Perhaps improving patient access to patient medical data would improve health care outcomes!
In the United States, individual health insurance is mandatory - or you will be fined when you file taxes. Of course everyone wants health care, so on the surface it's not too onerous to say that it's "mandatory". But, if you're not covered by an employer plan (because you were '''just laid off'''<ref>If you get laid off, check the Mass Health Connector for plans '''BEFORE''' signing up for COBRA - because the connector plans can be more affordable; and you're not eligible for connector plans if you're 'covered' by insurance (through COBRA).</ref>, self-employed, or work for a small employer with < 50 employees), then you must obtain health insurance on your own. It is rather insane to tie health benefits to employment when employment changes routinely - whereas health care is something that you want to be continuous, permanent, and stable over time.
What if you move from one state to another? Perhaps you live in a border town where the 'next state' is next door. One of the many things you need to do is also renew and replace all your health insurance and physician relationships in 45 days or less. It's just one of many examples why [[wp:Universal health care|Universal health care]] is the system in place in all other industrialized nations on earth (and even developing countries).
==Renewal==
https://www.mahix.org/individual/ I assume this is the domain for the 'Massachusetts Healthcare Information Exchange'
So, if your employer offers a health plan with a monthly premium of $337, you're not going to get any marketplace credits.
An interesting note: 1/12 is 8.33% So, basically you are expected to pay one month of your income towards health insurance. And 2024 is the first year in a decade where the rate was below 9% <br />
===New in 2024 and 2025===
For example, enroll and pay by April 23rd for coverage to start on May 1
== Health Information Exchanges ==
You've probably heard of the "New York Stock Exchange" (NYSE) - where stocks are traded. Did you know that there is such a thing as "health information exchanges" (HIE)? Hint, they don't trade healthcare stocks!
The [https://www.masshiway.net/ Mass HIway] is the Massachusetts [[wp:Health information exchange|Health Information Exchange]] (HIE).
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