Connecticut's State Senate majority leader announced a new plan to dramatically expand and streamline the state's medical insurance system. It's difficult to know whether the plan will get through the conservative Democrat led House and moderate Republican Governor in anything like its current form, but it's worth a close look. CT borders MA and legislators here don't want to be outdone by the universal healtchare promised by their neighbors to the north.
While not universal, the plan sets the stage for a much more coherent system than the MA/Clintonian model of employer and individual mandates. It's nice to see the State Senate Leader's release using the words "looks ahead to 'Medicare for all.'
A little more than half of the $450 million proposed would go toward raising reimbursement rates for Medicaid as well as slightly more expansive state programs HUSKY and SAGA to levels more similar to Medicare. This change will make doctors much more willing to see patients enrolled in these programs and may ease the pressure on raising costs to privately-insured patients.
The other $200 million or so would increase the eligibility for these three programs to include all children and families up to 185% of the federal poverty level, including dependents up to age 26 if enrolled in school, and even single adults earning less than $9800. It would also combine a few of the programs to deal with a problem many enrollees have: constantly being shuffled between programs due to relatively small fluctuations of income.
The last major item is a panel to look at solutions for the other 60% of the uninsured, and those who are struggling to remain insured. As the nod to "medicare for all" suggest, single-payer suggestions are at least nominally on the table.
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