Concerned about high health care costs and 'Trump-era' insurance proposals that would harm consumers, Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday announced several legislative initiatives aimed at making health insurance more affordable. did.
The initiative includes tax breaks for small businesses that purchase certain insurance through the state's health insurance exchange, an overhaul of Connecticut's premium review process, and Covered, an initiative to provide free insurance to eligible residents. The proposals include expansion of the Connecticut program and are expected to be raised during the period. Congress begins on February 7th.
Congresswoman Gillian Gilchrest said, “People pay too much for health care in Connecticut, and too many Connecticut residents are afraid to seek care because of the cost or suffer from excessive medical care.'' “We're struggling with debt,” he said. West Hartford Democrat, co-chair of the Human Services Committee.
Gilchrest and his children's committee co-chairs are Rep. Liz Linehan (D-Cheshire), Rep. Christine Conley (D-Groton), Rep. Susan Johnson (D-Windham), and Rep. Sarah Cait (D-Fair). Sen. Field unveiled a concept Tuesday as an alternative. Legislation introduced last year would enable association health plans. Under these plans, an established trade association that meets certain requirements can purchase fully funded health insurance from an insurance company on behalf of the group or a self-funded insurance plan with claims paid directly by the employer. can be provided to members. The proposal failed to pass last year.
“Instead of creating a new system that creates headaches and burdens for people receiving health care, why not solve the problems that already exist,” Gilchrest said. “The Biden administration just proposed rules that would limit association health plans, so we don’t think it would be wise to move in that direction.”
“For years, I have been speaking with small business owners about the need to make it easier to provide health care to their employees,” Linehan added. “Association Health Plans sought to meet that need with plans rather than self-insurance, but there were concerns about protecting individual enrollees from high deductible plans and so-called 'junk insurance.'”
Lawmakers proposed tax credits for small businesses that purchase silver-level or higher coverage plans through the exchanges, limits on the use of stop-loss insurance products, and expansion of the Covered Connecticut program, which provides free health insurance through the exchanges. . to eligible individuals and their families. Eligibility in Connecticut would be expanded to include households earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Current limit is 175% of her FPL.
“For a family of four in Connecticut, 175 percent of the poverty level is $52,500 a year,” Gilchrest said.According to some studies, “The annual survival budget for a family of four to live in Connecticut is $126,018…still unattainable.” [that full amount]But if we can expand coverage of Connecticut to 200% of FPL, we're moving in the right direction.
Lawmakers are also considering bills that would limit the size of companies that can buy stop-loss insurance and raise the threshold for employers to pay health care costs to their workers.
“These plans operate outside the protections of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), penalize companies with employees with higher health needs, and destabilize the small group insurance market while , does nothing to address the underlying costs,” they wrote in a summary of the legislative concepts. .
And lawmakers are eyeing an overhaul of the state's rate review process and certificate of need policy. Elected officials, hospital executives and health advocates say they are worried, especially given the length of time it took for the state to decide on a deal to buy three hospitals owned by Yale New Haven Health in Connecticut. , is calling for changes to the procedures for required certificates. By Prospect Medical Holdings. Several said this process needed to be expedited. Lawmakers on Tuesday called for the bill to also include purchases of health care providers' operations by insurance companies.
It recommended amendments to the rate review process that would include more rigorous scrutiny, similar to the procedures imposed when utility rates go up. Legislative leaders also moved last fall to require more documentation and broader questions from stakeholders during annual public hearings on rate hike proposals, and to consider affordability when approving or denying rate hike requests. They called for changes to the interest rate review process.
Rep. Kelly Wood (D-Rocky Hill), co-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said she was disappointed that she was not included in Tuesday's announcement or consulted on the proposal. She said some of the proposals would likely pass her committee. .
“No one contacted us [on] The health commission also did not invite us to attend,” she said. “I find the whole thing very confusing, and I’m disappointed that solutions that help small businesses and nonprofits are not on the table, but they’ve increased spending even more. Tax cuts. That's great. I'm always in favor of lower taxes, but where is that money coming from?”
Wood said he is working on a bill that would include stop-loss coverage and limits on pool plans for nonprofits and small businesses.
Sen. Jorge Cabrera (D-Ansonia), co-chair of the Insurance Committee, said in a statement that he welcomes the proposal, which would reduce costs for small businesses buying health insurance.
“At my core, I want to provide more affordable health care to the people of Connecticut with lower premiums, lower deductibles and lower pharmacy costs,” he said. “If you have any suggestions to address this, we will always consider them.”
