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In spite of the pandemic, CCAG, in coalition with our state and national partners and Connecticut citizens, continues to take action on the our issue agenda -- including all we can to do to protect our health.
Connecticut’s Five Families
Health insurance companies are making millions by denying you care.
Five of them sent a letter to Governor Lamont in April, threatening to move jobs out of Connecticut if we passed a Public Option. It worked, and the Public Option was scrapped in the final days of the 2021 session.
CCAG is investigating, and bringing you information you need about the greed and profiteering of these companies.
Our first report, on CEO compensation, showed that those five companies paid their CEOs $137.7 million in the last year. Our second, Games Insurers Play: How Low Will They Go?, explores the tactics and money spent in the 2021 legislative session. It shows that the industry, these Five Families, and dark money groups who don't disclose their donors spent at least $1.3 million lobbying in just six months.
By adding thousands of small businesses, nonprofits and individuals to the state's Partnership Plan, a Public Option would have offered affordable, quality coverage to tens of thousands of people. But it would have impeded the skyrocketing profits of the insurance industry. It's time our lawmakers listened to the people of Connecticut, rather than millionaire insurance executives.
Make sure to like, follow and share our new Five Families Facebook page, and click here to take action and sign up for updates.
Health Care Victories from the 2021 Legislative Session:
VICTORY! SB1 AA Equalizing Comprehensive Access to Mental, Behavioral and Physical Health Care in Response to the Pandemic. This law officially declares racism as a public health crisis, standardizes the collection of race, ethnicity, and language data, and strengthens our community benefit regulations for hospitals.
While COVID has forced a greater focus on health disparities, there are still many structural issues that need to be addressed. This initiative looks at the structural issues behind the numbers and acknowledges the role of racism and white supremacy that perpetuates the long-standing inequities in our state.
Partial VICTORY. HB 6687 AAC Medical Assistance for Children and Adults Without Health Coverage. This will expand HUSKY health insurance to cover undocumented children ages 0-8, and provide postnatal care coverage for undocumented pregnant women, beginning in 2023. While we had started this fight to expand HUSKY healthcare for all undocumented persons, and other reforms including a Public Option, this bill provides critical coverage to children and mothers, and a pathway forward to continued expansion of healthcare for ALL of our community members.
Throughout 2021, and beyond, CCAG members and partners will continue to work to ensure all Connecticut residents have quality, affordable health care!
VICTORY! SB1 AA Equalizing Comprehensive Access to Mental, Behavioral and Physical Health Care in Response to the Pandemic. This law officially declares racism as a public health crisis, standardizes the collection of race, ethnicity, and language data, and strengthens our community benefit regulations for hospitals.
While COVID has forced a greater focus on health disparities, there are still many structural issues that need to be addressed. This initiative looks at the structural issues behind the numbers and acknowledges the role of racism and white supremacy that perpetuates the long-standing inequities in our state.
Partial VICTORY. HB 6687 AAC Medical Assistance for Children and Adults Without Health Coverage. This will expand HUSKY health insurance to cover undocumented children ages 0-8, and provide postnatal care coverage for undocumented pregnant women, beginning in 2023. While we had started this fight to expand HUSKY healthcare for all undocumented persons, and other reforms including a Public Option, this bill provides critical coverage to children and mothers, and a pathway forward to continued expansion of healthcare for ALL of our community members.
Throughout 2021, and beyond, CCAG members and partners will continue to work to ensure all Connecticut residents have quality, affordable health care!
This year's actions included:
Even with industry threats, millions in dark money advertising and lobbying to kill SB 842, the public options for health care bill was voted out of committee and has momentum.
While the current language remains unacceptable, the committee vote allows negotiations to continue. We need to keep the pressure on.
A Senate vote will be happening soon.
Please send a message to Governor Lamont and your legislators before it's too late!
Join health justice protestors on 3/26 in charging Cigna CEO David Cordani with pandemic profiteering, personally racking up $79 million- quadrupling his salary during the worst health crisis in a century. See details & sign up here
The protest will take place in Simsbury, Connecticut, on April 26. Protestors will gather at 2 Winslow Pl., in Simsbury by 4 pm.
We are calling out Mr. Cordani's efforts to block a public healthcare option for CT.
Attendees are required to wear masks and follow required COVID social distancing guidelines
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February 23rd, 7pm. Join Rep. Anne Hughes, Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, Rep. Jennifer Leeper, Sen. Will Haskell, and State Comptroller Kevin Lembo for a community forum on healthcare. This roundtable will focus on what values and principles should guide our healthcare system in Connecticut, the impact of COVID 19 on working families, and how a robust public option health insurance program can change our healthcare system for the better. Register for the Zoom here. Find this event on FB here. |
February 24th, 6pm- join CCAG for a health care roundtable with Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Senator Matt Lesser and Representative Amy Bello to hear how to support a Health Care Public Option here in Connecticut!
This roundtable will provide a space for people to share their health care related experiences and concerns, discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on working families across our state, and how a robust public option health insurance program can change our healthcare system for the better.
The event will be on zoom. RSVP to be sent the details!
Find this event on FB here
The Insurance & Real Estate Committee is holding a PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, Feb. 9th at 11 A.M. for SB 842- AAC Health Insurance and Health Care in Connecticut- a bill that makes health care equitable, dependable and affordable.
Here's how to take action:
Please email written testimony to: instestimony@cga.ct.gov in Word or PDF format
Individuals who wish to testify via Zoom must register here. Registration will close on Monday, February 8, at 3:00 P.M
If you do not have internet access, you may provide testimony via telephone. To register to testify by phone, call the Phone Registrant Line at (860) 240-0411 to leave your contact information.
MORE INFORMATION: Please feel free to contact Ann.PrattCCAG@gmail.com or call 860-209-1234 with questions and comments.
Here's how to take action:
Please email written testimony to: instestimony@cga.ct.gov in Word or PDF format
Individuals who wish to testify via Zoom must register here. Registration will close on Monday, February 8, at 3:00 P.M
If you do not have internet access, you may provide testimony via telephone. To register to testify by phone, call the Phone Registrant Line at (860) 240-0411 to leave your contact information.
MORE INFORMATION: Please feel free to contact Ann.PrattCCAG@gmail.com or call 860-209-1234 with questions and comments.
Now more than ever, we need to be talking about healthcare in our community. So we are having a live discussion! Join the Medicaid Strategy Group on Thursday, December 10th at 1:30pm for a HUSKY4MORE campaign launch event. We'll have a panel of exciting speakers discussing the importance of HUSKY/Medicaid and we'll let you know how you can take action for HUSKY4MORE. Join us via Facebook Live at Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut’s Facebook page,
ANNOUNCEMENT! Congratulations to all for a successful Special Session, your voices have been heard! Due to thousands of citizen's efforts the following legislation passed: HB 6001 An Act Concerning Telehealth: Early in the pandemic Governor Lamont signed an executive order allowing patients and health care providers to communicate over a broad range of platforms rather than risking exposure to the virus by meeting in person. That order would have expired in September if not legislated to continue. The bill passed unanimously by both the House and Senate will extend services until March of 2021. HB 6003 An Act Concerning Diabetes and High Deductible Health Plans: Will cap the cost of insulin and equipment for diabetics for anyone on a state-regulated insurance plan. This is a critical protection in the best of times and even more so in this time of crisis.The bill passed the House by a vote of 142-4. Passed the Senate 35 to 1, and will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. 2020 CCAG Active Health Care Agenda
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Price Gouging & Profiteering. The need for safe, effective and affordable COVID-19 treatments and vaccines is critical. U.S. taxpayers are contributing billions of dollars to R&D efforts but so far the Trump Administration has refused to guarantee affordability or disclose the terms of contracts it has entered into with prescription drug corporations.
It’s up to Congress to make sure our taxpayer dollars get us vaccines and treatments that we can all afford by stopping the drug companies from profiteering off of today’s pandemic. That means Congress must include safeguards that will:
H.R. 7296, the MMAPPP Act, and H.R. 7288, the TRACK Act are the current CCAG supported federal bills.
No matter where you come from, what you look like or what’s in your wallet, we could all get sick from the current pandemic. We all need affordable medicine to get healthy and to take care of our families
Insurance Coverage Due to Job Loss. The number of uninsured in our state continues to rise as a result of unemployment from COVID 19. A pandemic is not the time to lose health care. With your help, CCAG is working to open Medicaid to all residents regardless of income or immigration status.
It’s up to Congress to make sure our taxpayer dollars get us vaccines and treatments that we can all afford by stopping the drug companies from profiteering off of today’s pandemic. That means Congress must include safeguards that will:
- Require fair and reasonable prices for all COVID 19 drugs or vaccines developed with taxpayer funds so we can all afford them.
- Block drug monopolies that enable Big Pharma profiteering off of COVID 19 treatments and vaccines.
- Mandate that the Trump Administration disclose to the public how much taxpayer money is going to drug companies to create treatments and vaccines.
- Congress must include safeguards in the next relief package that will ensure that taxpayer-funded medicines will be affordable, and that the company that finds the cure pays taxes on their profits.
H.R. 7296, the MMAPPP Act, and H.R. 7288, the TRACK Act are the current CCAG supported federal bills.
No matter where you come from, what you look like or what’s in your wallet, we could all get sick from the current pandemic. We all need affordable medicine to get healthy and to take care of our families
Insurance Coverage Due to Job Loss. The number of uninsured in our state continues to rise as a result of unemployment from COVID 19. A pandemic is not the time to lose health care. With your help, CCAG is working to open Medicaid to all residents regardless of income or immigration status.
On Hold Due to Pandemic:
Connecticut small business owners and non-profit organizations are being crushed by skyrocketing health insurance premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and out-of-pocket expenses.
The relentlessly rising cost of health care is harming workers, families and our entire state economy.
The Connecticut Plan, (SB 346) a bill now before the state legislature-would fix this. If you know, work for, or are a small business owner or non-profit, can you sign this pledge of support today?
A Connecticut Plan will offer:
A Connecticut Plan just makes sense.Please take time to sign this pledge of support, and to take action today!
Download a fact sheet here.
The relentlessly rising cost of health care is harming workers, families and our entire state economy.
The Connecticut Plan, (SB 346) a bill now before the state legislature-would fix this. If you know, work for, or are a small business owner or non-profit, can you sign this pledge of support today?
A Connecticut Plan will offer:
- High-quality health care with affordable premiums & no high deductibles
- Multiple plan options to align with your budget and benefit needs
- No long-term commitments
- Dental insurance
- Stabilized costs by leveraging the market power of the state employee plan
A Connecticut Plan just makes sense.Please take time to sign this pledge of support, and to take action today!
Download a fact sheet here.
Medicaid Restoration. Last year CCAG and allies were able to help restore HUSKY A to roughly 4,000 working poor adults. While this was a great relief, it still left many with no coverage. We will be working to expand that restoration to parents of children enrolled this year.
Prescription Drug Prices: There are numerous bills being raised at this time. On the wide array of legislation being proposed will be putting a cap on out-of-pocket drug expenses and prohibiting insurers from mid-year bait and switch of covered drugs or moving list of covered drugs to a higher tier.
Hospital Community Benefits. CCAG is helping to advance statewide standards for benefits programs in the communities hospitals serve, to improve the health status of working families and populations at risk.
Prescription Drug Prices: There are numerous bills being raised at this time. On the wide array of legislation being proposed will be putting a cap on out-of-pocket drug expenses and prohibiting insurers from mid-year bait and switch of covered drugs or moving list of covered drugs to a higher tier.
Hospital Community Benefits. CCAG is helping to advance statewide standards for benefits programs in the communities hospitals serve, to improve the health status of working families and populations at risk.
2019 VICTORIES AND MORE WORK TO DO ON HEALTH CARE
Passed in the Budget, HUSKY A. The budget expanded the HUSKY A Medicaid program for working poor adults to serve roughly 4,000 more people each year. It includes rate increases for nursing homes which are key to averting strikes this summer at 25 facilities.
MORE WORK TO DO ON HEALTH CARE
We had high hopes at the start of the legislative session that Connecticut would be the first state in the nation to pass a public option. When those hopes were dashed there was still hope that some type of reform might pass. HB 7367 would have allowed for the importation of much lower priced prescription drugs from Canada.
While the bill passed in the House, it was not called in the Senate and it died on that floor. We will continue to pursue this issue in the next legislative session and are now turning our organizing efforts to federal action for quality, affordable health care and lower prescription drug prices.
ACTIONS & UPDATES ON HEALTHCARE- MAY 31, 2019
Husky A Restoration- Legislative Leaders and the Governor have negotiated a budget deal that includes an intention to restore HUSKY A coverage for about 4,000 of the 11,000 low income parents cut off in the budget in 2015. We applaud those who have taken the lead to go this far, but a full restoration to 201% of the poverty level is needed.
For more information see the HUSKY A information sheet here. CT Voices for Children Fact Sheet here.
Lowering Prescription Drug Prices- Connecticut families need relief from the high cost of prescription drugs. Drugs sold in the United States can be up to TEN times more expensive than the same products sold in Canada. Canadian prescription drugs are safe and the United States is already the world's largest importer of pharmaceuticals.
Lowering Prescription Drug Prices: HB 7267 would enable Connecticut to import drugs from Canada. More and more states are passing drug importation laws including Colorado, Florida and Vermont.
ACTION! Please contact House leaders NOW and ask them to:
House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz - 860-240-8500
House Majority Leader Matt Ritter - 860-240-8585
SB 1- Implementing Paid Family Leave was approved last week by the Connecticut Senate. The bill awaits a House vote and may be voted on TODAY!
ACTION! Contact your State Rep. to tell them to vote YES on SB 1.
SB 859 AAC Community Health Workers. This bill passed out of the Public Health Committee and Senate unanimously. The bill established a certification program for community health workers and is vital to the care and coordination for residents statewide. The fiscal note shows the bill will generate some revenue and recent reports show minimal costs associated with the bill. ACTION! Contact your State Rep. to support SB 859.
Passed in the Budget, HUSKY A. The budget expanded the HUSKY A Medicaid program for working poor adults to serve roughly 4,000 more people each year. It includes rate increases for nursing homes which are key to averting strikes this summer at 25 facilities.
MORE WORK TO DO ON HEALTH CARE
We had high hopes at the start of the legislative session that Connecticut would be the first state in the nation to pass a public option. When those hopes were dashed there was still hope that some type of reform might pass. HB 7367 would have allowed for the importation of much lower priced prescription drugs from Canada.
While the bill passed in the House, it was not called in the Senate and it died on that floor. We will continue to pursue this issue in the next legislative session and are now turning our organizing efforts to federal action for quality, affordable health care and lower prescription drug prices.
ACTIONS & UPDATES ON HEALTHCARE- MAY 31, 2019
Husky A Restoration- Legislative Leaders and the Governor have negotiated a budget deal that includes an intention to restore HUSKY A coverage for about 4,000 of the 11,000 low income parents cut off in the budget in 2015. We applaud those who have taken the lead to go this far, but a full restoration to 201% of the poverty level is needed.
For more information see the HUSKY A information sheet here. CT Voices for Children Fact Sheet here.
Lowering Prescription Drug Prices- Connecticut families need relief from the high cost of prescription drugs. Drugs sold in the United States can be up to TEN times more expensive than the same products sold in Canada. Canadian prescription drugs are safe and the United States is already the world's largest importer of pharmaceuticals.
Lowering Prescription Drug Prices: HB 7267 would enable Connecticut to import drugs from Canada. More and more states are passing drug importation laws including Colorado, Florida and Vermont.
ACTION! Please contact House leaders NOW and ask them to:
- Fully restore HUSKY A coverage to parents and caregivers
- Pass HB 7267 TODAY to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada to Connecticut
House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz - 860-240-8500
House Majority Leader Matt Ritter - 860-240-8585
SB 1- Implementing Paid Family Leave was approved last week by the Connecticut Senate. The bill awaits a House vote and may be voted on TODAY!
ACTION! Contact your State Rep. to tell them to vote YES on SB 1.
SB 859 AAC Community Health Workers. This bill passed out of the Public Health Committee and Senate unanimously. The bill established a certification program for community health workers and is vital to the care and coordination for residents statewide. The fiscal note shows the bill will generate some revenue and recent reports show minimal costs associated with the bill. ACTION! Contact your State Rep. to support SB 859.
Healthcare Solutions Under Consideration in 2019
HB 7267 AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC OPTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE IN CONNECTICUT.
To: Establish the ConnectHealth Program that will utilize purchasing power of the state to offer a quality health plan for small businesses by January of 2020, to individuals not eligible for subsidies by Fall of 2020, and to establish a planning process to explore a larger public option for 2021.
UPDATE! The bills to create new health insurance choices for small businesses, nonprofits and individuals, a CT public option (HB 7267 and SB 134), was passed by the Appropriations Committee and is now going to the House/Senate for action. More info here.
SB 902 AN ACT CONCERNING HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANS.
To require certain high deductible health plans, to the maximum extent permitted by federal law, to: (1) Apply annual deductibles on a calendar year basis; (2) prorate annual deductibles to reflect (A) the portion of the calendar year during which coverage under such plans is effective, and (B) a deduction for payments made by individuals covered under such plans while such individuals were covered under other high deductible health plans during such year; (3) provide deductions for in-network and out-of-network covered benefits; and (4) not apply (A) increased annual deductibles solely because such plans provide family coverage, or (B) annual deductibles that vary solely due to family size.
HB 7174 AN ACT CONCERNING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
To: (1) Establish the "Connecticut Prescription Drug Program" and the "Connecticut prescription drug program account"; (2) require pharmaceutical manufacturers to send notice to the Insurance Commissioner regarding "pay-for-delay" agreements, and require health carriers and pharmacy benefits managers to reduce the cost of brand name prescription drugs that are the subject of such agreements; (3) require the Comptroller to offer qualified private employers the option to purchase prescription drugs for their employees, employees' dependents and retirees through the Comptroller's purchasing authority; (4) prohibit any health carrier or pharmacy benefits manager from recouping any portion of a claim that such carrier or manager has paid to a pharmacy or pharmacist; and (5) establish a task force to study drug reimportation.
This bill was voted out of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and is awaiting action on the floor to refer it out to any additional Committees,
HB 7164 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUMAN SERVICES.
The Governor's budget recommendations in terms of health care does not include restoring HUSKY eligibility for parents up to 201% of the federal poverty level.
HB 7267 AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC OPTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE IN CONNECTICUT.
To: Establish the ConnectHealth Program that will utilize purchasing power of the state to offer a quality health plan for small businesses by January of 2020, to individuals not eligible for subsidies by Fall of 2020, and to establish a planning process to explore a larger public option for 2021.
UPDATE! The bills to create new health insurance choices for small businesses, nonprofits and individuals, a CT public option (HB 7267 and SB 134), was passed by the Appropriations Committee and is now going to the House/Senate for action. More info here.
SB 902 AN ACT CONCERNING HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANS.
To require certain high deductible health plans, to the maximum extent permitted by federal law, to: (1) Apply annual deductibles on a calendar year basis; (2) prorate annual deductibles to reflect (A) the portion of the calendar year during which coverage under such plans is effective, and (B) a deduction for payments made by individuals covered under such plans while such individuals were covered under other high deductible health plans during such year; (3) provide deductions for in-network and out-of-network covered benefits; and (4) not apply (A) increased annual deductibles solely because such plans provide family coverage, or (B) annual deductibles that vary solely due to family size.
HB 7174 AN ACT CONCERNING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
To: (1) Establish the "Connecticut Prescription Drug Program" and the "Connecticut prescription drug program account"; (2) require pharmaceutical manufacturers to send notice to the Insurance Commissioner regarding "pay-for-delay" agreements, and require health carriers and pharmacy benefits managers to reduce the cost of brand name prescription drugs that are the subject of such agreements; (3) require the Comptroller to offer qualified private employers the option to purchase prescription drugs for their employees, employees' dependents and retirees through the Comptroller's purchasing authority; (4) prohibit any health carrier or pharmacy benefits manager from recouping any portion of a claim that such carrier or manager has paid to a pharmacy or pharmacist; and (5) establish a task force to study drug reimportation.
This bill was voted out of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and is awaiting action on the floor to refer it out to any additional Committees,
HB 7164 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUMAN SERVICES.
The Governor's budget recommendations in terms of health care does not include restoring HUSKY eligibility for parents up to 201% of the federal poverty level.