Raghib Allie-Brennan

HARTFORD, CT — State Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan (D–Bethel, Danbury) released the following statement after legislation expanding access to Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) failed to advance in the Appropriations Committee:

“Small businesses across Connecticut are facing rising health insurance costs, and this year we had a real opportunity to provide meaningful relief.

I was proud to cosponsor this legislation and work with colleagues to move it out of the Insurance Committee, where it gained strong momentum. The bill would have allowed small businesses to band together through Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements, giving them the same kind of purchasing power that larger companies already have.

This proposal was about expanding options and lowering costs for employers who are struggling to provide coverage to their employees.

The bill was later sent to the Appropriations Committee over concerns tied to broader health care proposals from the Governor. In my view, those concerns had already been accounted for in the state budget and this legislation itself would not have cost taxpayers.

It’s also important to be clear about what the bill did and did not do. It preserved critical protections, including coverage for pre-existing conditions, prohibitions on discrimination, and required benefits under the Affordable Care Act. This was not about weakening standards, it was about making coverage more accessible and affordable.

While there are ongoing conversations about long-term solutions like a public option, those discussions should not come at the expense of practical, near-term tools that help small businesses today.

I’m frustrated that we were unable to get this across the finish line this year. Small business owners in Bethel, Danbury, and across Connecticut were counting on us to act.

I remain committed to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to expand access, increase competition, and lower health care costs moving forward.”

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