Statement On Proposed State Government-Controlled Health Insurance System

HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut’s Health Care Future issued the following statement today as the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee holds a public hearing, during which they plan to discuss recently introduced legislation that would create a new state government-controlled health insurance system.  The proposed “state government option” or “public option” would put politicians in control of Connecticut families’ health care and could also increase costs for consumers and taxpayers while harming Connecticut’s economy.

“We believe that every patient deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care, but the state government option would put politicians in control of health care.  It could force Connecticut families to pay higher taxes and reduce consumer choice, while putting tens of thousands of Connecticut jobs at risk.  Given these facts, it should come as no surprise that there is no successful state government option anywhere in America.  So, instead of forcing patients to pay more to wait longer for worse care with a government-controlled health insurance system, let’s build on what is working in health care and fix what is broken.”

• The state government option would put politicians in control of our health care.
• The state government option could raise taxes on Connecticut families. Hardworking taxpayers can’t afford another unproven, new government insurance system.
• The state government option would put tens of thousands of Connecticut jobs at risk, in exchange for a system that would force patients to pay more to wait longer for worse care.

Connecticut’s Health Care Future believes every patient deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care, but an unproven government health insurance system controlled by politicians would threaten consumers’ choice of coverage and care.  The unaffordable costs and negative consequences consumers and patients could experience under a new government-controlled system help explain why there is no successful state government option anywhere in America.

Connecticut’s Health Care Future is a project of the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future Action.