Hardship Waiver MassHealth: Eligibility and Application Process

To be eligible for a hardship waiver for MassHealth, you'll need to have experienced a significant financial hardship, such as losing your job or experiencing a medical emergency.

MassHealth considers a hardship to be an event that results in a loss of income or a significant increase in expenses, such as medical bills or childcare costs.

You can apply for a hardship waiver by submitting an application to MassHealth, which will review your case and determine your eligibility.

The application process typically takes a few weeks to a few months to complete, depending on the complexity of your case.

To be eligible for a hardship waiver with MassHealth, you'll need to meet certain requirements.

You must have lived in the home continually for at least a year prior to the deceased beneficiary becoming eligible for MassHealth.

The heir must receive an interest in the property from the deceased beneficiary's estate.

You won't be forced to sell the property by other devisees or heirs.

Your income must be at or below 133% of the applicable federal-poverty-level. In 2021, this was $35,245 for a family of four.

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To apply for a hardship waiver with MassHealth, you'll need to submit an application and supporting documentation within 60 days of receiving notice from the agency. This timeline is the same as in the previous regulations.

MassHealth has made it easier by publishing standardized applications on its website, which you can download and fill out. The application will guide you through the process and ensure you don't miss any required information.

You'll need to provide supporting documentation to back up your application, so be sure to gather all necessary documents before submitting.

Prior to 2021, the hardship waiver rules in Massachusetts were quite draconian, making it almost impossible for eligible applicants to gain waivers.

The previous rules required applicants to jump through many hoops, which made it difficult even for those who qualified.

In 2021, MassHealth revised its estate recovery rules to make it easier for lower-income heirs to seek hardship waivers.

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The new rules exempt estates valued at less than $25,000 from estate recovery.

MassHealth estate recovery collected $47 million in fiscal year 2019, more than any other state.

Prior to the 2021 reform, in an average year, 33 waiver applications were submitted and 14 were granted, totaling $1.3 million in waived claims.

In 2022, 323 applications were filed and 157 waivers were granted, totaling $14.1 million in relief.

The application process for hardship waivers is still quite difficult, which may be why many waivers are not granted.

The application form for hardship waivers includes a list of required documentation, which can be found online.

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