EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ENDOWMENT ADVISORY BOARD APPROVES HEALTH INSURANCE SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25, 2026

The Early Childhood Education Endowment’s Advisory Board voted on Tuesday to approve the new early childhood educator health insurance subsidy program beginning in 2027 and available through Access Health CT open enrollment starting October 23, 2026.

Established into law in 2025, the state’s historic Early Childhood Education Endowment has already created up to 1,000 new child care spaces, supported an 8% increase in Early Start CT provider payment rates, expanded Smart Start preschool classrooms, and invested in operational grants for providers across the state. As specified in Public Act 25-93, $10 million of the FY27 Endowment spend is dedicated to a health insurance subsidy program for early childhood educators. Early childhood educators often struggle with access to affordable health insurance and this subsidy program can help retain and recruit essential workers for our early childhood system to work for families, employers and our economy.

The subsidy will allow educators to access qualified health plans through Access Health CT and receive a subsidy toward their cost for health insurance through either an individual plan through Access Health CT, an employer’s small employer group plan through Access Health CT or in conjunction with an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) offered by their employer. Eligible early childcare educators must not be eligible for Medicaid or the Covered Connecticut program.

The subsidy program is income-based and provide a flat subsidy for covered options regardless of which option through which an individual receives their health insurance. Early childhood educators earning between 175% and 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) will receive a subsidy of $1,200 per year; those earning between 250% and 400% FPL will receive a $1,100 subsidy per year; and those earning over 400% will receive a $1,000 subsidy per year.

Approximately 7,200 to 8,800 early child care workers will be eligible for the program. Access Health CT will also receive funding from the Endowment to conduct outreach about the program to ensure child care workers are aware and enroll in the health insurance subsidy program.

“The childcare providers who care for our children every day are on the front line for every child’s cold. The providers only succeed if they can take care of their health,” said Sen. Maher, Tri-Chair of the Endowment. “This program will ensure thousands of Connecticut child care workers will be able to better access and afford health care amid the many pressures facing them.”

“Too many of our early childhood educators who we rely on every day to care for and educate our children cannot access affordable health insurance. The new health insurance subsidy is an innovative way to support these essential workers across our state,” said Rep. Kate Farrar (D-West Hartford/Newington), Tri-Chair of Endowment. “This program will help to retain educators, provide stability to providers and families as well as businesses who depend on a strong early childhood education system in our state.”

“The Endowment Advisory Board’s vote to approve a health insurance subsidy for the early childhood education workforce is a core component of the state’s commitment to a strong and viable early childhood system,” said Elena Trueworthy, Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood, Tri-Chair of the Endowment. “Early childhood educators give so much of themselves to support families and strengthen communities. This subsidy will help them access the care they need to stay healthy, secure, and able to continue working in a profession that they love – caring for Connecticut’s young children.”

“We are grateful for the steps Governor Lamont, our State Legislature and the Office of Early Childhood are taking to make health insurance more accessible for Early Childhood Education workers,” said Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer James Michel. “Our children are the future of Connecticut, and it’s important that the people taking care of them can access care themselves.”