Massachusetts Health Connector announces appointment of Dr. Jonathan Gruber to Health Connector Board of Directors

July 20, 2026 – The Massachusetts Health Connector is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Gruber to the health economist seat of its Board of Directors. Dr. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics and the former Chairman of the Economics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has taught since 1992. A key leader in the 2006 Massachusetts health care reform effort, Dr. Gruber also served as an inaugural member of the Health Connector Board.

Following his leadership in Massachusetts, Dr. Gruber went on to consult the Obama Administration and lend his expertise to Congress, playing a key role in the crafting of the Affordable Care Act.

“Massachusetts has long led the nation in expanding access to affordable, high-quality health care, and Dr. Jonathan Gruber has been at the center of that work for decades,” said Governor Maura Healey. “His expertise helped shape the reforms that made Massachusetts a model for the country, and he’ll bring invaluable experience to the Health Connector as we continue working to protect coverage, lower costs and ensure every resident has access to the care they need. I’m grateful for his willingness to once again serve the people of Massachusetts.”

“Dr. Gruber’s economic skillfulness and enthusiasm for extending accessible care makes him a valuable addition to Health Connector’s leadership,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chair of the Health Connector Board of Directors, Kiame Mahaniah, MD, MBA. “I am eager to see the work he accomplishes and impact he makes on policy in this role.”

“I’m grateful to Governor Maura Healey for the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Gruber to the Health Connector’s Board of Directors,” said Health Connector Executive Director, Audrey Morse Gasteier. “As an inaugural member of the Health Connector Board and an architect of both Massachusetts health reform and the Affordable Care Act, Dr. Gruber brings essential economic policy expertise to the Board. At a time when the Health Connector is working to overcome federal headwinds and protect health coverage for hundreds of thousands of residents, I’m thankful to again be able to draw from the depth of his knowledge and his enduring commitment to health coverage and access.”

“Serving as an inaugural member of the Health Connector Board was one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Dr. Jonathan Gruber.  “I am so proud to have been part of Massachusetts’ efforts to lead the nation towards universal coverage.  And I am thrilled to get to rejoin the Board at this critical moment for the state.  Just as we led in expanding coverage, now is the time for Massachusetts to lead the nation in addressing the challenges posed by dramatic cuts in federal health care support.”

Dr. Gruber’s appointment is effective immediately, and he will participate in the next Board of Directors meeting in this new capacity. For more information about the Health Connector Board of Directors and upcoming meetings, individuals can visit: MAhealthconnector.org/about/board-meetings.

About the Massachusetts Health Connector

The Massachusetts Health Connector is the country’s first and longest-running state-based Marketplace, having been created in 2006 to provide high-value coverage to individuals and small businesses in the Commonwealth and to serve as a policy and outreach hub for both state and federal health reforms designed to expand and improve coverage. More than 408,000 individuals and small-employer enrollees receive health and dental coverage through the Health Connector.

To learn more, visit MAhealthconnector.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

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CONTACT:

Nuryelis Herrera Pena
Nuryelis.Herrera2@mass.gov