To apply for health insurance in Massachusetts, use the Massachusetts Health Connector at MAhealthconnector.org. One application covers everything the state offers: MassHealth (Medicaid), the subsidized ConnectorCare program, and unsubsidized private plans. For 2026 coverage, open enrollment runs from November 1, 2025, through January 23, 2026.1Mass.gov. Massachusetts Health Insurance Open Enrollment MassHealth accepts applications year-round.
When You Can Apply
Open enrollment is the main window for private Health Connector plans. Massachusetts uses its own cutoff, January 23, rather than the federal marketplace date of January 15.1Mass.gov. Massachusetts Health Insurance Open Enrollment Miss it, and you generally wait until the next open enrollment period to start or switch a private plan.
Outside that window, you can still apply if a qualifying life event opens a special enrollment period. The Health Connector recognizes events including losing other coverage (an employer plan, a parent’s plan at 26, MassHealth eligibility), getting married, having or adopting a child, the death of a plan’s primary subscriber, moving into Massachusetts or to a new area within the state, becoming lawfully present in the United States, release from incarceration, and turning 19 and aging out of a child-only plan.2Massachusetts Health Connector. Special Enrollment Period You usually have 60 days from the event to apply.3HealthCare.gov. Getting Health Coverage Outside Open Enrollment
MassHealth works differently. Applications are accepted any time of year, so if your income puts you in Medicaid territory, there is no enrollment window to worry about.
What To Gather Before You Start
The application asks about every person in your household, even those not seeking coverage, because household size affects the income thresholds. Have the following ready for each applicant:4Massachusetts Health Connector. Get Ready To Enroll
- Social Security numbers for anyone who has one
- Immigration documents for non-U.S. citizens, such as a green card, work visa, or USCIS identification number
- Your most recent federal tax return, plus current income information if your situation has changed (recent pay stubs, an unemployment award letter, self-employment records)
- Details on any employer health coverage anyone in the household has access to, including what the employee share of the premium costs
Report gross income, before taxes are withheld. That matches how the state calculates eligibility. The paper version is called the “Massachusetts Application for Health and Dental Coverage and Help Paying Costs” and can be downloaded from the Health Connector website.5Mass.gov. Apply for MassHealth, the Health Safety Net, or the Children’s Medical Security Plan
Who Qualifies and for What
You do not need to figure out which program fits you before applying. The single application sorts applicants based on income and other factors. Two baseline requirements apply to everyone, though.
You must live in Massachusetts and either intend to stay or have entered the state with a job commitment or while seeking employment. A fixed address is not required.6Division of Medical Assistance. 130 CMR 503.000 – MassHealth Universal Eligibility Requirements You must also be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawfully present immigrant. Qualifying immigration categories include lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and others listed in state regulations.7Mass.gov. 130 CMR 504.000 – MassHealth Citizenship and Immigration
Income is measured using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI): your federal adjusted gross income, with untaxed foreign income, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and tax-exempt interest added back. Child support, SSI, veterans’ disability payments, and gifts do not count.8HealthCare.gov. What’s Included as Income
Based on that income, you fall into one of three paths:
MassHealth
Massachusetts Medicaid covers adults aged 19 to 64 with household incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. In 2026 that is roughly $22,025 per year for a single person and $45,540 for a family of four.9U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Children, pregnant individuals, and people with disabilities may qualify under different thresholds. MassHealth generally has no monthly premiums and minimal cost-sharing.
ConnectorCare
If your income is above the MassHealth limit but at or below 500% of the FPL (roughly $79,800 for a single person in 2026), you may qualify for ConnectorCare, a state-subsidized program that adds savings on top of federal premium tax credits.10Cornell Law School. 956 CMR 12.04 – Eligibility for ConnectorCare The lowest-income enrollees pay $0 monthly premiums; premiums step up with income. The expansion to 500% FPL started as a pilot, and the FY2026 state budget extended it another year.11Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Section 111 – Health Connector 500% FPL ConnectorCare Pilot Extension
Unsubsidized Health Connector Plans
If your income is above 500% FPL or you do not qualify for subsidies for another reason, you can still buy a private plan through the Health Connector at full price. Plans are offered in the standard Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers.
One wrinkle on subsidies: if your employer offers coverage that is considered affordable (your share of the self-only premium is no more than 9.96% of household income for 2026) and that meets a minimum value standard (covering at least 60% of average costs), you are generally not eligible for premium tax credits or ConnectorCare. If the employer plan fails either test, subsidized Health Connector coverage is on the table.
How To Submit Your Application
You have four ways to apply:
- Online at MAhealthconnector.org, which is the fastest route and gives you immediate confirmation.12Massachusetts Health Connector. Massachusetts Health Connector
- By phone at (877) 623-6765 (877-MA-ENROLL), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. TTY users dial 711.13Mass.gov. Contact MassHealth – Information for Members
- By mail, using the address printed on the paper application. Use a trackable mailing method so you can confirm delivery before any deadline.
- In person with a Navigator. The Health Connector’s walk-in centers are closed, but Navigator organizations across the state provide free face-to-face help completing and submitting the application.14Massachusetts Health Connector. Get Free Expert Help
Whichever route you take, save the confirmation or reference number. You will need it to check status or follow up.
What Happens After You Apply
You will receive an eligibility notice that explains which program you qualify for and the amount of any financial assistance. The notice also tells you how to appeal if you disagree with the determination.15Massachusetts Health Connector. What to Expect – Your Right to Appeal
If you qualify for MassHealth, coverage may begin automatically depending on the program type. If you qualify for ConnectorCare or an unsubsidized plan, you still have two things to do: pick a specific plan from the carriers in your area, and pay your first monthly premium. The payment deadline for Health Connector individual and family plans is the 23rd of the month before you want coverage to start.16Massachusetts Health Connector. Payment Due Dates Pay by March 23, for instance, and coverage starts April 1. Miss that date, and coverage shifts to the first of the following month.
If you want to challenge your eligibility determination, timing matters. A Health Connector appeal must be received within 30 days of when you received the notice. A MassHealth appeal must be filed within 60 calendar days of the notice date.17Mass.gov. How to Appeal a MassHealth Decision The appeal form comes with your notice.
Why Timely Enrollment Matters: The Individual Mandate
Massachusetts requires most residents 18 and older to carry health insurance that meets Minimum Creditable Coverage standards, provided affordable coverage is available to them.18Massachusetts Health Connector. Massachusetts Individual Mandate If you go without qualifying coverage, you may owe a penalty on your state income tax return, reported on Schedule HC.19Mass.gov. Health Care Reform for Individuals
Penalties scale with income relative to the federal poverty level. Residents at or below 150% FPL owe nothing. Above that, monthly penalties for tax year 2025 range from $25 up to $187 depending on income band, and penalties are prorated for partial-year gaps.20Mass.gov. TIR 25-1 – Individual Mandate Penalties for Tax Year 2025 Tax year 2026 figures had not been published at the time of writing but typically rise modestly each year. For married couples, the household penalty equals the combined individual penalties for each spouse. Applying during open enrollment, or promptly after a qualifying event, is the cleanest way to stay out of that calculation.