It’s Official: Rell Vetoes 2 Health Care
Bills, Creates Her Own Advisory Board
by Christine Stuart | July 8, 2009 3:59 PM
Posted to Health Care
(Updated 5:45 p.m.) Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed a pair of marquee health care reform bills Wednesday afternoon.
One would have created a volunteer board of directors to study the concept of a statewide public health care option, and the other would have opened the state employees’ health insurance pool to municipalities, nonprofits, and small businesses.
Immediately following her veto of the two bills, Rell compared her concerns own over health care to those of the proponents of the two bills and authored an executive order establishing a Health Care Reform Advisory Board. According to a statement from Rell’s office, her advisory board will be asked to develop statewide policies in response to the national health care debate.
“Because - like the proponents of these bills - I believe these issues must be worked out for the benefit of all our residents, I am creating a broad-based panel to develop policies ensuring Connecticut is ready to make the most of the developments at the federal level,” Rell said in the statement.
According to the executive order, Rell’s 15-member board will consider “changes to improve the health of state residents and their access to health care…” In addition Rell will ask the board to look at increasing the range of health care insurance coverage options. The board will begin its work on Feb. 1 and make its final recommendations on Jan. 1, 2011.
Rell said she vetoed the SustiNet proposal, which would have created a nine-member volunteer board, because the legislation limited the scope of the board’s work.
“Limiting the board of directors to a specific approach is particularly unwise at this time,” Rell said.
“SustiNet’s objective is health care for everyone, a laudable goal and one I share,” Rell said in her veto message. “”We cannot, however, afford to proceed with this plan given its financial implications.”
Proponents of the legislation worked hard to eliminate the fiscal note attached to the bill so that none of the recommendations in the original legislation would be implemented over the next two years while the state deals with a $8.8 billion budget deficit. However, Rell cited the old fiscal note as one of her main objections.
The board of directors would be asked to develop blueprints for implementing medical homes, enrollment and other provisions for the new system. The board would also have to show the General exactly how to take advantage of federal resources within 60 days of federal reforms. The goal of SustiNet is to expand coverage to 98 percent of the state’s population by 2014
Speaker of the House Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, was in his office Wednesday trying to make sense of Rell’s vetoes. In a telephone interview Wednesday he said the board of directors proposed by the SustiNet legislation would represent people from across the state as recommended by members of the General Assembly.
“Instead, the Governor wants to assemble a group by herself,” Donovan said. “She has not shown herself to be sympathetic to consumers in health care and I doubt the members she would chose to sit on the board would be sympathetic to the needs of the community.”
“Insulting”
“I find it insulting,” Donovan said, adding that the two bills will be considered when the General Assembly convenes a special session to look at overriding some of the governor’s 18 vetoes to date. “For the second year in a row she has shown herself as insensitive to health care reform.”
Rell vetoed Donovan’s Health Care Partnership bill for a second year in a row, even though as recently as May 28 she admitted there are savings to be had by transitioning state employees from a fully-insured plan to a self-insured plan. This means that instead of paying premiums to an insurance company, the state would assume the claims risk and immediately save between $62 million and $70 million.
“Although the text of the Partnership bill has changed somewhat since last year, it still retains its most problematic component — a significant cost to the state,” Rell said in her veto message. “This cost is a direct result of pooling an unknown employer risk group with the state employees health insurance plan and prematurely converting such a plan to a self-insured model.”
Rell was so confident in that minimum $62 million savings estimate that she included the money in her second budget proposal.
“While I am not opposed to the concept of self-insurance at the proper time — that time is not now,” Rell said.
Rell seemed to agree with opponents of the Partnership bill who said they were concerned the state won’t be able to accurately predict the claims experience of the pool if it adds municipalities, small businesses, and nonprofits.
However, Rep. Steve Fontana, D-North Haven, tried to ease their fears during the floor debate by telling them that as new employers or municipalities are added to the plan, the State Comptroller will be allowed to do an actuarial analysis of the risk. He said if that risk is detrimental, then the comptroller has the ability to deny these employers access to the pool.
Override?
The Universal Health Care Foundation, which helped author the SustiNet bill, on Wednesday called Rell’s vetoes “callous and ill-informed.”
In a note to supporters, Universal Health Care Foundation President Juan Figueroa wrote, “Our attention now turns to the House and Senate to ask them to override Governor Rell’s veto on July 20 when they meet for their veto session.”
Figueroa urged supporters to let their lawmakers know they support a gubernatorial override.
The Partnership bill, passed 109 to 36 in the House and 21 to 12 in the Senate. The SustiNet bill passed 107 to 35 in the House and 23 to 12 in the Senate. The margin of legislative support is wide enough that a gubernatorial override maybe possible.
Donovan said July 20 is the tentative date scheduled for a veto session and both bills will be considered for an override he said Wednesday.
It is also worth noting that Rell said that neither bill would have provided health insurance for all state residents.
Click here to read her veto message.
Comments (25)
Posted by: jim | July 8, 2009 4:05 PM
once again it is now proven that the governor has no idea what she is doing.
The pooling bill would have saved Municipalities millions in a time of need and Sustinet would have made us ready for the Federal plan.
Now we have nothing.
Sarah Palin did Alaska a great favor and Quit!!
Whats the chances the M. Jodi would do the same???!!!
Posted by: Aldon Hynes![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| July 8, 2009 4:48 PM
I have to applaud Sec. of State Susan Bysiewicz for being the first out of the gate to blast Gov. Rell on this.
You can read her press release on CTNewsWire.
It starts off:
Posted by: Middle of the Road | July 8, 2009 5:21 PM
Waste of time. She gave herself most of the appointments and they're all typically pro-industry. What a colossal waste of time.
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | July 8, 2009 6:01 PM
What a sad day for a woefully out-of-touch Governor Rell.
She ignored the wishes of our elected representatives.
She ignored OUR wishes and OUR need for health care security.
She hung 350,000 uninsured Connecticut residents, including 40,000 children, and thousands more underinsured residents, out to dry.
The whispering/shouting voices of the lobbyists of CBIA, Aetna, CIGNA, Anthem, and ConnectiCare filled her hears and blocked out everything else.
And now her vetoes will be overridden.
Posted by: James D. | July 8, 2009 6:02 PM
I'm curious.
How does Governor Rell expect to sit down now with Speaker Donovan -- the champion of health care reform - and negotiate a budget?
And how does she expect to defend herself from the hammering she'll take in her next election (if she dares run) from Susan Bysiewicz, who has made health care reform one of her top three issues?
Who is advising Ms. Rell on strategy???
Posted by: lance | July 8, 2009 6:07 PM
This is great news for those among us who pull our own weight.
Posted by: meridenite | July 8, 2009 6:39 PM
Great news,way to go Gov. thanks.
Posted by: Skydogct | July 8, 2009 7:00 PM
She's so predictable. How can she get such good poll munbers when she does NOTHING? She is so obviously in the pocket of big business. She has been cosistent in her loathing to help the working poor in this state. She constantly slaps working families in the face with her vetoes, yet she garners 70% approval numbers. Yo, 70%ers, WAKE UP and smell the *#@*!
Posted by: 30%er | July 8, 2009 7:04 PM
Yeah, great news Gov for those of us who only care about ourselves.
Posted by: cedarhillresident![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| July 8, 2009 8:24 PM
Ok I have had it with this woman!! Small businesses all over the state thank you!! This had to be the worst veto she has done so far!!! Overturn it and then we can do the boo-ya dance!!
Posted by: Martha H. | July 8, 2009 8:50 PM
With all her CBIA talking points about "costs," Gov. Rell forgot to mention the most exorbitant, unmanageable, and inescapable cost of all: the cost of doing nothing. We'll be paying that off forever.
Posted by: James D. | July 8, 2009 8:57 PM
"It is also worth noting that Rell said that neither bill would have provided health insurance for all state residents."
The woman's hypocrisy knows no bounds. "We can't afford to take of the state's sick," said Governor iRellevant. "I will fight any significant reforms of our failed health care system. And oh, my oh my, your reforms also don't go far ENOUGH!"
When true leadership is absent, this sort of asinine blather quickly fills the void. From Bush's mouth to Rell's ears.
Posted by: Shawn M Lang | July 8, 2009 9:58 PM
She's a disgrace to this state. The only thing she seems like she can do well is veto good legislation. Unbelieveable!
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | July 9, 2009 5:45 AM
"Connecticut Health Reform Advisory Board"
Insurance executives?
Yes.
Consumers?
No.
Posted by: bumbershoot | July 9, 2009 7:29 AM
How many people would the Sustinet study bill have insured?
None.
How many uninsured people would the 'partnership' bill have insured?
None.
Feel free to look it up.
Posted by: Bint Deeb | July 9, 2009 7:52 AM
Ok, it's totally confirmed now: Rell is suffering from advanced L'etat c'est moi disease.
Posted by: Ellen Andrews | July 9, 2009 9:28 AM
Yesterday's vetoes are more bad news for Connecticut's 326,000 uninsured.
The health care partnership bill would have given Connecticut's cities and towns, small businesses and non-profits the opportunity to secure lower rates for their health care benefits.
By establishing a working group to develop policies and to educate the public and policymakers on the complicated issues of health coverage, the groundbreaking SustiNet bill would have put Connecticut in a strong position to implement a federal plan as soon as one is approved by Congress.
While Governor Rell cites high costs in her veto messages, Connecticut's uninsured already know that doing nothing is a far more expensive option. On behalf of the state's uninsured, it is my hope that the legislature is able to override these unwise vetoes.
Posted by: Eric Bailey | July 9, 2009 11:05 AM
Governor Rell has continually shown a callous disregard for the people of Connecticut. Her vetoes of these healthcare bills are just another example of how little she cares about working families. Think I'm wrong? Then ask yourself, why would she propose cutting funding for the Life Star medical helicopters in her budget and then actually cut the funding by executive order? Does Governor Rell place such a low value on life as to deny funding to something that actually saves lives? For those of you who think Governor Rell has your best interests at heart, be sure not to get into an life threatening accident that would require the services of the Life Star helicopter. It won't be there. And if Governor Rell has her way, in a few years, you won't have healthcare anymore either.
Posted by: JohninGreenwich | July 9, 2009 10:13 PM
Did anyone think she was going to sign this nonsense? I doubt even the Democrats that voted for it, save the extra-delusionals, thought they had a prayer or really thought they were a good idea. How handy. Vote for big handout bills that will never happen and look like a good liberal, hope the rest forget them because they were vetoed anyway.
Thank you Governor, so much, for vetoing this junk.
Posted by: IBlogWestHartford | July 10, 2009 10:56 AM
New London Day, today:
"Given the chance to begin health care reform, Gov. M. Jodi Rell opted for inaction by vetoing two reform bills Wednesday and appointing yet another advisory board."
"No more blue-ribbon panels are necessary to sort out the myriad problems with the health care system in the state. A group of experts did that and the results were the bills the governor rejected. Forming a study panel is an obvious attempt to deflect political criticism of the veto, not find a solution."
"Gov. Rell is right when she says Connecticut is strapped for cash and unable to fund new initiatives right now. But the so-called "pooling" and Sustinet bills she vetoed would have created the framework to build an improved health care system over time."
"If Congress helps solve the problem, great, but why wait? A proactive approach will better serve the state. The General Assembly should override the vetoes."
Posted by: James D | July 10, 2009 11:27 AM
Inside the deceptively brilliant brain of .MJ Rell:
"Access to a bathroom for someone with Crohn's disease?"
"Yes!"
"Access to a doctor for someone with Crohn's disease?"
"No!"
Posted by: Martha H | July 10, 2009 12:48 PM
Today's Hartford Courant online poll:
"Was Gov. Rell right to veto health care bills?"
• Yes. The plans, at $1 billion-plus a year, cost too much. 33.4%
• No. We can't afford NOT to expand coverage to more people. 40.8%
• Yes. Let's see what comes of health care reform on the national level. 3.8%
• No. Connecticut should follow Massachusetts' lead in getting more people insured. 20.0%
• Not sure. The plans are too complicated to easily understand: 1.9%
Perhaps Gov. Rell should have checked with Connecticut first??
Posted by: Peabody | July 10, 2009 1:44 PM
It is extremely important to note that there were TWO bills vetoed by Governor Rell. The Governor focused her post-veto comments on only one of them, the SustiNet bill, which is a new program and arguably has a high price tag and may have been overly ambitious in this economic climate.
However, Representative Donovan's bill, which has been vetoed for two consecutive years by Governor Rell, merely builds upon the inherent financial advantages of a large pool of covered persons to negotiate rates with the insurance companies. Representative Donovan's bill has NO NEW COSTS to anyone - though it will cut into the profits of the insurance brokers and insurance companies who oppose it.
Representative Donovan's bill would give Connecticut's cities, towns and boards of education the OPTION to see if they could get better rates from the insurance companies by entering their employees into the state employee plans. Many could have obtained significantly lower rates by pooling their employees with the state employees. These lower rates translate into lower expenses and lower costs to every taxpaying resident of this State. If the municipal employers could get better rates on their own, they would have NO OBLIGATION to join the state pool.
It was all about giving every municipal employer (and their citizens) an OPTION to explore. The only entities who may have lost out financially are the insurance brokers who make ENORMOUS amounts of money selling insurance policies to individual municipalities and the insurance companies who rake in ENORMOUS profits through the administrative fees they charge for covering hundreds of individual municipal policies.
These brokers and insurance companies are the only winners from the Governor's veto. The veto of Representative Donovan's bill must be overridden to at least give our cities and towns an opportunity to explore cost saving possibilities.
Posted by: jim | July 11, 2009 6:42 AM
Ms Bumbershoot,
you wanted to know how many of the uninsured these bills would have insured and then said zero and look it up, so I did and found YOU to be WRONG?? LOL
The partnership would open up the state plan to municipalities, small bussinesses and non-profits. many small bussinesses and non-profit have no health care benifits now so that plan would definetly have an immediate impact on the uninsured right now.
The Sustinet plan that does call for an initial study but if its guidelines for implimrntation were followed would cover about 95% of the uninsured by 2015.
So thanks for asking me to look it up, I just don't think it proved your point. LOL
Posted by: PIssedOff | July 12, 2009 10:49 AM
Governor Rell is a disgrace. For a woman who has had a serious medical condition herself and top notch healthcare she shows absolute disregard for others with the same conditions she and her husband have had or other conditions.
This is one of many times she has shown her complete disregard for the health conditions of others, whether it be getting help when sick, preventing getting sick or being allowed to work in healthy conditions.
It's a sad day in Connecticut when the top executive in the state says out of one side of her mouth she cares about our healthcare and out of the other side of her mouth gives us the piece of [expletive] that is the Charter Oak Health Plan.
Hey yeah, I think I'll go uninsured for 6 months so I can get Charter Oak Health Plan because I [expletive] can't afford anything else out there - and then after 6 months praying I stay healthy I get denied anyway, along with 12,000+ others!! Cool!
We need new leadership in this state so bad it's frightening.