With the deadline to sign up for the state's new Commonwealth Care Health Insurance Plan coming up, representatives of Boston Medical Center Healthnet (BMC), Neighborhood Health Plan (NHP) and Network Health were on hand at HealthFirst Family Care Center  at 102 County Street to answer questions about their respective plans on November 7, 2007. HealthFirst’s financial counselors were also on hand to register those who had not yet applied for the Commonwealth Care Program. This was considered an “open enrollment” period for anyone already enrolled in an insurance plan who would like to change to another plan. Under Massachusetts law, uninsured Massachusetts residents 19 years of age and older must enroll in a health insurance plan by December 31, 2007 or face penalties in 2008. Anyone whose health benefits are being provided by the Uncompensated Care Pool (now called the Health Safety Net) who is eligible for the Commonwealth Care Health Insurance Program (Commonwealth Care) will no longer be eligible for the Uncompensated Care Pool as of December 11, 2007. To see the Herald News article about the event, click here. For more information on the healthcare services offered by HealthFirst, call Paulette Couture at (508) 679-8111 Ext. 238.
 

(Top row, left) Ed Tessier of Fall River talks with Tamara Pringle and Glenys Palomino of Network Health about their health insurance options under Commonwealth Care. (Top row, center) Ed talks with Marlene Mendoza of Healthnet to see their options. (Top row, right) Ed goes back to talk with Glens and Tarmara for a comparison of benefits. (Middle row, left) John Martins talks with Shawn Bodden of Neighborhood Health Plan. (Middle row, right) Marlene Mendoza and Lina Rebelo of Healthnet Plan explains their benefit package to another applicant. (Bottom row, left) Konstantinos Mitsis talks with Tamara and Glenys. (Bottom row, right) HealthFirst Financial Counselor Julia Rivas and Outreach Coordinator Linda Hennessey greet some of the dozens of people who arrived at HealthFirst to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with healthcare providers.