Join your voice with others and make a difference!
Please contact your State Senator THIS WEEK (April 16th-20). Call or e-mail and ask him/her to support a State Basic Health Program.
Here’s a list of senators and contact information, as well as a fact sheet on the State Basic Health Program .
The State Basic Health Program
Background Information: RB 425, An Act Concerning a Basic Health Program has been approved by the Public Health Committee. (A similar bill, RB 5450, An Act Establishing a Basic Health Program, has been approved by the Human Services Committee.)
One of these bills will likely be before the state Senate very soon. Under a state Basic Health Program, 75,000 adults can get quality affordable health care at no cost to the state, starting in January 2014.
Key talking points:
1. The State Basic Health Program (SBHP) is an option under federal health care reform designed to provide an affordable alternative to purchasing insurance in the Health Insurance Exchange for low-income people in high cost states like Connecticut.
2. Through a State Basic Health Program, Connecticut could provide good health care to about 75,000 adults with incomes between 133% and 200% of the federal poverty level at less cost to the consumer.
3. The State Basic Health Program could be designed so that it is funded entirely with federal funds.
4. If the State Basic Health Program mirrored Medicaid, the state could save $72 million in state Medicaid spending by covering HUSKY parents with incomes over 133% fpl who are currently covered in Medicaid.
5. The legislature needs to act NOW. The Health Insurance Exchange and the State Basic Health Program need to be planned at the same time and Exchange planning is happening now.
