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Member Newsletter

MassHealth ACO

Stay on the path to healthy: It's time to renew your MassHealth benefits

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MassHealth members need to renew their coverage each year to keep their health insurance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MassHealth put protections in place that kept coverage from ending. However, these have ended, and MassHealth has started the renewal process. Even if you are new to WellSense this year, you may need to renew with MassHealth. This means you should:

  • Update your contact and household info with MassHealth
  • Watch your mail for a blue envelope from MassHealth
  • Act on any notices you receive about this

If MassHealth has enough information about you, they will renew your coverage automatically. If not, they will send a renewal form in a blue envelope to the mailing address they have on file.

Stay healthy and safe this summer

Now that summer is here, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the warm, sunny weather. Keep these tips in mind to stay healthy when doing so.

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Stay cool and hydrated

Too much heat can be dangerous. Young children, adults 65 and older, people who are overweight and people with certain other health issues are at the highest risk. Protect yourself by staying cool and informed about heat advisories. Drink plenty of water and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. Find air conditioning during hot hours, like at shopping centers or a public library. If you don’t have access to air conditioning, a cool shower or bath can help you cool off better than a fan. Be careful of physical activities, including any work or exercise, during warm hours.

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Protect your skin
While the sun often feels great, unprotected skin can burn in just a few minutes. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher on exposed skin will help protect you when spending time in the sun. Look for “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on sunscreen labels to get the best protection. Don’t forget to wear sunglasses with UV protection—not all have it.
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Keep kids safe

Some popular summer activities for kids call for additional precautions on top of the ones above. Always make sure your child is wearing a helmet when riding a bike or scooter, wearing roller skates or doing other activities where falls are a risk. Always supervise children closely while they swim and remember that foam or inflatable pool toys are no substitute for a life jacket.

WellSense members 17 years old or younger can get a free bike helmet by calling 888-566-0010.

Don't get scammed

Are you being asked to pay for healthcare that is actually covered by your insurance? Has someone called you asking you to pay for services like changing your insurance or updating your address? These may be scams. Call 888-411-4959 to report them, and visit wellsense.org/footer/fraud-waste-and-abuse for more information.

Get help finding food 

You can call 211 to learn what help is available for food and other needs.

If you or your family isn’t getting enough healthy food, you are not alone. According to Feeding America, more than 34 million people in the United States don’t, and more than 53 million used food programs to help them in 2021. If you need help with getting more healthy food, the resources below may help.

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  • Preventive services
  • Fluoride treatments for members of all ages
  •  Dental sealants for members younger than 21
  • Pain relief and treatment of infections 
  • Fillings and crowns
  • Root canal treatment
Project Bread
Project Bread can walk you through the benefits you or other members of your family qualify for and tell you where to find your local food bank. You can reach them at 800-645-8333.
BMC food pantry
If you’re a patient at Boston Medical Center, you can ask your healthcare provider about their food pantry.
SNAP benefits
If you receive SNAP benefits and are now paying more for medical care, housing or caring for another person, you may be eligible for an increase in your benefit.
Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program

Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program automatically puts money back on your SNAP/EBT card when you use it to buy healthy fruits and vegetables from participating vendors.

Free cookbook download
“Good and Cheap” is a free-to-download cookbook focused on eating yummy, healthy food on just a few dollars a day.
The BMC Teaching Kitchen
The BMC Teaching Kitchen also offers free, monthly, online cooking classes featuring healthy, easy-to-cook and budget-friendly meals.

Get to know your behavioral health benefits

WellSense is dedicated to helping our members live their best lives, and that includes supporting you with any behavioral health (BH) needs. Your BH coverage includes mental health (like grief counselling and therapy to help with stress), substance use and addiction services.

WellSense provides BH services through Carelon Behavioral Health. Carelon has providers conveniently located throughout Massachusetts and the rest of the US. Most BH services are available automatically through self-referral. This means you do not have to get prior approval to visit a BH provider in Carelon’s network.

If you or a family member are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Anyone can contact the Help Line. Call toll-free or text 833-773-2445 (TTY: 711) for immediate help

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To find a behavioral health provider:
  1. Visit carelonbehavioralhealth.com
  2. Click on “Find a Provider” at the top of the page
  3. Type your WellSense Health Plan’s 
    name in the box shown
  4. Search for a specific provider, or 
    enter your ZIP code to find one 
    near you

    Or call Carelon at 888-217-3501 (TTY: 711) for help finding a provider or to ask any questions about your BH benefits

Finding the right health information online

When you want to learn more about health-related issues, it’s easy to search online for information. However, it’s important to be careful about the information you trust. Not all information on the internet is true, and incorrect information about your health can be dangerous. Here are some tips to help you find good health information online.

  • Check the source.
    Look for information from reliable sources, such as government agencies, medical associations, hospitals and well-known health organizations. Some examples of good sources include the CDC (cdc.gov), the AAP (aap.org), Boston Medical Center (bmc.org) and the AHA (heart.org).
  • Beware of sensational headlines.
    Some unreliable websites may use interesting headlines just to grab attention. Be especially careful with headlines or websites that promise quick or simple cures. These are often too good to be true.
  • Look out for bias.
    Some websites or blogs may have goals other than keeping you healthy, such as promoting alternative therapies or criticizing conventional medicine. Avoid sites that focus more on their solutions than your health.
  • Be careful with blogs, discussion boards and social media posts.
    These often present a single person’s experience. Just because they say something worked for them doesn’t mean it would work for you.