Health Care Bills Go to Governor
by Christine Stuart | June 23, 2009 1:49 PM
Posted to Health Care
(Updated 7:35 p.m.)Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, legislative leaders, and advocates hand-delivered two health care reform bills passed by the General Assembly earlier this year to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office Tuesday.
“We think these two bills are the most important bills of the legislative session,” Bysiewicz said at a small gathering of advocates who worked for the past two years to get the legislation passed.
One bill would allow small businesses, nonprofits, and municipal employees join the state employees health insurance pool. The other bill called SustiNet would create a nine-member board of directors, three task forces, and four advisory committees that will make recommendations to the legislature by Jan. 1, 2011. The ultimate goal of the board will be to recommend a health care plan that guarantees every resident in the state has health insurance.
While Democratic lawmakers and advocates applauded the passage of the bills, it’s still unclear whether Rell would sign either bill.
On May 20th when the bills were up for debate in the House Rell’s Budget Secretary Robert Genuario came up to the Capitol press room to voice his concerns over both bills. Click here to read our previous story which outlines the administration’s concerns over the two proposals.
Rell’s spokesman Chris Cooper said Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview that the governor will review the bills in their final form before making a decision. He said Rell has expressed concern about the “hefty price tags” of these bills, but will review them like all legislation she receives.
He said she has 15 days to decide whether or not to sign them.
Lawmakers like Speaker of the House Chris Donovan and Sen. President Donald Williams said the state is already paying a hefty price for health insurance in the state and that these two proposals would help save the state money.
Comments (12)
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | June 23, 2009 2:40 PM
This is Governor's Rell's chance to go down in Connecticut and in U.S. history as a genuine champion of hard-working Americans.
I believe she will sign these bills.
Posted by: Larry Dorman | June 23, 2009 4:12 PM
These are common sense bills that will put Connecticut at the head of the pack. The pooling bill makes so much sense for cities, towns and non-profit employers. Let's hope the guv signs them into law. Be sure to contact her and tell her to sign them.
Posted by: James D. | June 23, 2009 4:51 PM
Good signs that we will have comprehensive health care reform:
> The insurance industry is scared (read an internal email from the CIGNA CEO to CIGNA staff telling them to start advocating their butts off: http://tinyurl.com/n4u733)
> The CBIA is scared (they're putting out an alert-a-day and throwing up videos with such abandon that they are forgetting to "Disable Comments" (in time ... ) -- see YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jd2LZgw40o)
And reform is just . . . well . . . in the air!
Posted by: James D. | June 23, 2009 4:55 PM
Check that YouTube link -- should be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jd2LZgw40o
Thanks!
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | June 24, 2009 6:41 AM
FYI - Panicky CBIA apparently screwed up on another of its YouTube vids - just a bit too slow on the "Disable Comments" button (note that comments on this video appear to be disabled now, as new comments no longer show up - just try it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPDqxHMvHgs&feature=related
Posted by: Paul | June 24, 2009 10:15 AM
James,
I don't think the Cigna letter demonstrates a "scared" perspective. The letter encourages Cigna associates to get informed and get involved in the debate - I see no problem with this. I would think that you would welcome many voices into such a critical discussion. To think, by default, that other perspectives, opinions and experiences contain no value is the problem with most of the discourse in today's society, IMHO.
Or is it your expectation that only folks on your side of an issue can and should speak out?
Posted by: James D. | June 24, 2009 10:40 AM
"FYI - Panicky CBIA apparently screwed up on another of its YouTube vids - just a bit too slow on the "Disable Comments" button (note that comments on this video appear to be disabled now, as new comments no longer show up - just try it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPDqxHMvHgs&feature=related"
It looks like the CBIA finally left the governor's office for a BRIEF moment and "Disabled Comments" on that second video - but only after removing one the three comments which had been up there (I didn't think YouTube let you do that!!).
Check out the fun at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPDqxHMvHgs&feature=related
Posted by: SeaBeeEyeAye | June 24, 2009 1:29 PM
Adding comments has been disabled for this post.
Posted by: christine | June 24, 2009 1:58 PM
No it hasn't.
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | June 24, 2009 4:38 PM
Dear Pal Paul,
You'll be pleased as punch, then, to know that a former senior CIGNA spokesman is just today "getting informed and involved in the debate."
Here's what his "welcomed voice" is saying:
"Insurers make promises they have no intention of keeping, they flout regulations designed to protect consumers, and they make it nearly impossible to understand -- or even to obtain -- information we need."
AND, CIGNA guy says,
Senators should "look very closely at the role for-profit insurance companies play in making our health care system both the most expensive and one of the most dysfunctional in the world."
My oh my, how surprising and shocking!
Can't WAIT to see the final insurance industry "reform" proposal they are all talking about! I trust 'm! (Don't forget - only "big bad government" is allowed to be the villain in fairy-tale land!)
** the story of Wendell Potter, former CIGNA vice president of corporate communications, is at http://www.courant.com/business/hc-cigna-testimony-0624,0,7422940.story
VERY enlightening!
Posted by: duck for the shoe | June 24, 2009 6:22 PM
My tax dollars sure buy Governor Rell and other state officials a nice set of health benefits. Those are the benefits that paid for her life-saving medical care. Don't you think the rest of us deserve the same treatment?
Governor Rell, It's up to you to decide whether the rest of us deserve the same care. Sign the Healthcare Partnership and SustiNet bills.
Posted by: PJ | July 8, 2009 5:39 PM
No not everyone should have the same coverage as everyone else. My health care benefits are just that BENEFITS. They were negotiated by my UNION. If you are jealous get another job!