Republicans Call for Action on Bipartisan Agreement to Restore Medicare Savings Program Funding

Bipartisan Agreement Reached to Restore Medicare Savings Program Funding

 Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (R-North Haven) and House Republican Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby) released the following statement regarding the General Assembly’s plans to restore funding for the Medicare Savings Program.

“Legislative leaders have reached a bipartisan agreement to adopt changes to the state budget to restore funding in full for the Medicare Savings Program in fiscal year 2018. Because there are questions regarding whether or not legislative leaders can call us in to special session, we had to begin a petition process to call for a special session. Both of our caucuses have been hard at work to get as many signatures as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the petition process means that session cannot be called until at least 10 days after all petitions have been submitted. There are quicker ways to call a session, such as asking the governor to call us in to session, which is what we asked legislative leaders to do this morning. We believe we need to restore the Medicare Savings Program funding as quickly as possible to assist 113,000 low income senior citizens and disabled patients. Further delaying a fix by not asking the governor to call a special session continues unnecessary uncertainty and stress on many individuals and families. We have a solution that legislative leaders negotiated that we are bringing to our caucuses now. We believe we should pursue every path possible to schedule a vote on this fix as soon as possible. We have recently sent the leaders a suggested letter to Governor Malloy that we are asking them to sign to request that the governor call a special session on December 19, 2017, a date previously agreed to by all legislative leaders.”