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Stephen Jewett, ConnectiCare, Director of Public Relations, (860) 674-7068 - publicrelations@connecticare.com

CONNECTICUT’S CHAMBERS ASK LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES DURING HEALTH CARE DEBATE

Concern Over Health Care “Pooling” Bill

HARTFORD, CT (April 20, 2009) - Leaders of the state’s Chambers of Commerce, as well as several members who operate small businesses, today stated their opposition to House Bill 6582 and asked state legislators to consider their suggested reforms when voting on Health Care Reform during the 2009 legislative session. They explained the connection between proposed changes to the health insurance system and their ability to stay in business and provide jobs for Connecticut’s citizens.

According to Larry McHugh, President of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, “The majority of our members represent small businesses. They are the first to feel the effects of the economic climate and the lack of affordability and access to healthcare in their communities. We believe in focusing on market-based solutions and public-private partnerships to improve the current health care system.”

Anthony Rescigno, President of the New Haven Chamber of Commerce, said, “The recommendations made by the HealthFirst Authority earlier this year include some excellent action steps that we would like the legislature to consider before it completely throws out the current system.. Our concern about the bill under consideration is that it creates another layer of bureaucracy and doesn’t address the real issues of cost, quality data and giving consumers access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their care.”

The recommendations by the Connecticut Chamber Benefits Centers Leadership Cabinet include:

  • For the current uninsured, mandating an individual health insurance plan combined with guaranteed issue. All CT citizens would be accepted into an affordable private insurance pool, but every individual would also need to pay for their fair share in the system. This is the fastest path to gain universal coverage by filling the gap for individuals that do not currently qualify for government plans and do not have employer sponsored insurance. This mandate will help curb the current $300M cost shift onto employer premiums.
  • Reducing the number of existing mandates and allowing efficiencies in product development and approvals at the department level to create flexible benefit options, and improving access to affordable care.
  • Eliminating the health insurance premium tax sold to the private sector (one and three-quarters percent added onto the premium of insurance sold).
  • Increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals, which only receive approximately 73% of the actual cost of service, which drives up the cost of health insurance for everyone else.
  • Automatic enrolling anyone who is Medicaid eligible (approximately 25% of the uninsured population in the Connecticut).
  • Offering tax breaks to companies that provide health care benefit packages which assist small businesses with purchasing health care by covering a portion of premium costs, and utilizing existing organizational programs like the Chamber Insurance Trust to provide distribution, marketing and educational support to the small businesses throughout the state.
  • The individual market is where the largest uninsured problem is and this is where we should focus our coverage efforts. For the current uninsured, mandate an individual health insurance plan combined with guaranteed issue. All CT citizens would be accepted into an affordable private insurance pool, but every individual would also need to pay for their fair share in the system. This is the fastest path to gain universal coverage by filling the gap for individuals that do not currently qualify for government plans and do not have employer sponsored insurance. This mandate will help curb the current $300M cost shift onto employer premiums.
  • The individual market is where the largest uninsured problem is and this is where we should focus our coverage efforts. For the current uninsured, mandate an individual health insurance plan combined with guaranteed issue. All CT citizens would be accepted into an affordable private insurance pool, but every individual would also need to pay for their fair share in the system. This is the fastest path to gain universal coverage by filling the gap for individuals that do not currently qualify for government plans and do not have employer sponsored insurance. This mandate will help curb the current $300M cost shift onto employer premiums.
  • The individual market is where the largest uninsured problem is and this is where we should focus our coverage efforts. For the current uninsured, mandate an individual health insurance plan combined with guaranteed issue. All CT citizens would be accepted into an affordable private insurance pool, but every individual would also need to pay for their fair share in the system. This is the fastest path to gain universal coverage by filling the gap for individuals that do not currently qualify for government plans and do not have employer sponsored insurance. This mandate will help curb the current $300M cost shift onto employer premiums.