Sen. Somers Applauds Bipartisan Effort to Restore Medicare Savings Program Funding

January 8, 2018

HARTFORD, Conn. – Today State Senator Heather Somers (R-Groton) released the following statement regarding the Connecticut General Assembly’s successful passage of a bipartisan bill that restores funding for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP). Eligibility levels for the MSP were adjusted in the bipartisan budget approved last year. After learning about the vast impact of these funding reductions, lawmakers worked together to restore the funding by making adjustments in the state budget in a bill that was passed by the legislature today.

“I am relieved to report that today the General Assembly voted in favor of restoring additional aid for over 100,000 of Connecticut’s most vulnerable disabled and elderly residents. Once again the General Assembly, despite the governor’s attempts to sabotage this bipartisan effort, worked together to give thousands of seniors and disabled individuals funding for the medical coverage they need. Without this funding these individuals are left with the choice between food and medicine – which is unacceptable . Should the governor attempt to veto this bill, we have clearly shown today that there is overwhelming legislative support to override a veto, and do what is right for thousands of individuals . These residents are counting on us, counting on us to do the right thing and put their needs before party politics,” said Sen. Somers. “Moving forward I hope to continue this good-faith, bipartisan collaboration to move Connecticut down a different economic path to give families and businesses the stability they need.”

To restore the funding for the MSP, lawmakers adopted savings in the budget and made cuts to funding in other areas of government such as executive appointments, consultant fees, and duplicative human resource functions in state government.