NEW LONDON DELEGATION CHEERS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND APPROVAL OF $7.236 MILLION TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CENTER
Today, the New London legislative delegation including State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London), State Representative Christine Conley (D-Groton) and State Representative Anthony Nolan (D-New London) welcomed the Connecticut Community Investment Fund 2030 Board’s approval of $7.236 million in funding supporting the final costs of the Community and Recreation Center in New London.
Specifically, the allotment of $7,236,237 will be used to provide the final construction costs of New London’s new Community and Recreation Center, which will offer recreation activities and rooms for educational and community use. It will also house the City’s recreation and youth affairs departments.
“It’s wonderful to hear that the Community Investment Fund is supporting this important project, which is going to benefit the entire New London community,” said Sen. Marx. “A new and improved home for recreational and youth affairs needs is going to allow many more residents access to helpful resources. I’m grateful to Governor Lamont, Senator Looney, Rep. Ritter and the Community Investment Fund for their support of our community.”
“I am grateful to say that this funding will get the job done! With over $7 million allocated through the Community Investment Fund, construction for the Community and Recreation Center will be completed,” Rep. Conley said. “The New London community will finally get the state-of-the-art facility it deserves, providing activities, resources and support to residents.”
Westport Delegation Releases Statement Regarding White Supremacist Stickers Being Found in Westport
Westport Delegation Releases Statement Regarding White Supremacist Stickers Being Found in Westport
“There is no home for hate in Westport.”
Today, the Westport Delegation released the following statement denouncing white supremacy in the wake of stickers being found in Westport that have reportedly been confirmed as recruitment propaganda from the Patriot Front, a white supremacist group.
“There is no home for hate in Westport. As your state delegation, we are proud to represent each and every Westporter in Hartford and we carry the town’s welcoming spirit, and the values of inclusion and acceptance that Westport is known for with us every day in our work. Hateful white supremacist propaganda and vandalism will know no safe harbor here in Westport. As long as we are vigilant together, Westport values will keep the fabric of our community strong and send a clear message that these hateful actions will never be tolerated in our neighborhoods.”
Senator Gaston Leads Public Hearing on Combating Gun Violence
Senator Gaston Leads Public Hearing on Combating Gun Violence
Today, state Senator Herron Gaston (D-Bridgeport), Chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee, lead a public hearing on Senate Bill 1162, ‘An Act Requiring Community Roundtable and Funding Community Policing Programs To Combat Gun Violence’. This bill would require law enforcement units to hold community roundtables and establish a pilot program to fund community policing programs in certain municipalities, to reduce gun violence and improve relationships between law enforcement units and the communities they serve.
“We need to find solutions,” said Sen. Gaston. “Working together collaboratively with our law enforcement and sharing different policies allows for dedicated members of our community to produce new and innovative strategies to put an end to gun violence. Discussions are critical as it allows different members in our community to come together and brainstorm solutions that can be used across each municipality here in our state. As Senate Chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee, I am dedicated to seeing this legislation through as we need new programs in our state to help reduce gun violence.”
SB 1162 will require law enforcement agencies in each town in Connecticut to hold a quarterly meeting with representatives from social services and mental health agencies, organizations that serve the municipality, people from organizations that seek to combat gun violence in the municipality, representatives from the judicial branch, and one or more prosecutors serving the judicial district that includes the municipality. During these meetings, it will be encouraged to share information and data that has been collected over the past months while developing strategies to reduce gun violence and crime throughout the state. Discussions held will also require everyone to work collaboratively to improve the responsiveness and accountability of law enforcement. All these meetings that take place will be open to the public.
Also under SB 1162, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will establish a pilot program to provide certain law enforcement agencies with funding to enhance community policing programs.
In written testimony submitted by Dr. Jonathan Gates with Hartford Hospital, he offers his support of Senate Bill 1162 writing at Hartford Hospital and in collaboration with other partners in the Hartford Hospital based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Strengthening Collaborative, they are committed to breaking the cycle of violence through their Violence Intervention Program and their trauma informed approach to care. In support of this bill, Dr. Gates believes programs are needed to combat gun violence and are designed to provide multi-disciplinary support for those who are injured and ultimately to prevent them as well as others from falling through those gaps.
In other written testimony submitted, support of SB 1162 was given by the Director of the Connecticut Hospital Violence Intervention Program Collaborative or CT HVIP at Hartford Communities that Care. In 2004, Hartford Communities that Care and Trinity Saint Francis Hospital established the first HVIP partnership in the state of Connecticut, and 6th in the nation to be recognized by the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (The HAVI). Since that partnership formed, they have served more than 2,200 victims and their families. The statewide CT HVIP Collaborative, a program of HCTC, works to expand and strengthen the safety net of Hospital Violence Intervention Programs across Connecticut. Director Johanna Schubert writes, “There can only be benefit from law enforcement better understanding the communities they serve through having credible messengers at the table.”
Senate Bill 6 Promoting a Healthier Connecticut to Receive Public Hearing Today
Senate Bill 6 Promoting a Healthier Connecticut to Receive Public Hearing Today
HARTFORD, CT – Today, priority legislation for Senate Democrats that seeks to address delays and inefficiencies to care will receive a public hearing in the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Senate Bill 6: “An Act Concerning Utilization Review and Health Care Contracts, Health Insurance Coverage for Newborns and Step Therapy,” was introduced as one of 10 priorities for the caucus in January.
Senate Bill 6 implements several changes to make more efficient the currently cumbersome and lengthy administrative process of prior authorization, which frequently delays care for patients and unnecessarily occupies health care workers seeking to obtain required approval from insurance companies to fill prescriptions and/or treat patients. The legislation will also broaden prohibitions on step therapy, a cost-cutting practice by insurers which also needlessly delays care, as patients gradually progress through less costly medications, and as they fail, are then provided access to the medication the patient originally required. Regarding newborns, Senate Bill 6 will lengthen the deadline for parents of newborns to enroll the child in their insurance to 121 days, or the discharge from the hospital, whichever is later. Currently, parents must do so 61 days after the baby is born, a deadline which can pass parents by as they acclimate to parenthood and, in some instances, comes before the baby leaves the hospital to go home with their family.
State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) serves as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and said passing this bill will mean less headaches for patients and health care workers.
“It is unconscionable that people in need of care are instead being given the runaround and suffering as insurance companies boost their already exorbitant profits through these cost-cutting measures that endanger the health of patients,” said Sen. Cabrera. “Passing this bill means less red tape for these patients and health care workers, which will lead to better outcomes for those in need of care and reduce some of the workload on those that administer care. Additionally, giving parents more time to insure their child as they transition to parenthood, attempt to catch up on sleep and bond with their little one is a no-brainer. I am eager to get this done, as it is high-time we hold insurance companies accountable by dramatically reducing the instances in which they can put profits over patients.”
State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) has been vocal about the need to address these issues and said this is a strong step in the right direction.
“Senate Bill 6 seeks to improve health insurance in a way that will improve public health,” said Sen. Anwar, who is also a doctor. “Among its most important steps are to aid young families by giving them more time to inform insurance of the birth of a newborn, removing a potential financial cliff, and prohibits the use of step therapy, which can delay effective treatment for serious conditions. As a physician, I have seen too many patients struggle with insurance red tape; this bill alleviates that stress.”
Budget Safeguards
The senator also voted today to continue the Democrat-led financial restraints that were first put in place in 2017.
Senate Bill 6 will tackle the following:
Prior Authorization
- Shorter Timelines to Move the Process Along – Adjusting the deadline for reviews, whether they be concurrent or prospective, to 72 hours from the current 15 days. The bill also allows a possible 72-hour extension. A 72-hour deadline would put Connecticut in line with at least 13 other states, including traditionally red states such as Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee
- Prohibiting Prior Authorization for Previously Approved Care – The bill prohibits insurers from requiring prior authorization for a service or prescription that previously was approved for a patient
- Electronic Prior Authorization – To further address long wait times or archaic means of communication, such as using a fax machine, the legislation requires insurers to provide electronic filings of prior authorization requestion
- Gold Card Program – SB 6 creates a new program to allow providers to avoid prior authorization for a health care service, including prescriptions, for which they maintain a 90% approval rate for. This is modeled after Texas legislation adopted in 2021 and in effect today
- 24/7 Review Prior Authorization Review – The bill requires insurers to process prior authorization requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week and on holidays to keep pace with the round-the-clock nature of care
Step Therapy
- • Broadening Step Therapy Prohibitions – The bill will expand the state’s prohibition on step-therapy that currently only covers state IV metastatic cancer, to any behavioral health condition or a chronic, disabling, or life-threatening condition or disease
Care for Newborns
- Extending the Enrollment Deadline – The bill extends the time parents must enroll their newborn in their insurance from 61 days to 121 or the date of discharge from the hospital, depending on whichever date is later
Senate Bill 6 Promoting a Healthier Connecticut to Receive Public Hearing Today
Senate Bill 6 Promoting a Healthier Connecticut to Receive Public Hearing Today
HARTFORD, CT – Today, priority legislation for Senate Democrats that seeks to address delays and inefficiencies to care will receive a public hearing in the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Senate Bill 6: “An Act Concerning Utilization Review and Health Care Contracts, Health Insurance Coverage for Newborns and Step Therapy,” was introduced as one of 10 priorities for the caucus in January.
Senate Bill 6 implements several changes to make more efficient the currently cumbersome and lengthy administrative process of prior authorization, which frequently delays care for patients and unnecessarily occupies health care workers seeking to obtain required approval from insurance companies to fill prescriptions and/or treat patients. The legislation will also broaden prohibitions on step therapy, a cost-cutting practice by insurers which also needlessly delays care, as patients gradually progress through less costly medications, and as they fail, are then provided access to the medication the patient originally required. Regarding newborns, Senate Bill 6 will lengthen the deadline for parents of newborns to enroll the child in their insurance to 121 days, or the discharge from the hospital, whichever is later. Currently, parents must do so 61 days after the baby is born, a deadline which can pass parents by as they acclimate to parenthood and, in some instances, comes before the baby leaves the hospital to go home with their family.
State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) serves as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and said passing this bill will mean less headaches for patients and health care workers.
“It is unconscionable that people in need of care are instead being given the runaround and suffering as insurance companies boost their already exorbitant profits through these cost-cutting measures that endanger the health of patients,” said Sen. Cabrera. “Passing this bill means less red tape for these patients and health care workers, which will lead to better outcomes for those in need of care and reduce some of the workload on those that administer care. Additionally, giving parents more time to insure their child as they transition to parenthood, attempt to catch up on sleep and bond with their little one is a no-brainer. I am eager to get this done, as it is high-time we hold insurance companies accountable by dramatically reducing the instances in which they can put profits over patients.”
State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) has been vocal about the need to address these issues and said this is a strong step in the right direction.
“Senate Bill 6 seeks to improve health insurance in a way that will improve public health,” said Sen. Anwar, who is also a doctor. “Among its most important steps are to aid young families by giving them more time to inform insurance of the birth of a newborn, removing a potential financial cliff, and prohibits the use of step therapy, which can delay effective treatment for serious conditions. As a physician, I have seen too many patients struggle with insurance red tape; this bill alleviates that stress.”
Budget Safeguards
The senator also voted today to continue the Democrat-led financial restraints that were first put in place in 2017.
Senate Bill 6 will tackle the following:
Prior Authorization
- Shorter Timelines to Move the Process Along – Adjusting the deadline for reviews, whether they be concurrent or prospective, to 72 hours from the current 15 days. The bill also allows a possible 72-hour extension. A 72-hour deadline would put Connecticut in line with at least 13 other states, including traditionally red states such as Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee
- Prohibiting Prior Authorization for Previously Approved Care – The bill prohibits insurers from requiring prior authorization for a service or prescription that previously was approved for a patient
- Electronic Prior Authorization – To further address long wait times or archaic means of communication, such as using a fax machine, the legislation requires insurers to provide electronic filings of prior authorization requestion
- Gold Card Program – SB 6 creates a new program to allow providers to avoid prior authorization for a health care service, including prescriptions, for which they maintain a 90% approval rate for. This is modeled after Texas legislation adopted in 2021 and in effect today
- 24/7 Review Prior Authorization Review – The bill requires insurers to process prior authorization requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week and on holidays to keep pace with the round-the-clock nature of care
Step Therapy
- • Broadening Step Therapy Prohibitions – The bill will expand the state’s prohibition on step-therapy that currently only covers state IV metastatic cancer, to any behavioral health condition or a chronic, disabling, or life-threatening condition or disease
Care for Newborns
- Extending the Enrollment Deadline – The bill extends the time parents must enroll their newborn in their insurance from 61 days to 121 or the date of discharge from the hospital, depending on whichever date is later
SENATOR MARX LEADS COMMITTEE APPROVAL OF LEGISLATION TO EASE VETERAN STATE BENEFIT ACCESS
SENATOR MARX LEADS COMMITTEE APPROVAL OF LEGISLATION TO EASE VETERAN STATE BENEFIT ACCESS
Today, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London) led the Veterans’ and Military Affairs Committee’s approval of legislation seeking to ease veterans’ access to state benefits. The legislation would exclude veterans’ disability payments from calculations of income when determining their eligibility to receive certain benefits. The bill passed the committee and will now progress to consideration by the House and Senate.
“Veterans who have sacrificed for our country to the extent that they receive disability payments should not be penalized for receiving those payments,” said Sen. Marx. “As a visiting nurse, I have witnessed many times our veterans not qualifying for the homecare program for elders, or fuel assistance, because of small disability pensions. Too many veterans in our state have seen their disability payments considered in their eligibility for state benefits – and have been rejected because of those benefits. Housing assistance, pension benefits and more important aid shouldn’t be impacted by disability payments being considered income. With this change, we’ll provide financial support to many Connecticut veterans.”
House Bill 1132, “An Act Excluding Disability Payments From Income For Purposes Of Eligibility For Certain State Benefits,” would exclude veterans’ disability payment compensation from their income when considering their eligibility for state benefits including rental and housing assistance, property tax relief, Medicare coverage, temporary family assistance, postpartum care assistance, and HUSKY B coverage, among other benefits.
In testimony provided to the Committee, Diane Nadeau, executive director of the Eastern Connecticut Veterans Community Center, testified in support of the bill. Nadeau noted the ECVCC provides aid to more than 15,000 veterans; in the past, she found that rendering them with aid to receive benefits they are eligible for has made them ineligible for support programs including energy assistance, food supplementation or housing assistance. This leads to consequences that could go as far as veterans turning down or voluntarily having benefits revoked to keep access to other services.
Alison Weir, executive director of the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, testified with similar instances of disabled veterans experiencing financial issues made worse by the collision between disability payments and other aid programs. “We are always cognizant that an increase in [disability] rating may decrease any state aid the veteran may be receiving,” Weir testified.
SEN. ANWAR RELEASES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO WALGREENS’ DECISION TO END SALES OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS IN MORE THAN 20 STATES
SEN. ANWAR RELEASES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO WALGREENS’ DECISION TO END SALES OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS IN MORE THAN 20 STATES
Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), the Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, released the following statement in response to Walgreens, the nation’s second-largest pharmacy, announcing this week that it will not sell oral contraceptive pills in more than 20 states where Republican attorneys general have threatened legal action:
“At a time when women’s access to contraceptives is under fire, for Walgreens to make this decision in the name of legal threats is very disappointing,” said Sen. Anwar. “In many states, this will only further contribute to a desert of reproductive options for women, and will not only harm access but may lead to women themselves being harmed. In some states, these pills will remain legally accessible, but Walgreens has made the decision that its customers should not be able to access them. And this decision comes as the company’s competitors have not followed suit. I hope the company revisits this decision with an outcome more amicable to reproductive health.”
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MARX TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES AFTER MEDICAL CARE STAYS PASSES PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MARX TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES AFTER MEDICAL CARE STAYS PASSES PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE
Today, legislation initially introduced to the legislature by State Senator Martha Max (D-New London) to improve patient outcomes and reduce rehospitalization rates after patients leave hospitals and nursing home facilities passed the Public Health Committee. The bill would require hospitals and nursing facilities who discharge patients to secure and schedule necessary follow-up specialist appointments for those patients. They would also need to send patients’ medication lists to their pharmacies upon discharge./p>
“Patients who are well enough to leave hospital care or nursing facilities to recover at home aren’t done with their treatment,” said Sen. Marx. “They often need to follow up and see specialists and take prescription medication to assist their recovery. All too often, as a nurse myself, I’ve seen patients discharged and told they need to schedule their follow-up appointments within certain periods of time, but when they call to make those appointments, they can’t get appointments for weeks if not months. That can have a negative impact on their recovery; as just one example, they may not be able to receive prescriptions they need, which can send them back into acute care. By ensuring patients will have their continuing care available for them, we can prevent rehospitalization, improve patient outcomes and make life easier for those working to recover their health.”
Senate Bill 956, “An Act Requiring Discharge Standards Regarding Follow-Up Appointments And Prescription Medications For Patients Being Discharged From A Hospital Or Nursing Home Facility,” would require hospitals and facilities to develop standards for patient discharge, including scheduling follow-up appointments with medical specialists and ensuring necessary prescriptions are sent to their preferred pharmacies.
The bill would require a patient’s W-10 med list, for example, to be faxed to a patient’s pharmacy upon discharge, allowing a pharmacist to know how to reconcile their necessary medications. In another example, someone hospitalized for mental health issues and diagnosed with a condition requiring medication may be discharged with a limited supply of that medication and told to see a specialist, only to learn they cannot see a specialist before their medication supply will run out, which increases the chances that they will experience issues in recovery. The bill is intended to prevent these issues.
Sen. Marx developed this legislative concept alongside David Wu, the owner of Simply pharmacy and a registered pharmacist. In testimony submitted to the legislature, Wu said he has observed gaps in care due to current discharge standards, mentioning issues where patients may be prescribed medication requiring prior authorization or that they cannot afford; further, pharmacists may encounter challenges in clarifying medication orders with discharge teams. Implementing improved standards would likely improve adherence to doctors’ orders, aiding effective recovery, Wu said.
SENATE BILL 8, ADDRESSING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY AND KEEPING GRADUATES IN CONNECTICUT, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY
SENATE BILL 8, ADDRESSING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY AND KEEPING GRADUATES IN CONNECTICUT, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY
HARTFORD – Today, one of Senate Democrats’ priority bills to address access and affordability of higher education, as well as to keep young Connecticut graduates living and working in Connecticut, will receive a public hearing in the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.
“Senate Bill 8 seeks to address one of the biggest issues with higher education in our state: its financial costs,” said State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford), Senate Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee. “Every step that this bill takes, from expanding the eligibility pool for the PACT program to increasing investment in the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Program and establishing new interest rate reductions for in-demand industries, is designed to lessen the burden of student loans and financial cost. Additionally, such moves also support our state’s workforce and economy, especially in that reduced interest rates will help support the state’s pipelines supporting industries looking for more workers.”
“We need to relinquish the financial fear placed upon our youth when they are thinking about college,” said Sen. Moore. “Affordable Higher Education eliminates the racial inequities amongst students in our state. Every student deserves to achieve a higher education and should not be turned away because of their lack of finances. Extending the PACT program expands access to a number of individuals that will be able to move forward; getting an education creates equity, and increased opportunities in the workforce.”
Senate Bill 8, “An Act Concerning Higher Education Affordability and Graduate Retention,” seeks to:
- Extend the state’s PACT debt-free community college program to returning students/li>
- Increase the amount of minimum award grants through the PACT program from $250 to $1,000 for full-time students and from $150 to $600 for part-time students
- Reallocate American Rescue Plan Act funds to support the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Program, helping students with the cost of education
- Require the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority to establish a Student Loan Subsidy Program to reduce the interest rates on loans provided to individuals in certain high-demand professions
- Provide a tax deduction to state residents paying interest on student loans during the taxable year.
Currently, the PACT program provides up to three years of debt-free community college to first-time Connecticut high school graduates seeking higher education. This bill would extend that offering to students who are not first-time students, expanding access to a number of workers and residents who may have started but not finished previous attempts at higher education. Additionally, the additional award grant funding through the program would provide significant financial support and flexibility for students, who even after expenses may face other costs such as needing school supplies and books for coursework.
While community college costs are lower than that of four-year colleges and universities, they still can serve as a financial challenge to those seeking to continue their education. According to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, a student taking 12 or more credits at a community college will face costs that could exceed $2,350.
Further, the bill would reallocate funds to support the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Program. The program provides scholarships to students meeting certain academic standards, attending college in Connecticut and whose expected family contributions will be below the Office of Higher Education’s limit of $10,999; this increased investment will support a number of additional students with costs as they pursue higher education.
The bill would introduce a Student Loan Subsidy Program through CHESLA, where the Chief Workforce Officer would subsidize interest rates on authority loans to individuals in high-demand positions. These professions would be named no later than September 2023; it’s likely that this would be used to encourage students to pursue fields in high demand for employers, including manufacturing and health care, and would incentivize those students to remain in Connecticut and pursue in-state employment upon graduation. Finally, the bill would provide a tax deduction to state residents who paid interest on their student loans, helping cut down on loan interest appreciation that can hold residents back financially even as they make regular payments.
Sen. Cabrera Reads to Derby 3rd Graders as Part of Read Across America Week
Sen. Cabrera Reads to Derby 3rd Graders as Part of Read Across America Week
This week state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) participated in Read Across America Week and Day at Bradley School in Derby. The senator read children’s books to the school’s third graders and later answered students’ questions about legislative government. He said it was an incredibly rewarding experience.
“It was a pleasure to read to these amazing kids and field all the great questions they asked me about my job as a state senator,” said Sen. Cabrera. “Developing a love for books and reading is so important when one is young. This week continues to make literacy a focal point for our students and does so in a way that is enjoyable and fun.”
According to the National Education Association (NEA), they launched Read Across America in 1998 as a year-round program to celebrate reading. Per the NEA’s website, they are the country’s largest professional employee organization committed to advancing the cause of public education with three million members that work at every level of education.