State may extend health insurance sign-up period

HARTFORD -- As an indecisive U.S. Congress reconvenes and discusses possible extensions of subsidies for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act, Connecticut may extend the registration period for health-care plans through Access Health CT, the state's insurance marketplace.

James Michel, CEO of Access Health CT, joined Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday in announcing the likelihood of extending the sign-up period from Jan. 31 to the end of the February and possibly into March. And if the insurance landscape changes drastically, families, through a network of brokers available through Access Health CT, would be allowed to reapply and upgrade their coverage.

"I don't know what the feds are going to do next week," Lamont said during a noontime news conference in the State Capitol with Michel and Interim Insurance Commissioner Josh Hershman.

"There are rumors all the time. Now you've got the same group that tried to stop the shutdown, going back a couple months, coming forward with a couple plans and maybe have a two-year extension on the subsidies. But I want the people of Connecticut to know we've got your back," Lamont said.

Without a solid national plan, the states are left to themselves, he said, although Maryland, California and New Mexico have joined Connecticut in paying for the loss of their residents' subsidies on insurance.

"As you probably know, the subsidies on the exchange have been on, off, they thought they had a compromise, they didn't have a compromise," Lamont said. "There's a lot of worry out there and (people saying) 'I'm not going to be able to afford health insurance.' If the feds change the rules at the end of January, we'll tell you how the rules will affect you."

During a recent special session, the state's General Assembly created a $500 million contingency fund, from which Lamont has secured $70 million to help subsidize health-care coverage for 150,000 state residents during 2026.

Single residents who make $56,000 will have no out-of-pocket costs, while families making less than $128,000 may actually see costs go down compared to 2025, Lamont said.

"And for folks making up to $165,000, we can't make up for all the loss in subsidies, but we can make up for half of that. And rather than paying an extra $2,000 out-of-pocket per month, it will be a lot less than that," he said.

The partial retention of the subsidies is an important commitment, Michel said. "As you know, last week the federal benefits expired and many Connecticut residents' premiums have gone up because of that expiration," he said.

For example, Michel said, a person in Fairfield County who would have lost $1,400 in monthly subsidies will now get half that amount covered by the state. In Hartford County, about $520 would be provided for an average Access Health CT participant, he said.

When residents enter their postal ZIP codes into Access Health CT's intake site, they can be connected to one of 1,000 insurance brokers who can offer assistance, Lamont said.

The brokers can help residents determine the extent of subsidies for which they are eligible, Michel said. Those who register by Jan. 31 will have benefits kick in on Feb. 1, but if the enrollment period gets extended, benefits would start on March 1, Michel said.

Statewide participation in the exchange has increased over 2025 by about 3%, Michel and Lamont noted.

When the new year started, health-care subsidies reverted to pre-COVID levels, with some residents paying less than last year because of the calculation process, Michel said.

"Get health insurance," said Hershman, whose nomination will move through the legislative process next month, when the General Assembly's session begins.

"The consumers in Connecticut that are the most vulnerable and in the lowest-income class should be made entirely whole," he said of the state subsidies.

"Having health insurance is a big deal because it will spread the risk, the pool will be stronger and when you have a stronger pool, you'll have better rates in the future."

After the news conference, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said he hasn't heard much from constituents on the issue but said there is a big challenge ahead in the General Assembly.

"I think there needs to be a wholesale revamping of health care," he said in a phone interview. "I did support the $70 million to serve as a stopgap to offset some of the pain as the subsidies expired. We should look at the longer-term Medicaid crisis."