Health Care

HEALTH CARE REFORM

News Blog

October 11, 2011
HEALTH CARE COSTS "DAUNTING OBSTACLE"
TO SMALL BUSINESS JOB GROWTH
Speaker Donovan launches a working group to look at the obstacles and opportunities for small business owners seeding to purchase health insurance coverage for their employees and families. "As health care costs have grown, small businesses have had to drop and cut coverage or sacrifice job growth," Speaker Donovan said. "We need to determine how to make health insurance for small businesses affordable, but also easily comparable, available, accessible, and meaningful." READ MORE

August 11, 2011
ELIMINATION OF CO-PAYMENTS FOR BIRTH CONTROL IS A VICTORY FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH
Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) and State Rep. Roberta Willis (D-64th District) hosted a news conference with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England and NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut at the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Torrington to celebrate the elimination of cost-sharing such as co-pays for women’s birth control and other preventative services under new federal healthcare guidelines and discuss how the change will impact Connecticut women and their families.
READ MORE

July 21, 2011
NO VETO OVERRIDES PLANNED AS LEGISLATURE, EXECUTIVE WORK ON SB11
Democratic legislative leaders said there will be no veto overrides when it convenes on July 25th for its annual veto session. Instead of attempting an override of Senate Bill 11, the legislature and executive branch reached agreement on a common goal - greater transparency and public input in the rate increase approval process for
health insurance. READ MORE

June 6, 2011
SPEAKER DONOVAN STATEMENT ON SENATE PASSAGE
OF HEALTH CARE REFORMS
“With tonight’s passage of major health care reform efforts by the Senate, including pooling for municipalities and non-profits, Connecticut is only the Governor’s signature away from quality, affordable health care for thousands of Connecticut residents.
READ MORE

May 27, 2011
POOLING, SUSTINET WIN HOUSE APPROVAL
Democrats in the House of Representatives today approved landmark health care reform legislation combining two major health care reform efforts – the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership and the Sustinet Healthcare Reform System. House Speaker Donovan this legislation will "move Connecticut further on the path to quality, affordable healthcare for all." READ MORE

May 19, 2011
POOLING MOVES FORWARD
Speaker Donovan expressed optimism that with a Democratic Governor "who understands how this initiative can help families, our cities and towns, non-profits and the state" pooling legislation that he has championed for years will become law this year. READ MORE

April 27, 2011
HEALTH FOUNDATION AND SUPPORTERS
MARCH FOR SUSTINET AT THE CAPITOL
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut and hundreds of residents, including business and diverse community leaders, from across the state converged this evening in downtown Hartford where they rallied and later marched to. READ MORE

April 16, 2011
SUSTINET, HEALTH CARE DISCUSSED
Three state lawmakers and more than 30 people discussed health-care issues at a forum held at Generations Family Health Center’s Windham Mills location Friday.
READ MORE

April 4, 2011
SUSTINET A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR CT
Speaker Donovan and Rep. Ritter say the state can save money and improve health care after reviewing OFA's fiscal note on SustiNet. READ MORE

March 3, 2011
HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP BILL WINS INSURANCE COMMITTEE APPROVAL
Speaker Donovan Says Bill Will Save Money for Businesses,
Municipalities and Increase Health Care Access and Affordability
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan said businesses, municipalities and the state all stand to realize significant savings if the Healthcare Partnership bill approved by the Insurance and Real Estate Committee today becomes law. READ MORE

February 14, 2011
HEALTH CARE REFORMS PROVIDE CHOICE, AFFORDABILITY FOR FAMILIES; ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR TOWNS AND BUSINESSES
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan today told three legislative committees that “consumer-based health care reforms will provide real choices and affordable opportunities for individuals, small businesses and the nonprofit sector.” READ MORE

February 10, 2011
COMMITTEES SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON SWEEPING HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM MEASURES
Healthcare Partnership, SustiNet, Healthcare Insurance Exchange and State Prescription Drug Purchasing on the Agenda
The Public Health Committee, together with the Insurance Committee, and the Human Services Committee will hold a joint public hearing Monday on health care proposals under consideration. READ MORE

February 8, 2011
BETTER CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, COST SAVINGS FOR STATE
Says CT Now Has Executive Leadership That Will Help Achieve Health Care Goals
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan today said health care initiatives announced by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman “do exactly what Democrats in the legislature have attempted for years – putting health care management in the right hands (primary care doctors) and achieving significant cost savings for the state – perhaps as much as $75 million.” READ MORE

January 19, 2011
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE RAISES SUSTINET BILL
House Chair of the Public Health Committee, Rep. Betsy Ritter along with Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan and health care advocates held a press conference today to highlight the SustiNet bill raised Wednesday by the Legislature’s Public Health Committee. READ MORE

January 18, 2011
SPEAKER DONOVAN, REP. RITTER STATEMENT ON
REPUBLICAN EFFORTS TO REPEAL FEDERAL HEALTH REFORM
“We would like to thank Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation for standing up for quality, affordable health care for Connecticut’s working families. Under federal health reform, our constituents are already seeing better access to affordable care, an end to arbitrary lifetime limits on benefits and denials without a chance of appeal.” READ MORE

January 7, 2011
SPEAKER DONOVAN: SUSTINET REFORMS WILL INCREASE PURCHASING POWER, LOWER COSTS & EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE
Welcomes SustiNet Board Recommendations
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) today said the SustiNet Board’s final report to the General Assembly “builds on the strength of healthcare pooling to increase purchasing power, lower costs and expand access to quality care for people of all walks of life and health histories.” READ MORE

2010 News Blog

2009 News Blog

THE BILLS

HB 6308 - An Act Establishing The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership.

HB 6305 - An Act Concerning Implementation Of The SustiNet Plan.

HB 6323 - An Act Making Conforming Changes To The Insurance Statutes Pursuant To The Federal Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, And Establishing A State Health Partnership Program.

February 14, 2011
Testimony of Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan