Sen. Matt Lesser Releases Statement On Health Insurance Rates

Press release from CGA:

Sept. 12, 2020

Insurance & Real Estate Committee chair Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) is releasing a statement following an announcement made from Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais from the Connecticut State Insurance Department. A decision was made on health insurance rate filings for the 2021 coverage year. As a result of these decisions, approximately 214,600 Connecticut consumers are projected to save $96 million.

“I’m grateful that Commissioner Mais and the Insurance Department rejected the industry’s push for higher rates on individual plans,” said Senator Lesser. “While it’s positive that rates on individual plans aren’t increasing, Connecticut can and should take immediate action to lower health care premiums by following the lead of states like New Jersey and Massachusetts that have strengthened the Affordable Care Act even as they lay the groundwork for more aggressive reforms. Immediate reforms could include expanding Medicaid and providing state level premium support for plans on Access Health, Connecticut’s health insurance marketplace, and could lower health insurance costs by 20% or more."

The Connecticut State Insurance Department approved an average increase for individual plans of 0.01 percent, down from the average request of 6.29 percent. The average increase for small group plans is 4.1 percent, down from the requested average of just over 11.28 percent.

This press release was produced by CGA. The views expressed here are the author's own.