Gov. Malloy and Lt. Gov Wyman Announce Impact of Senate Republican Version of Trumpcare on Connecticut

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman today announced that according to a new analysis of the impact on Connecticut of the Better Care Reconciliation Act -- the Senate Republican version of Trumpcare -- healthcare coverage for tens-of-thousands of state residents could be threatened, and as much as $2.9 billion in annual costs would be added to the state at full implementation in 2026.

"Plain and simple--the Senate Republican version of Trumpcare is a greater disaster for the people of Connecticut than the version passed by House Republicans. It is appalling and needs to be stopped in its tracks," said Governor Malloy. "This bill has the potential to result in a devastating cost shift of nearly $3 billion to Connecticut and could eliminate access to health care for tens-of-thousands of our residents, needlessly putting their lives at risk. Particularly for some of our most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, premiums and costs will increase, making coverage unaffordable. If enacted, Trumpcare will jeopardize the coverage people already have, drive up costs, and severely limit care. I urge the Senate to reject this disastrous bill."

"If the purpose of the Republican bill was to raise healthcare costs for all consumers and offer significant tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans while denying care to women, the oldest, youngest, and poorest citizens, the bill does a good job," Lt. Governor Wyman said. "However, none of these things are the vision that we have for a stronger country. In Connecticut, over the past several years, legislators on both sides of the aisle -- men and women -- have worked to make health insurance coverage a reality for our residents. Now, Connecticut has among the lowest uninsured rates in the nation and our costs are growing more slowly than other states. We have work to do to improve the ACA, but by all standards, this bill fails to lower consumer costs, build a stronger healthcare system, improve the lives of residents, or strengthen our economy."

The analysis, which was prepared by the Office of Policy and Management, found that the Senate Republican proposal threatens coverage for seniors and low-income families, among others. Specifically, the proposal will have the following impact on Connecticut:

The anticipated funding reduction by 2026 in the proposed bill is equivalent to 80,000 to 230,000 fewer Connecticut residents being served under Medicaid.
The elimination of the individual and employer mandate are anticipated to increase premiums by an estimated 10 to 15 percent.
The repeal of the Cost Sharing Reduction Program has the potential to increase premiums by an additional 20 percent.
Changes to eligibility for premium subsidies could impact nearly 6,500 current Access Health CT enrollees who will no longer qualify.

"This analysis adds a fiscal impact to the real life stories of thousands of Connecticut individuals who packed public hearings, flooded phone lines and protested in the streets against this reprehensible plan," U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said. "Make no mistake, this is a wealth care plan, not a healthcare plan -- a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans paid for with the lives and livelihoods of everyone else. I will be doing everything in my power to ensure defeat of this grotesquely cruel and costly plan."

"The Senate health care bill will be a disaster for Connecticut," U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said. "It'll cost the state nearly $3 billion a year by 2026. It charges seniors more and threatens to kick more than 200,000 Connecticut residents off of Medicaid, all to fund a giant tax cut for the wealthy. It will force families in Connecticut to choose between paying their medical bills and their mortgage. Bottom line, people will suffer. We have to stop this bill. Call your friends, go online and tell everyone you know about what this bill will do."

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