007: Potential Sources of Health
care, and must enroll in health insurance, including Medicare, if available at no greater cost to the
applicant or member than they would pay without access to health insurance, or if purchased by
the MassHealth agency in accordance with 130 CMR 505.002(O) and 130 CMR 506.012:
Premium Assistance Payments. Members must access those other health insurance benefits and
must show their private health insurance card and their MassHealth card to providers at the time
services are provided.
(I) Access to Employer-sponsored Health Insurance and Premium-assistance Investigations for
Individuals Who Are Eligible for MassHealth CommonHealth.
(1) The MassHealth agency may perform an investigation to determine if individuals
receiving MassHealth CommonHealth
(a) have health insurance that MassHealth may help pay for; or
(b) have access to employer-sponsored health insurance in which MassHealth wants the
individual to enroll and for which MassHealth will help pay.
(2) The individual receives MassHealth CommonHealth while the MassHealth agency
investigates the insurance.
(a) Investigations for Individuals Who Are Enrolled in Health Insurance.
1. If the MassHealth agency determines that the health insurance that the individual
is enrolled in meets the criteria at 130 CMR 506.012: Premium Assistance Payments,
the individual is notified in writing that MassHealth will provide MassHealth
CommonHealth Premium Assistance as described at 130 CMR 506.012: Premium
Assistance Payments.
2. If the MassHealth agency determines that the health insurance that the individual
is enrolled in does not meet the criteria at 130 CMR 506.012: Premium Assistance
Payments, the individual continues to be eligible for MassHealth CommonHealth.
(b) Investigations for Individuals Who Have Potential Access to Employer-sponsored
Health Insurance.
1. If the MassHealth agency determines that the individual has access to employer-
sponsored health insurance, the employer is contributing at least 50% of the premium
cost, and the insurance meets all other criteria described in 130 CMR 506.012:
Premium Assistance Payments, the individual is notified in writing that they must
enroll in this employer-sponsored coverage. MassHealth allows the individual up to
60 days to enroll in this coverage. Once enrolled in this health insurance plan,
MassHealth provides premium assistance payments as described in 130 CMR
506.012: Premium Assistance Payments. Failure to enroll in the employer-sponsored
health insurance plan at the request of MassHealth will result in the loss or denial of
eligibility for all individuals unless the individual is younger than 19 years old, the
individual is 19 through 20 years old, and has household income less than or equal to
150% of the FPL, or is pregnant.
2. If the MassHealth agency determines the individual does not have access to
employer-sponsored health insurance, the individual continues to be eligible for
MassHealth CommonHealth.
(J) Medicare Premium Payment.
(1) Members who meet the requirements of 130 CMR 505.004 may, subject to federal
authority and meeting any other eligibility requirements of the respective MSP, also enroll in
the Medicare Savings Program as described in 130 CMR 519.010: Medicare Savings
Program (MSP) – Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs) and 519.011: Medicare Saving
Program (MSP) – Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMBs) and Qualifying
Individuals (QIs).
(2) The coverage begins in accordance with 130 CMR 519.010: Medicare Savings Program
(MSP) – Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs) and 519.011: Medicare Savings Program
(MSP)– Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMBs) and Qualifying Individuals
(QIs).
(K) Medical Coverage Date.
(1) The medical coverage date for MassHealth CommonHealth is described at 130 CMR
502.006: Coverage Dates, except as described at 130 CMR 505.004(M)(2) and (3).
(2) Persons described in 130 CMR 505.004(C) who have been notified by the MassHealth
agency that they must meet a one-time deductible have their medical coverage date
established in accordance with 130 CMR 506.009(E): Notification of the Deductible.
(3) Provisional eligibility is described in 130 CMR 502.003(E): Provisional Eligibility.
(L) Postpartum Coverage. For people who are pregnant, MassHealth will provide postpartum
care for 12 months following the termination of a pregnancy plus an additional period extending
to the end of the month in which the 12-month period ends.
(M) Continuous Eligibility.
(1) Continuous Eligibility, as defined in 501.001: Continuous Eligibility (CE), will be
granted to children under age 19. Childre in a CE period will receive 12 months of continuous
coverage upon completion of initial application or annual renewal period.
(2) Coverage will continue without downgrading or ending except for reasons found at 130
CMR 501.001.