Feds give approval to low-income health insurance plan

The federal government has approved a $40 million plan that will help Connecticut residents who fall into the health insurance affordability gap.

The plan, dubbed Covered Connecticut, will help provide insurance premium coverage for those who make too much money to be covered through Husky, yet not enough to afford a subsidized plan on the exchange.

"This federal funding will be instrumental in supporting our state's actions to improve health equity and reduce health disparities by improving the affordability and accessibility of health care coverage," Gov. Ned Lamont said.

In 2018, individuals with incomes between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty level made up 13% of Connecticut's population but 26% of its uninsured residents. The new federal waiver will close the gap by offering no-cost coverage to individuals who make up to 175% of the federal poverty level, which is around $48,000 for a family of four and $40,000 for a family of three.

It's expected that this will cover up to 40,000 Connecticut residents.

Under the waiver, the state will directly reimburse the qualified health insurance plans offered by Anthem Health, ConnectiCare Benefits and ConnectiCare Insurance for the monthly premium and the cost-sharing amounts that the enrollee would normally have to pay after using all available federal supports, such as out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Dental and non-emergency transportation services that aren't covered by the health plans, will be provided through HUSKY.

The waiver was sought on behalf of the Lamont administration by the Connecticut Department of Social Services with support and collaboration from the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, the Connecticut Insurance Department, and Access Health Connecticut.

"The new Covered Connecticut program has already helped more 10,000 state residents get no-cost access to high-quality health care," Department of Social Services Commissioner Deidre Gifford said. "With this support from our federal partners at CMS, we will be able to continue our work in closing healthcare coverage gaps and improving the health of our state residents."

Access Health CT CEO James Michel said the goal is to decrease the number of uninsured in the state.

"Innovative approaches, such as the Covered Connecticut program, go a long way in helping us achieve these mission-driven goals," Michel said. "And more importantly, the federal funding approved to continue the Covered Connecticut program will have a significant, positive impact on the health and wellness of Connecticut residents who qualify for no-cost health care, dental, and non-emergency medical transportation benefits."

Sen. Matt Lesser, who co-chairs the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said he wants to help grow the program, as the cost of health insurance increases.

"Going forward we should expand Covered Connecticut to help middle income families struggling with sky high copays and deductibles," Lesser.

To sign up for a Covered Connecticut plan visit AccessHealthCT or call 1-855-805-4325 to receive free assistance from an Access Health CT representative.