State Senator Joseph J. Crisco, Jr.
May 30, 2009
Crisco Gains Approval of Pooling Bill to Expand Health Care Coverage in Connecticut
The co-chair of the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, Senator Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge) has gained Senate approval of a bill he introduced that is designed to expand health care coverage in Connecticut. The so called pooling bill would allow cities and towns, small businesses and nonprofit agencies to participate in the state’s health insurance program. It was passed earlier in the House of Representatives.
H.B. 6582 An Act Establishing the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership requires the state Comptroller to covert the state employee health insurance plan to a self-insured arrangement. It would allow municipal employees, small employers and nonprofit employers to join the state plan.
The bill also requires the state to charge employers participating in the state plan the same premium rates the state pays, except it may adjust the rate for a small employer. In addition, it allows the Comptroller to have state money withheld from a municipality participating in the state plan that fails to pay premiums, and with 10-days notice, terminate any participating employer group that does not pay its premiums.
“This historic legislation would open the state employee health plan to nonprofits, small businesses with less than 50 employees and municipalities on a completely voluntary basis. This would allow them to have access to affordable benefits that state employees, legislators and the governor currently enjoy,” said Senator Crisco. “They would also be able to advantage of the increased bargaining power and reduce administrative costs associated with the state plan which includes some 200,000 employees, dependents and retirees.”
“Many small employers and nonprofits would provide this level of benefits if it were available at the market place at an affordable price,” said Senator Crisco. “Our state has experienced many economic and fiscal changes in the past year creating an even greater need for this legislation to help provide cities and towns, small businesses and nonprofit agencies with good health care at a good price.”
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Senator Crisco’s |
Listing of Senator Crisco’s recent press releases and a Press Kit with official head shots and bio. |
Press Aide Laurence Grotheer |
