Health insurance is going to get more expensive in Mass. next year. Here’s what to know

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If you lived in New England in the late ’80s and ’90s, these retro commuter rail cars may look familiar. You can check out and ride the three refurbished locomotives as of today to pay tribute to some of the region’s most vital rail routes.

Now, let’s get to the news:

Sticker shock: Health insurance costs are expected to leap nationwide next year, whether your coverage comes from your employer or the state. And as WBUR’s Martha Bebinger reports, premiums for those who purchase health coverage through the Massachusetts Health Connector are expected to spike dramatically. Here’s a look at what may change.

• If you have Health Connector coverage: There are nearly 400,000 residents who purchase health coverage through the state. Those who do not qualify for a subsidized plan will see premiums rise nearly 14%, while those who receive subsidies will see an increase of 12%, as per rates approved last month. And if Congress does not extend tax credits that subsidize coverage for low to middle income Americans, Connector members will likely face even greater sticker shock when they renew coverage, Martha reports. Michele Yakovee, of the Massachusetts Health Connector, says the rate hikes, while high, are some of the lowest across the U.S. “Federal uncertainty, increasing pharmacy trends and upward pressure from hospital renewals are putting pressure on rates,” she added.
• Meanwhile… The Health Connector board voted last week to officially join Medicare and Medicaid in ending coverage of weight loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy. They said the move to not cover the GLP-1 drugs was to avoid even higher premium hikes next year.
• If you have employer coverage: Employers have been confronted with the biggest health coverage price increase in 15 years — and many plan to pass along the cost. Last month, state regulators approved the final merged market rates for the state’s major health insurance carriers. While some rates are lower than originally proposed (Blue Cross Blue Shield, for example), they’re still high across the board. Premium increases will vary, but NPR reports those with employer-based coverage could see their paycheck deductions surge upwards of 7%, on average.

Flights resumed: Bedford’s Hanscom Airport has become a hub for federal immigration enforcement flights again. WBUR’s Todd Wallack reports that trackers noted half a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement flights at the airport starting last week, shortly after ICE promised a surge of enforcement in Massachusetts.

• Zoom out: Back in July, ICE officials said they’d stopped using Hanscom Airport to fly detainees out of state after they received backlash from a WBUR story that showed ICE had moved hundreds of people through the airport earlier this year.
• Zoom in: In the past week, ICE confirmed it’s using the airport again to move people from its Burlington facility to other detention centers. The Plymouth Sheriff’s Department said it took more than 40 ICE detainees to Hanscom to be transferred elsewhere.

On Beacon Hill: A joint committee is holding a public hearing today on supervised injection sites and the benefits of legalizing “overdose prevention centers” (aka where trained workers provide medical supervision to people using illegal drugs). Right now, the closest overdose prevention center is in Providence, Rhode Island, which opened in 2024.

• What they’re saying: Gov. Maura Healey and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health have previously supported harm reduction measures. But this past April, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said the federal government would not allow the “categorically illegal” supervised injection sites to go forth in Massachusetts, as they “facilitate destructive behavior.”

Party politics: After its annual convention this past weekend, the Massachusetts Democratic Party says it plans to campaign on protecting healthcare, reproductive rights and education from the Trump administration. Vermont Public has more on what happened and the economic boon the convention brings to Springfield.

• What they’re saying: Speakers at the convention called for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s resignation. Congressman Richard Neal also called out the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, WBUR’s Paul Connearney reports. “Law-abiding people that we need in our economy are being pulled out of cars… they’re being snatched off the streets … and being deported without due process,” said Neal. “That is wrong.”

P.S. — Looking to make your weeknight meals a little easier? Visit CitySpace tonight at 6:30 p.m. to hear “Salsa Daddy” author Rick Martinez share tips on how to incorporate savory and spicy salsas into your culinary rotation. You’ll also get to try mole sencillo afterward. Grab your tickets here.