CMS lifted an enrollment freeze for two contracts under eternalHealth, a Boston-based Medicare Advantage insurer, on Oct. 7.
The agency imposed the freeze Aug. 27 after determining eternalHealth’s conduct “poses a serious threat to enrollee health and safety.” Earlier that month, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance placed eternalHealth under administrative supervision and required the insurer to suspend new business until it fulfilled certain state financial requirements.
On Oct. 7, the state withdrew the restriction that prevented eternalHealth from writing new business, allowing the insurer to come back into compliance with federal requirements.
“We’re pleased that CMS has lifted the temporary pause on new enrollments in our Massachusetts Medicare Advantage plans,” eternalHealth CEO Pooja Ika said in a statement shared with Becker’s on Oct. 19. “EternalHealth remains in good standing with CMS and the Division of Insurance, and our focus never wavered. Throughout this process, our members continued to receive the coverage and care they count on, without interruption, which speaks to our primary focus.”.
She said Massachusetts beneficiaries can continue to select eternalHealth during this annual enrollment period.
The insurer has faced sanctions twice in less than two years. A 2025 sanction stemmed from concerns regarding state financial solvency requirements. While CMS lifted that sanction in September 2025, a letter from the agency said that “any future failures to comply with CMS requirements may subject eternalHealth to other applicable remedies available under law, including the imposition of intermediate sanctions, civil money penalties or contract termination.”
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