Anne Hughes

The session started yesterday, with Gov. Ned Lamont addressing the House and Senate about meeting this moment in history, citing Thomas Paine's seminal work, "Common Sense".

While I agree with some of the governor's sentiments, like telling ICE to stay out of the state, and the need to backfill programs (like SNAP and healthcare plans) that the federal government is cruelly and unnecessarily retreating from, there are other proposals that I do not believe go far enough.

For example, I welcome the proposed $200–$400 rebate to help residents manage rising energy and living costs, and I understand why immediate relief matters right now. But I believe we need to go further. One-time checks can help in a pinch, yet they don’t address the deeper, systemic challenges families face year after year.

I want to see more lasting reforms that lower costs over the long term—through stronger consumer protections, sustained investments in affordable access to healthcare, increasing provider rates for nonprofit services, long-term care, childcare, public education, badly needed upgrades to our school facilities, and structural changes that put working people on firmer ground, and assure continued services for our most vulnerable neighbors. Connecticut has the resources and the responsibility to do more than patch the problem; we can build systems that truly work for everyone.

People who qualify for this Special Enrollment Period include: 

• Households with an annual income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), who are not already enrolled in the Covered CT Program. These people will receive a state subsidy to replace 100% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.
• Households with an annual income over 400% and up to 500% FPL. These people will receive a state subsidy to replace 50% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.  

Eligible people who have already enrolled or plan to enroll in a 2026 health plan will see a credit applied to their carrier bill.
 
It’s important to note that while customers will not see the state subsidy amount in AHCT’s online system until all updates have been made in the coming weeks, all eligible customers will soon receive a notice in the mail from AHCT with the amount of their state subsidy.

Insurance companies will send consumers updated premium bills with the credit for the state subsidy amount. This manual process will begin soon in advance of the system updates to be implemented in the coming weeks.

From the town:

The Easton Public Library is also having its first-ever Clothing & Accessory Swap on Saturday, Feb. 7, 1:30-3 p.m. Trade in items you're no longer wearing for new treasures and go home with a whole new wardrobe! Feel free to bring in clothing, jewelry, outerwear, scarves, belts, ties, purses, etc. Registration is not required.