Kelly, Formica Question Solvency, Affordability of State Run ‘Public Option’ Health Care Plan Amid Reports of Continued Trouble

November 4, 2022

Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore Paul Formica (R-East Lyme) are calling for an immediate legislative update on the status of the Connecticut Partnership Plan 2.0, Connecticut’s long troubled state-run public option health care plan. New reports indicate that the government run plan again faces a massive deficit, this year totaling an estimated $54.1 million or more as claims exceed premium, and at least eight groups have left the Partnership Plan so far this year.

 

“Even with repeated state taxpayer funded bailouts and premium hikes on participating families, the Partnership Plan 2.0 remains on the brink of insolvency. Once again, this is evidence that ‘public option’ state run health care doesn’t work and puts all the burden on taxpayers to foot the bill. These financial troubles put the insured at risk of not having a health care payment system, and taxpayers at risk of holding the bag. Both situations are unacceptable,” said Kelly and Formica.

 

“What is the administration doing about this? We need more than a report in January. We need transparency and action now. If the Partnership Plan 2.0 were private insurance with the same problems, it most likely would be in receivership by the Insurance Department.

 

“This must be a wakeup call to CT Democrats who continue to push state-run public options that don’t work and ignore common sense and achievable solutions offered by CT Republicans to make our health care more affordable for everyone,” said Kelly and Formica. “The solution to CT’s unaffordability is not more government. The Partnership Plan’s unaffordability and unsustainability are evidence of this. There is a better way, but we need bipartisan action on achievable solutions Republicans have long advocated for and that other states are enjoying the benefits of. Health care is not affordable in Connecticut, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If we work together and stay focused CT residents could see a 30% reduction in premiums and see annual savings totaling thousands of dollars. CT Republicans believe that’s worthy of a conversation at the Capitol. We hope Democrats agree.”

 

Kelly and Formica wrote to Comptroller Natalie Braswell raising multiple questions and calling for an immediate legislative update on the Partnership Plan 2.0’s solvency and affordability.

 

Read their letter.