CT Senate Republican Plan for Affordable Health Care Has Momentum.

Sens. Kelly, Hwang Applaud Connecticut’s Acceptance into Peterson-Milbank Program to Support Healthcare Cost Growth Benchmarking

“The CT Senate Republican Plan for Affordable Health Care Has Momentum.”

HARTFORD – Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and State Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield), ranking member of the Insurance Committee, applauded today’s announcement that the State of Connecticut has been accepted into the Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs. Launched earlier this year by the Milbank Memorial Fund, the nationwide program was created to advance state efforts on addressing the growth of healthcare costs through benchmarking.

“Benchmarking is a major component of the Connecticut Senate Republicans’ affordable health care proposal and we applaud the state for pursuing this support to move the ball forward,” said Sen. Kelly and Sen. Hwang. “Today’s announcement shows that our plan for affordable health care has momentum. Benchmarking can drive down the out of control growth of health care costs across the board. Savings achieved through a benchmarking program can be invested back in to health care and fund additional relief programs like reinsurance, another core component of the CT Senate Republican plan, to make quality health care even more affordable.

“We commend the Governor’s efforts, but lawmakers must do more. First, we must codify state efforts to implement a health care cost growth benchmarking system. Second, we must ensure that benchmarking is done in a way where all voices are heard. Any benchmarking effort must be sensitive to and protect people who are marginalized so that complex care patients will not get lost in the process. This must be patient-centered and patient-focused. The only plan before the legislature this year that achieves both these goals is the CT Senate Republican Better Way to Affordable Health Care.”