MA Health Connector Open Enrollment Starts Nov. 1

11:04AM / Thursday, October 17, 2024Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Open Enrollment season begins Nov. 1 for customers of the Massachusetts Health Connector, which administers subsidized ACA health plans.

CHP Berkshires is now scheduling appointments to assist area residents with finding new coverage or updating their current plan.

The income limits for Health Connector subsidized plans are now $69,400 for an individual and $155,000 for a family of four. As a result, many more individuals and families now qualify for these subsidized Health Connector plans.

Current customers of MA Health Connector, or people seeking to enroll for the first time, can visit https://www.mahix.org to get started. However, CHP welcomes appointments from Health Connector customers who may need help finding the best plan for themselves and their families.

"Health Connector plans are now accessible for more and more people, and we're here to help," said William Cruz, certified lead patient navigator for CHP Berkshires. "Shopping for health plans can be confusing, but we can help guide this process."

Many state residents are either self-employed or do not have insurance through an employer. They often depend on subsidized plans to meet the state law requiring everyone to have health insurance.

Cruz said MA Health Connector customers are now receiving snail-mail from the state program reminding them to observe the Nov. 1 deadline. Open Enrollment lasts through Jan. 23, 2025.

Health Connector plans include coverage options with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, United Healthcare, Fallon Health, Health New England, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan, and WellSense Health Plan.

Anyone who does not wish to make insurance plan changes as of Nov. 1 will be automatically re-enrolled with their current plan and coverage.

The CHP Open Enrollment service is open to any Berkshire area resident regardless of whether they are a CHP patient.

Open Enrollment appointments can be made by calling 413.854.2816, or via email enrollment@chpberkshires.org

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Great Barrington Fire, Police Respond to Chimney Fire

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
02:48PM / Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Fire Chief Scott Turner called for mutual aid as soon as he saw flames.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Firefighters made quick work of a chimney fire on Tuesday afternoon and two police officers aided the occupant in escaping the building.

Fire Chief Scott Turner said the blaze at 205 North St. was reported about 12:38 p.m.

"When I arrived on scene, we had a small amount of flames coming out of the eaves of the roof over by the chimney for the wood stove, and then we had light smoke conditions on the second floor," he said.

Police Officers Andres Huertas and Elias Casey were first on the scene and immediately entered the single-family home to find the occupant was on the second floor.

They helped her out of the building, Turner said, "they did a great job."

The chimney is a metal chimney and burn marks could been seen where it meets the eaves on the side of the building.

North Street is a narrow residential way and firetrucks from Alford, Egremont, Monterey, Richmond, Stockbridge and West Stockbridge were parked along nearby streets. Scene support was provided by police, Southern Berkshire Ambulance, and National Grid.

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