CTHCF Statement On Proposed State Government-Controlled Health Insurance System

HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut’s Health Care Future (CTHCF) issued the following statement today as the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee holds a hearing regarding the proposed new state government-controlled health insurance system, also called the state government option:

“Every Connecticut resident deserves access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care, and the best way to achieve that is to build on and improve what is working today – not start over with a new state government-controlled health insurance system that would put politicians in control of families’ care.  Connecticut families cannot afford a one-size-fits-all government health insurance system that would threaten their choice of coverage and care and could force Connecticut families to pay more in taxes, while threatening thousands of Connecticut jobs at a time when our economy is already struggling.”

A new poll conducted by Locust Street Group on behalf of Connecticut’s Health Care Future finds that a majority of Connecticut voters do not support the proposed state government option and are satisfied with their current health coverage and care. The poll of 800 likely voters in Connecticut, which was fielded online from January 8 to January 24, 2021, reveals that a majority want lawmakers to build on and improve the current health care system rather than start over with a new government-controlled health insurance system such as the state government option.

The poll’s key findings include:

• A majority of Connecticut voters do NOT support the state government option (only 36 percent support).

• 80 percent of voters prefer for lawmakers to BUILD ON Connecticut’s health care system rather than create a new state government option.

• Voters are especially CONCERNED about the impacts of the state government option on access to quality care (77 percent), jobs/economic growth (74 percent), and costs (72 percent).

• 82 percent of voters are UNWILLING to pay more in health care costs and 78 percent are UNWILLING to pay more in taxes to finance the cost of the state option.

In fact, the poll shows that during this critical time Connecticut voters want state lawmakers to focus on jobs and the economy: 60 percent of voters ranked the economy and jobs as one of their two most important issues for the state government to address, while 48 percent ranked taxes as one of their top two most important issues. Only 30 percent of voters believe health care is among the two most important issues for state lawmakers to address.