Here are identities of key individuals and definitions of key programs mentioned in the previous five postings:

1. Melissa Boudreault, Connector Staff
2. Nonnie Burnes, Connector Board Member and Commission of State Division of Insurance, ex officio
3. Bob Carey, Connector Staff
4. Tom Dehner, Connector Board and Director of Office of Medicaid, ex officio
5. Ian Duncan, Connector Board and health actuary
6. Jonathan Gruber, Connector Board and MIT Professor of Economics, health economist
7. Patrick Holland, Connector staff
8. Leslie Kirwan, Connector Board Chair and State Secretary of Administration & Finance, ex officio
9. Jon Kingsdale, Connector Executive Director
10. Rick Lord, Connector Board Member and President of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, small business representative
11. Lou Malzone, Connector Board Member, and Labor Union Insurance executive, Taft Hartley plan rep
12. Dolores Mitchell, Connector Board Member and Executive Director of State’s Group Insurance Commission, ex officio
13. Nancy Turnbull, Connector Board Member and faculty at Harvard School of Public Health, consumer rep
14. Celia Wcislo, Connector Board Member and Labor Union Official at SEIU 1199, union rep

A. C.58: Chapter 58, the Massachusetts Health Reform law
B. CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, federal agency that oversees Medicaid and special payments to Massachusetts
C. CommCare: Commonwealth Care – subsidized insurance coverage offered through the Connector to uninsured individuals with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty line ($30K for an individual) who can’t get coverage elsewhere.
D. CommChoice: Commonwealth Choice – nonsubsidized coverage offered through the Connector by private insurance plans for individuals and small employers. There are four levels of coverage: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Young Adults Plans.
E. ER: emergency room services
F. ESI: Employer sponsored insurance
G. Individual Mandate: the requirement that all individuals 18+ must have insurance coverage by 7/1/07 or potentially face penalties by 12/31/07
H. MCC: Minimum Creditable Coverage, the minimum standard for insurance policies individuals must have to avoid penalties under the Individual Mandate.
I. MHR: Massachusetts Health Reform
J. MMCOs: Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, the four nonprofit health plans that offer CommCare coverage: Fallon Health Plan, HealthNet, Neighborhood Health Plan, Network Health.
K. Plan Types I-IV: The four types of coverage offered through CommCare depending on an individual’s family income. PTI=0-100%fpl; PTIIa=101-150; PTIIb=151-200; PTIII and IV=201-300.
L. OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — group of 30 democratic, free market nations often grouped together for comparison purposes.
M. PCPs: primary care physicians.
N. PMPM: per member per month.
O. Seal of Approval: For an insurance company to offer a CommChoice plan, they must obtain the Connector’s “seal of approval” by meeting certain standards.