THREATS TO ACCESS HEALTH CT COVERAGE REQUIRE STATE ACTION

HARTFORD- State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) and state Rep. Kate Farrar (D-West Hartford) today called on the legislative and the executive branches to fund the Access Health CT health insurance tax credits that Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have threatened to end beginning January 1, 2026.

They were joined by Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford) and advocates from Health Equity Solutions, CCAG, She Leads Justice, and residents who are directly affected.

This week, Access Health CT customers received letters warning that their health insurance costs could rise dramatically starting January 1, 2026, if Congress doesn’t act.

At the center of the issue is the expiration of federal subsidies, which have helped make health insurance more affordable for thousands of Connecticut residents. Without an extension or renewal of these subsidies, customers could face significant premium increases.

“Today, we’re calling on the executive and legislative branches to commit the dollars necessary to continue the at-risk ACA tax breaks in the federal budget and to make whole those on Covered Connecticut – which we are legally required to do anyway. It’s a big number. But we have a moral responsibility to do it. Every person should have access to decent health care for themselves and for their families, and it should be a right and not just some sort of privilege that comes and goes,” said Sen. Cabrera, who is Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee.

“Thousands of Access Health CT customers face drastically increased premiums and the possibility of losing their health insurance as enhanced federal subsidies expire and new policy changes take effect,” said Rep. Farrar. “These changes will lead to higher costs and reduced financial assistance, making coverage less affordable for many Connecticut residents already struggling to make ends meet. Our state should establish a significant emergency fund in a special session to address these federal cuts and keep health insurance affordable and accessible to all.”

“Our focus should be on ensuring that people have access to the healthcare they need,” said Rep. Gilchrest. “But with the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress insistent on cutting off essential subsidies, Connecticut residents won’t be able to afford coverage and will miss out on receiving the healthcare they need. The state should step in to provide relief until the federal government is functioning again.”

“Health care is a human right, not a privilege. When people lose coverage, they fall through the cracks, they delay care. They go to emergency rooms as a last resort. We cannot stand by while families are forced to choose between rent and lifesaving medication or watch their only opportunities to receive care slip away. When we strip away care from those who need it most, we all suffer, economically, socially, and in the health of our communities, said Kally Moquete, Senior Manager of Policy & Advocacy at Health Equity Solutions.

This expiration of the federal subsidies was passed in HR 1 this July by Congress and signed by President Trump. Without these enhanced subsidies, an estimated  142,000 customers with Access Health CT will receive less financial help and could pay about $3,400 more per year on average, even before any additional premium increases approved by the Connecticut Insurance Department. About 28,000 customers will lose all federal assistance.