Rell Embraces Obamacare
by Christine Stuart | Sep 7, 2010 4:00am
(7) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Health Care, State Capitol
Unlike Republican lawmakers, who wanted the state to challenge the federal health reform law in court, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell seems to be taking advantage of every opportunity it may provide the state.
Earlier this year Connecticut became the first state in the nation to permanently add 45,000 low-income adults to the federal government’s Medicaid program under the new law, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
And just last week Rell applied for a close to $1 million federal grant to study the health insurance marketplace and other components that may be part of the health insurance exchanges expected to start in 2014 under the federal health reform bill.
“These exchanges will only reach their potential if there is maximum competition, ample choice and participation,” Rell said Monday in a press release. “In order to develop the best public policy on preparing Connecticut for the exchange must have the best data. These funds will allows us to assess market research and other information that help guide our decisions.”
Should Connecticut receive the grant, the outcome of the year-long study will provide the state with market research and data analysis to better determine if a statewide, “state-operated” exchange is a viable option, or whether the markets for individual and small groups should be combined.
Meanwhile, the 11-member SustiNet Health Partnership board, headed by state Comptroller Nancy Wyman and State Healthcare Advocate Kevin Lembo is exploring what a “public option,” not included in the federal legislation, would look like in Connecticut. It has been studying the issue since July 2009 and is expected to release its report to the new governor and General Assembly in January.
The SustiNet Health Partnership board is currently looking for a consultant to formulate a model benefit package for the public option type plan that it hopes the state will be able to offer as part of the health insurance exchange.
The SustiNet Health Partnership board was created in 2009 after the legislature overrode Rell’s veto of the proposal. Immediately following her veto Rell created her own commission to study the issue. Just last month Rell tapped Cristine Vogel, deputy commissioner of the Office of Health Care Access, to head up the implementation of the sweeping federal health reform law.
The state will have until June 2013 to set up the exchanges. Whether it will be a state agency, nonprofit, or quasi-public entity who manages the exchanges will be left up to the next legislature and governor to decide.
(7) Comments
posted by: JAM | September 7, 2010 1:58pm
Health Insurance premiums have exploded on the private sector. My company’s renewal premiums went up 27% this year forcing us to take a higher deductible program that results in the employees paying more of the costs.
I don’t know, but strongly suspect, that when the state negotiated a no premium increase for the state employee plans, the insurance companies jacked up premiums to the private sector to make up the lost revenue.
Just another tax disguised as insurance premiums approved as “reasonable” by the State Insurance Dept.
posted by: hawkeye | September 7, 2010 4:44pm
mpalmer:
Don’t get political with Obamacare. The people did not want it. Obama, through his captive Democratic Congress, “Shoved it down our throats.” As a result, a numerous number of “Obama’s Congressional Robots” will be voted out of office, on Nov. 2.
Gov. Rell is only making the best, out of a bad Obamacare choice of action.
Get off your stubborn donkey!
posted by: Doug Hardy | September 7, 2010 6:24pm
So Hawkeye, rather than finding a way to make health care work for everybody, you want to vote out the Democrats? I can’t see that being a solution on its own. A large majority - 80 percent I believe - wanted the public option, and I believe that was deemed more expensive than what we have now. They couldn’t get that through Congress. An 80 percent majority can only be made up of people on both sides of the aisle.
At least Obama is making an effort to reform the system. Are you suggesting that Congress and the president repeal the legislation they have already passed so that they can try again to pass a public option? If that’s the case, I would respectively disagree on a partial basis - it’ll be easier to amend the legislation to include a public option rather than repeal and start over.
I’d love to hear a solution from you rather than anti-Obama vitriol. He’s the president now. We all have to accept it and move forward.
posted by: hawkeye | September 7, 2010 7:05pm
Doug Hardy:
The only option to the problems that our Socialist President has created, is to vote-out, his Democratic, robot-voting Congressmen, starting on Nov. 2, which will happen.
Pres. Barack Obama is not reforming the medical system, he is bankrupting it!
Also, why are you showing a photo of a dog, instead of a donkey, for your comment section?
Does the dog reflect on your DOG-GONE comments?
posted by: CT Jim | September 7, 2010 10:00pm
People young and old are now starting to look forward to the Health Care our Commander in Chief promised and for the most part delivered.
Senoirs really enjoyed those $250 checks they recieved this year and are looking forward to the closing of the giant donut hole that those republicans put in that horrible medicare part “D”.
And for familys with kids in college or have kids struggling because of the Bush collapse they now can keep their children on their medical plan till 26.
I truly believe over the next 2 months the president is going to put on a spirited debate on the why we don’t want to go back to the Bush ways.
And people must remember that Washington DC is like a circus and we all know the toughest job at a circus is CLEANING UP AFTER THE ELEPHANTS!!
posted by: mpalmer | September 7, 2010 9:34am
We know Obama cares.
We know Connecticut Democrats care.
After the Sustinet veto override, it now looks like Governor Rell cares.
If Republicans don’t care if everyone has access to affordable health care, then maybe it’s up to Connecticut Democrats to show them the way…