Health Insurance in Massachusetts

Massachusetts requires most adults to have coverage

Under state law, Massachusetts residents age 18 and older must have health insurance as long as affordable coverage is available to them. The coverage has to meet the state's Minimum Creditable Coverage (MCC) standards. Those standards include a comprehensive set of services, such as doctor visits, hospital care, emergency services, mental health care and prescription drugs, plus preventive care without a deductible.

You report your coverage on your Massachusetts income tax return using Schedule HC. If you could have afforded coverage and went without it, you may owe a penalty for each month you weren't covered. A few key points:

• There's no penalty for a gap in coverage of 63 days or less.
• There's no penalty if your income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
• For 2026, the Department of Revenue's penalties range from $26 to $211 a month, depending on income.
• The Health Connector decides what counts as affordable. You can also appeal if a hardship kept you from buying coverage.

The Health Connector and ConnectorCare

The Massachusetts Health Connector is the state's official marketplace. It's where Massachusetts residents get federal premium tax credits, which lower monthly premiums. Small businesses with up to 50 employees can also find plans there.

ConnectorCare plans add state help on top of the federal tax credits, with lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs for people who qualify. For the 2027 plan year, households with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level may qualify, based on the 2026 poverty guidelines. That's about $15,960 to $63,840 a year for one person, or $33,000 to $132,000 for a family of four. You also need to live in Massachusetts, not have access to affordable employer coverage, and not qualify for MassHealth or Medicare. If you qualify for ConnectorCare or MassHealth, you can enroll at any time of year.

Key dates for 2027 coverage

• October 23, 2026Open Enrollment starts at the Health Connector.
• December 23, 2026Deadline to enroll and pay for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
• January 23, 2027Last day of Open Enrollment, for coverage that starts February 1.

Throughout the year, the Health Connector's deadline is the 23rd of each month. Enroll and pay by the 23rd, and your coverage can start on the 1st of the next month. Outside Open Enrollment, you generally need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, to buy or change a plan.

What's changing for 2027

• The extra federal help has ended. Because the enhanced premium tax credits have expired, people with income above 400% of the federal poverty level don't qualify for premium tax credits. ConnectorCare's former 400% to 500% income tier is gone, and there's no federal tax credit above 400% of the federal poverty level.
• Eligibility for some noncitizens is changing. Starting January 1, 2027, federal law limits premium tax credits and ConnectorCare to certain groups of noncitizens, such as green card holders. Other lawfully present immigrants can still buy plans through the Health Connector, but without that financial help.

Coverage for Massachusetts businesses

Whether you run a one-person shop or a large company, we help Massachusetts employers compare group health plans and offer benefits that attract and keep good people. We're members of ABC MA (Associated Builders and Contractors), so we know the needs of contractors and trades businesses.