MA Health Connector Open Enrollment Starts Nov. 1

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Open Enrollment season begins Nov. 1 for customers of the Massachusetts Health Connector, which administers subsidized ACA health plans. 
 
CHP Berkshires is now scheduling appointments to assist area residents with finding new coverage or updating their current plan. 
 
The income limits for Health Connector subsidized plans are now $69,400 for an individual and $155,000 for a family of four. As a result, many more individuals and families now qualify for these subsidized Health Connector plans.  
 
Current customers of MA Health Connector, or people seeking to enroll for the first time, can visit https://www.mahix.org to get started. However, CHP welcomes appointments from Health Connector customers who may need help finding the best plan for themselves and their families.  
 
"Health Connector plans are now accessible for more and more people, and we're here to help," said William Cruz, certified lead patient navigator for CHP Berkshires. "Shopping for health plans can be confusing, but we can help guide this process." 
 
Many state residents are either self-employed or do not have insurance through an employer. They often depend on subsidized plans to meet the state law requiring everyone to have health insurance.  
 
Cruz said MA Health Connector customers are now receiving snail-mail from the state program reminding them to observe the Nov. 1 deadline. Open Enrollment lasts through Jan. 23, 2025.  
 
Health Connector plans include coverage options with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, United Healthcare, Fallon Health, Health New England, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan, and WellSense Health Plan. 
 
Anyone who does not wish to make insurance plan changes as of Nov. 1 will be automatically re-enrolled with their current plan and coverage. 
 
The CHP Open Enrollment service is open to any Berkshire area resident regardless of whether they are a CHP patient.  
 
Open Enrollment appointments can be made by calling 413.854.2816, or via email enrollment@chpberkshires.org

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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