Conn. A.G. Tong Issues Statement on Approved Double-Digit Health Insurance Rate Hikes

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Sept. 3 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release on Sept. 2, 2022:

Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding double-digit rate hikes approved today by the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID).

"Healthcare costs and insurance premiums were already unaffordable for many Connecticut families and small businesses. These double-digit rate hikes--among the highest in the country--will only make that worse. While I appreciate that CID did impose substantial reductions to the requested rate hikes, this process was far too compressed and far too limited to allow for sufficient scrutiny. There is no reason that CID could not have started this process earlier--as they do in many other states--to allow for thorough evaluation of all the evidence. To date, the Office of the Attorney General has still not received answers to questions we asked at the hearing, which was held a mere two weeks ago. We need to begin planning now for a better, most robust process next year," said Attorney General Tong.

Attorney General Tong personally questioned insurers as part of an informational meeting of the Connecticut Insurance Department on August 15. He had sought a formal public hearing and the opportunity to fully scrutinize the 13 rate filings from nine health insurers, with opportunity for the Office of the Attorney General to present expert witnesses and cross examine insurance industry representatives. That request was denied.

The CID's refusal to hold a formal public hearing in accordance to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act also deprived the Office of the Attorney General of the opportunity to become an intervenor in the proceeding and seek judicial review of the approved rates.

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Original text here: https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Press-Releases/2022-Press-Releases/Attorney-General-Tong-Statement-on-Approved-Double-Digit-Health-Insurance-Rate-Hikes