SENATOR KELLY DISAPPOINTED BY MALLOY’S AFFORDABLE CARE ACT DECISION; SEEKS MORE INFORMATION FROM INSURANCE DEPARTMENT

Hartford – State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-21) is disappointed in Governor Malloy’s decision to forgo the president’s proposal allowing insurance providers to extend policies for those who lost insurance coverage due to the Affordable Care Act. Following the governor’s announcement on his decision, Senator Kelly expressed his disappointment and asked for additional information from the state’s insurance department on the impact of the Affordable Care Act during today’s Insurance Committee meeting.

“It is frustrating that thousands of Connecticut residents lost their insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act and the governor’s choice not to revive their coverage when given the chance by President Obama,” said Senator Kelly, who serves as a ranking member on the General Assembly’s Insurance Committee. “The president broke his promise that people would keep their doctor and their insurance policy under the Affordable Care Act. Although the president offered a ‘fix’ to temporarily restore that promise, aiding many families, the governor chooses not to honor the president’s repeated promise.”

After new numbers were shared by the insurance department’s Deputy Commissioner Anne Melissa Dowling, Senator Kelly asked for two additional reports: one briefing the public on this week’s meeting between Commissioner Thomas Leonardi and President Obama; and one outlining the impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Medicare in Connecticut.

“While I appreciate the sharing of some new numbers, I believe that we still do not have the full story on exactly how the Affordable Care Act has and will affect Connecticut’s residents. The public has a right to know what our state’s insurance commissioner and the president discussed in Washington. We also need to start seeing more information on how the new laws impact Medicare. As insurance policies change across the market, Medicare recipients cannot be sure of which doctors will be covered by their plans until after they enroll, and the December 7 enrollment deadline is fast approaching.”

Senator Kelly also expressed his concerns over the health insurance exchange risk pools. According to data released this week, only 19 percent of Access Health CT’s private insurance customers are between 18-34 years old, and 55 percent are over 45 years old.

“Today, Access Health CT could not provide a baseline or goal for the age ratios that would make this system work. Without these numbers, it is impossible to know if the program is on track or in trouble” said Senator Kelly.

Senator Kelly also expressed concerns about the stability of grandfathered policies being honored by the Affordable Care Act and is worried that employers are not getting the information they need to offer health insurance to their employees.

Yesterday, Senator Kelly called for Commissioner Leonardi to testify at today’s committee meeting. Leonardi did not attend the meeting, and Deputy Commissioner Dowling testified on behalf of the insurance department as scheduled.