Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Following Sharp Outcry From Private Insurers, Connecticut Lawmakers Pause On Creating Public Option
Legislation to create a public health-insurance option in Connecticut is off the table after an outcry from private insurers. State Sen. Matt Lesser, a Democrat who led the proposal, said other components of the health-care legislation might still move forward this year, including seeking permission from the federal government to buy prescription drugs from Canada and looking for ways to contain costs in the state鈥檚 health-care system. (de Avila, 5/29)
New, state-sponsored plans for individuals and small businesses, which would have been rolled out in 2022 if the legislation succeeded in its latest form, are expected to be removed from the bill, along with a provision to re-establish an individual mandate, its proponents said. What triggered the revisions is less clear. The Hartford Courant reported Wednesday that Comptroller Kevin Lembo claimed a threat from Cigna to move out of state had derailed the public option. But a spokesman for Cigna denied that a threat had been made, and Lembo made himself unavailable after his visit to The Courant. (Carlesso and Pazniokas, 5/29)
The California State Assembly voted overwhelmingly this week to pass legislation that would allow adult undocumented immigrants to receive health insurance benefits. According to The Associated Press, the state legislature passed the bill聽in a 44-11 vote Tuesday. The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration. (Folley, 5/29)