CT Health Reform
Support SustiNet
HB-6600, An Act Concerning the Establishment of the SustiNet Plan is on its way to the Governor’s desk after passing both houses of the General Assembly. Show your support by signing an online postcard to the Governor urging her to sign the act.
Read MoreSustiNet and budget updates
Saturday HB-6600, AAC the Establishment of the SustiNet Plan, passed the Senate on a vote of 23 to 12. The bill passed as it did in the House, without further ammendment. The Health Care Partnership bill, HB-6582, which self-insures the state employee plan and allows municipalities, small businesses and non-profits to participate in the plan,…
Read MoreSustiNet bill passes the House
The SustiNet bill, HB-6600, overwhelmingly passed the House last night 107 to 35. The bill creates a volunteer SustiNet Board of Directors to design and develop concrete steps to achieve health care reform including affordable coverage options for everyone, improving the health care delivery system, addressing chronic disease and significant prevention and wellness programs and…
Read MoreSustiNet Day at the Capitol
Wednesday was SustiNet Day at the Capitol, where hundreds of supporters gathered to show they are in favor of SustiNet and health care reform. Participants wore red t-shirts from the healthcare4every1 campaign with the campaign’s logo on the front and “SustiNet: Health Care We Can Count on” printed on the back. Participants sat in the…
Read MoreSutiNet bill modified
For budget and political reasons the SustiNet bill was changed last week. The new version creates a 14 member volunteer SustiNet Health Partnership Board of Directors across stakeholder groups tasked with making recommendations to the legislature by Jan. 1, 2011. The goals of SustiNet remain the same and much of the detail remained in the…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council/Charter Oak update
The news from today’s Council meeting is that while Charter Oak’s enrollment continues to increase – 8,210 as of May 1st — the number of people denied coverage under the program is far higher — 18,635 so far. While 705 of those were denied because they have coverage or have had it in the last…
Read MoreLegislative briefing on health care reform
A special briefing on health care, “Health Care Reform: Opportunities for New Directions”, was held yesterday at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Spectators almost filled the room. Speakers included Congressman Christopher Murphy, 5th District; Joy Johnson Wilson, Health Policy Director for the National Conference of State Legislators; and Enrique Martinez-Vidal, Vice President of State…
Read MoreAuthorities Update
Both the Primary Care and HealthFirst Authorities met yesterday, the later most likely for the last time. The HealthFirst Authority meeting featured Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economist, who is the leading proponent of individual mandates across the US. He championed the mandate in MA and is working with other states and the fed.s on building…
Read MoreSustiNet plan approved by Public Health Committee
HB- 6600, An Act Concerning the SustiNet Plan, passed out of the Public Health Committee yesterday on a party line vote. SustiNet is the only comprehensive health care reform plan currently being considered in Connecticut. Concerns raised at the Committee meeting included the costs of the plan, merging state employees with Medicaid, and increasing Medicaid…
Read MoreHealth care reform hearings
Despite the weather, the Human Services, Public Health and Insurance committees heard several health reform bills yesterday. The two that drew the most attention were HB-6582, creating the Healthcare Partnership, and HB-6600, creating the SustiNet plan. The Speaker’s Healthcare Partnership bill was heard first. This bill reflects a similar bill passed last year, pooling the…
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