Lamont Appoints New State Healthcare Advocate

Kathleen Unger Holt, former associate director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, has received Gov. Ned Lamont’s nomination to serve as state healthcare advocate, the governor’s office announced in a Wednesday press release.

As a leader of the Medicare policy nonprofit, Holt helped develop healthcare policy on a state and federal basis. The governor said that experience would serve Connecticut well as Holt steps into her new advocacy role.

“I am very excited that Kathy Holt has accepted our offer to serve as Connecticut’s next healthcare advocate because she has an incredible amount of experience, both here in our state and on a national level, in helping people access the coverage they need and advocating on their behalf, especially for people who are older, people who have disabilities, and people who frequently face barriers to obtaining health insurance,” Lamont said.

Holt, who was raised in Newtown and began her career working for Bloomfield-based insurance provider Cigna, said she was excited to begin working to ensure Connecticut residents had access to affordable healthcare.

“In addition to assisting individuals obtain access to healthcare services, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate represents the collective voice of all Connecticut patients,” she said. “I look forward to collaborating with healthcare providers, insurers, employers, other state agencies, and state and federal legislators to coordinate, deliver, oversee, and improve healthcare in Connecticut, making Connecticut a healthcare model for the country.”

Although Holt will serve on an interim basis beginning Sept. 30, her nomination will require approval from state lawmakers after the 2025 legislative session begins in January. Her nomination comes with a recommendation from the Healthcare Advocate Advisory Committee, a panel of legislative appointees tasked with evaluating candidates for the position.

Holt earned praise from Sen. Saud Anwar, a South Windsor Democrat who co-chairs the Public Health Committee. In a Wednesday statement, Anwar said he looked forward to working with Holt on issues impacting Connecticut patients.

“Her experience advocating for Medicare and quality healthcare for our older populations and people with disabilities will be valuable and I know she will be focused on fixing issues patients face in getting care,” Anwar said. “Her career has spanned a variety of professional and legal roles in the healthcare industry and I’m confident that her breadth of knowledge will benefit many in our state.”

Holt is poised to take over the advocate position from Sean King, the office’s general counsel, who has been serving as an interim basis since last year, following the departure of former advocate Ted Doolittle. Doolittle left the position to accept a nomination as a federal immigration judge.

Posted By Hugh McQuaid

Electric Bike Rebate Program Resumes

Connecticut residents seeking to purchase eBikes between mid-September and Oct. 1 may be eligible for up to $1,250 in rebates under a voucher program re-launched Tuesday by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The agency began Round 2 of the Electric Bicycle Incentive Program on Sept. 17, following a “robust response” from consumers during the program’s first phase when it launched last summer. The program provides vouchers to offset the price of buying an eBike from participating brick-and-mortar retailers in Connecticut.

“Last year, we had $750,000 to award,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes told Fox61 on Monday. “Ultimately, we helped 422 recipients get on a bike.”

This year’s program differs from the first round in that it will utilize a lottery system to prioritize applicants whose income is less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. The lottery will also prioritize applicants who reside in Environmental Justice communities or Distressed Municipalities, according to DEEP.

Benefits under the program range from $500 to a total of $1,250, depending on the vouchers for which applicants qualify.

The program represents an expansion of the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate (CHEAPR), which provides incentives for consumers who purchase electric vehicles.

The state legislature voted to expand the rebate program to eBikes through the Connecticut Clean Air Act, led by Sen. Christine Cohen, co-chair of the Transportation Committee. In a press release issued at the launch of the first phase, Cohen said she was pleased to see its provisions taking effect.

“Making e-bikes and electric cars more accessible is an important step towards meeting our reduced carbon emission goals and I’m looking forward to seeing more affordable electric options on the road,” Cohen said.

Consumers seeking to participate in the program must apply for a voucher prior to making an eBike purchase. Visit DEEP’s eBike Incentive Program website for information on how to apply as well as a list of eligible eBikes and participating retailers.

Posted By Hugh McQuaid

How Happy is Connecticut? WalletHub Ranks the States by Health and Happiness

Two studies released this year measuring happiness and health across the country found Connecticut among the top-rated states overall and one of the best places in the nation to raise a child.

WalletHub’s ranking of the happiest states in the country saw Connecticut land a top-10 finish, coming in at seventh place and earning top marks as the happiest New England state. The company’s rankings of happiness emphasized three key elements that impact daily life: emotional and physical well-being, work environments and community environments.

Connecticut took sixth place overall in the metrics of emotional and physical well-being, which considered physical health, mental health, life expectancy and food insecurity, among other metrics.

While Connecticut saw some of the lowest overall work hours in the country, its work environment metrics came in lower, at 16th place overall. This metric considered financial anxiety, average annual incomes, job security and additional elements including “share of work-related stressed tweets.” Connecticut also came in lower, at 21st overall, in measures of “community and environment,” with metrics including volunteer rates, ideal weather, leisure time per day and divorce rate.

In Wallethub’s overall rankings, Connecticut was the highest-ranking New England state, with Massachusetts at 10th due to its low “community and environment” rank and New Hampshire at 14th. Hawaii topped the list with Maryland and New Jersey filling out the top 3. The bottom three states were Louisiana, Arkansas and West Virginia, according to the WalletHub ranking.

A second set of rankings, released in April, found Connecticut children among the happiest and healthiest in the country, with neighbors Massachusetts and New York coming in at second and third.

VocoVision, a teletherapy company, created a Happy Child Index, measuring ten factors that impact children’s mental and physical health. These include access to local libraries, sleep quality, access to mental health care, youth suicide and disconnected youth rates, access to parks and recreation, healthy food, making new friends and air pollution.

Connecticut received its top placement due to high rankings in many of those metrics, including top-five rankings in library access and low suicide rates, as well as top-10 rankings for parks and recreation access and mental health care.

By Joe O’Leary