REMINDER: Access Health CT Special Enrollment Period Open Now Through March 15
Access Health CT's (AHCT) Special Enrollment Period is open now through March 15, 2021 for uninsured residents to obtain quality, affordable health care coverage, particularly those negatively affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are several ways to get help with enrollment including:
- Online: AccessHealthCT.com (Live chat: AccessHealthCT.com click “Live Chat” icon)
- Phone: 1-855-805-4325, Mon. – Fri. 8 AM - 4 PM
- With Enrollment Specialists in the community
- In-person help at either of AHCT’s Navigator partner locations:
Consumers will not be required to verify their eligibility for this Special Enrollment Period. Financial help will still be available for those who qualify.
Please note if you are currently enrolled in coverage through AHCT you will not be eligible to use this Special Enrollment Period to change your existing plans.
If you are in need this is an opportunity to put your mind at ease during these times. Access to good quality, affordable healthcare awaits.
Vaccine Eligibility
Vaccine eligibility will expand to the 55-64 age group beginning on March 1 and dedicated clinics for educators and childcare providers will also begin in March.
The Governor announced earlier this week that Connecticut will be relying on an age-based approach in expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure the state stays on track in administering the vaccine in an efficient and equitable way to as many residents as possible. While I personally would have loved to see all of our essential workers (especially teachers) and medically compromised eligible by now, I think this is good news overall and shows that we appear to be moving along at a good pace to get as many shots in arms as quickly as possible.
Registering to Testify at Public Hearings
The Banking Committee - on which I serve as chair - will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. We will be discussing a variety of bills to help homeowners, including ways to provide more affordable housing, emergency mortgage assistance, and foreclosure relief. To view the full agenda, click HERE.
As we continue to navigate the virtual legislative session, I wanted to remind you of the ways available to ensure your voice is heard. Though COVID-19 has closed the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building to the public, you can still testify and participate in public hearings from your home.
Below, I have outlined the steps to testify at a public hearing:
- Review the bulletin daily and check to see which committees are having public hearings.
- Use the “On-line Testimony Registration Form” link in the notice to register to testify. You can also call the number listed if you do not have access to the internet.
- Make sure you have noted the bill or resolution number(s) you plan to testify on because you will need that to complete the form.
- If you’re registering online, you’ll be taken to the Webinar registration page for the hearing at which you would like to testify. Make sure to review the details of the hearing closely to confirm that you are registering for the correct hearing.
- You will need to scroll down to find the registration form. The form requests the same information that committee staff would ask you if you were signing up to testify in-person.
- Once you submit the form, you’ll receive a pending approval notice to the email address you included in the form. Make sure to keep the information in this notice handy.
- Within 24 hours, after you have registered to testify, you will receive an email confirming that you have signed up for the hearing. If you need to cancel, there is the “cancel” link in the bottom left corner.
- Please note that there is a deadline to register to testify. You can find the exact time and date that registration closes for a particular hearing listed in the bulletin.
- On the morning of the hearing, a speaker list will be generated and posted on the committee page. Go to “Public Hearings” and click “testimony” and select the hearing date. In the right corner, there will be a document labeled “Speaker Order.” Click to open and find your placement.
- Make sure to log onto Zoom before the hearing starts and turn off camera/microphone until it is your turn. You will have to wait to speak as if you are sitting in a hearing room.
- You can monitor every public hearing this session in real-time on each committee's official YouTube channel (accessible at cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/broadcastmedia.asp under the "CGA Live Streaming Feeds" heading). Some public hearings are also broadcast live on CT-N.
See below for the list of other public hearings scheduled for next week.