MONEY HELP

Medical Plan Assistance Program (MPAP)

Brightside Financial Care, your Choose Well benefit, is here to help with all things money — from urgent situations to managing debt to applying for the Medical Plan Assistance Program.

Through MPAP, a Choose Well program that Brightside administers, you may qualify for medical coverage with no premiums or reduced premiums, depending on your household size and income.

Register with Brightside to apply for MPAP and get help with any other financial need, challenge, question, or goal — always confidential and at no cost to you.

At no cost to you through Choose Well.

About MPAP and Brightside

Once you register with Brightside, you can talk with your own Brightside Financial Assistant by phone or chat (your choice).

Just share a couple of sentences about what’s going on. They’re like that friend on your side who makes things easier, finds free and low-cost options you won’t find on your own, and walks with you every step of the way.

Your Financial Assistant can help you:

Apply for the Medical Plan Assistance Program (MPAP) if you’re eligible
Handle urgent situations — housing and transportation needs, unexpected bills, a cash crunch
Manage credit card bills, student loans, and other debt, including accounts in collections
Navigate income changes and big life events

One conversation makes a difference

Matilda reached out to Brightside to apply for MPAP, and her Financial Assistant helped her get approved for a 100% premium subsidy — eliminating her out-of-pocket medical costs entirely.

When the two reviewed the rest of Matilda’s finances, they found more opportunities she didn’t know she had, including a student loan repayment plan that dropped her $100 monthly payment to $0. Her Financial Assistant also found a 401(k) Matilda had left with an old employer and connected her with the vendor who could help with the rollover — so she could avoid fees and keep control of her money.

At no cost to you through Choose Well.

You can also access the MPAP application form here and fax it to 1-800-693-1994 (you must re-apply

every year to maintain your eligibility).

Important things to know before applying

Set aside 15 to 30 minutes to complete the application. Have your documents ready before you start so you can finish in one sitting.

  • All income from the past 90 days for every household member earning income — pay stubs, offer letter, self-employment income statements, social security/disability statements, alimony, retirement/pension income, and/or unemployment benefits.
  • Federal tax return: the most recent filed, complete federal tax return for each household member. IRS transcripts and W-2 forms are not accepted.

If any household member did not file a tax return and is not a dependent on your federal tax return, submit the following:

  • A signed statement from each adult (18+) stating he or she did not file a tax return.
  • A letter of explanation regarding any minor household member who is not a dependent on your tax return.
  • Applications can be submitted throughout the year.
  • Complete all required fields and submit all required documents.
  • If approved, the discount will be reflected on your paycheck as soon as administratively possible.
  • If your household income or size changes, you can reapply even if you did not qualify in the past.

Who is eligible?

Eligibility is based on your household size and income.

At or below 250% of guidelines
Medical coverage with no premiums or reduced premiums, depending on the medical plan you are enrolled in through your employer.
Up to 400% of guidelines
A 50% discount on any medical plan offered by your employer.

For additional details on the program, please visit the Caregiver Service Portal and search for Medical Plan Assistance. The federal poverty guidelines below are used to determine eligibility for assistance in the coming plan year.

All states except Alaska

Family size 250% of 2026 federal poverty guidelines — annual household income up to 400% of 2026 federal poverty guidelines — annual household income up to
1 $39,900 $63,840
2 $54,100 $86,560
3 $68,300 $109,280
4 $82,500 $132,000
5 $96,700 $154,720
6 $110,900 $177,440
7 $125,100 $200,160
8 $139,300 $222,880
More than 8, add: $14,200 for each additional member $22,720 for each additional member

Alaska

Family size 250% of 2026 federal poverty guidelines — annual household income up to 400% of 2026 federal poverty guidelines — annual household income up to
1 $49,875 $79,800
2 $67,625 $108,200
3 $85,375 $136,600
4 $103,125 $165,000
5 $120,875 $193,400
6 $138,625 $221,800
7 $156,375 $250,200
8 $174,125 $278,600
More than 8, add: $17,750 for each additional member $28,400 for each additional member

At no cost to you through Choose Well.

You can also access the MPAP application form here and fax it to 1-800-693-1994 (you must re-apply every year to maintain your eligibility). Applications can be submitted at any time. Contact Brightside at 1-855-979-7768 for questions about the program or if you need help completing the application.

Frequently asked questions

If your income or household size changes, you may be eligible for the program even if you didn’t qualify in the past. Apply at any time throughout the year by contacting Brightside.
The federal poverty guidelines, set each year by the Department of Health and Human Services, are used by the government to determine eligibility for certain programs. People are considered to be living in poverty if earning less than 100 percent of the guidelines. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides varying levels of assistance for the cost of medical insurance, with those earning up to 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines receiving the highest level of assistance. Recognizing that people earning more may still need help affording coverage, the ACA offers reduced assistance for those earning up to 400 percent. We modeled the eligibility guidelines for MPAP on the ACA, and, as with that program, one does not need to be living in “poverty” to be eligible for assistance. Factors such as the number of working individuals in the household or the number of household members can have a dramatic effect on an individual’s ability to afford health insurance, which is why both the ACA and our program take household size and income into account.
Yes. As with all services administered by your caregiver well-being program, Choose Well, your privacy is strictly protected. Only the information necessary for processing your application will be provided by you to Brightside, the third-party administrator of the program, and will be kept confidential.

At no cost to you through Choose Well.

You can also access the MPAP application form here and fax it to 1-800-693-1994 (you must re-apply every year to maintain your eligibility).