Connecticut Action Center

2011 Connecticut Legislative Session Wrap-Up

What a year!  On Wednesday, June 8, Connecticut's Legislative session drew to a close ending what has to be considered one of the busiest in recent memory.  American Cancer Society advocates and staff made sure the voices of those touched by cancer were heard at the statehouse and I am pleased to report that we achieved significant successes on many longtime priority issues for the Society and the people we serve.

Medicaid Cessation Coverage

Connecticut will no longer be one of only four states that do not fund tobacco use cessation services through Medicaid.  Beginning January 1, 2012, Medicaid enrollees will have access to comprehensive cessation services including prescription drugs, nicotine replacement therapy and counseling.

Tobacco Tax Increases

A 10% increase in a state cigarette tax will generally result in a 3-7% reduction in usage.  With that in mind, we are extremely pleased that as of July 1, Connecticut will have the third highest cigarette tax in the country at $3.40, an increase of .40 cents.  The tax on snuff products was almost doubled from .55 cents to $1.00 per ounce and the OTP tax was increased from 27.5% to 50% of the wholesale price. The tax on cigars, meanwhile, was capped at .50 cents.

Preserving, Protecting and Restoring Funding for Cancer Programs and Services

In addition to those significant tobacco victories, we were able to protect $3.1 million in unspent funds allocated to the Connecticut Cancer Partnership. Our advocacy efforts helped restore the annual $12 million dollar MSA deposit to the Tobacco Trust fund, which will be used in part to fund Medicaid cessation as well as other tobacco prevention, and cessation programs. Also, we were able to defeat a budget proposal that would have required Medicaid co-pays for services or prescriptions.

Clouds on the Horizon?

There were some minor changes made in the budget that could signal the beginning of a troubling shift in policy, however. First, we were unable to prevent a $243,106 reduction in funding for the state Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.  This 10% reduction to an already underfunded program is of great concern as it will result in over 1000 fewer mammograms for underserved women. We have commitments from key legislators to revisit this issue next year for the off year budget revision, however and I am hopeful we can correct this painful reduction.

Another disappointing provision within the budget eliminates the sales tax exemption for over the counter nicotine replacement therapy. Additionally, the budget reduced the penalties for selling cigarettes with an expired license as well as selling cigarettes without the required state tax stamp. 

One other interesting provision of the budget calls for the establishment of a Health Enhancement Program--a sort of wellness program that incentivizes state employees to get colonoscopies and mammograms among other exams intended to help people take better care of themselves and lower health costs.

Legislation of Interest

Our successes did not stop with the passage of the budget.  From expanded insurance coverage to state Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the Society tracked over 80 bills and formally took a position on almost 30.  To put 2011 in perspective, we weighed in on only 8 bills in 2010.

Affordable Care Act Implementation

SB 921 - An Act Establishing a State Health Insurance Exchange -- The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("PPACA") requires the creation of state-based health insurance exchanges for individuals and small businesses to purchase insurance by January 1, 2014. Exchanges are essentially organized insurance marketplaces, which will provide consumers with a "one-stop shop" to compare and purchase health insurance and enroll in public coverage programs, as well as use the power of a large risk pool to generate competition among health plans based on quality and cost. This was a top priority issue for us in 2011. 

HB 6308 - An Act Establishing the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership - Helps Connecticut take a step towards meaningful access and help ease the financial burden on health care by allowing municipalities some non-profits that contract with the state to join the state employee's health care plan.  Adding these groups to the pool of 200,000 insured state workers would create greater leverage when the health plan is put out to bid to major insurers and provide potentially significant savings.

Consumer Insurance Protections

The legislature passed a number of measures that would provide for greater coverage for various cancer treatments, screenings and supplies:

      HB 5032 - Provides for coverage of Bone Marrow Testing for compatibility.  Bone marrow transplants are an important and effective treatment method for over 70 diseases, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancers.  Finding a match is difficult and requires a large potential donor pool.  This increased coverage will increase the amount of donors and thereby save lives and decrease costs.

      HB 6472 - Expands coverage of ostomy supplies from $1,000 annually to $2,500 annually.  The first increase in coverage since the law was first passed over 10 years ago!

      SB 21 - Provides for coverage of normal out of pocket expenses related to participation in cancer and chronic disease clinical trials. 

      SB 396 - Expands existing prostate cancer screening coverage to also include coverage for treatment of prostate cancer.

      SB 923 - Prohibits co-pays or other out of pocket expenses for any additional colonoscopies in a policy year beyond the first test.

      SB 1083 - Prohibits Insurance companies from overriding a doctor's prescribed treatments in favor of similar but less costly alternatives.

Other Bills of Interest

While the Society did not take a formal position on every bill we tracked, a number of these bills did make it to the Governor, including some that will have significant impact on the lives of the people of Connecticut.

      SB 913 - Requires Service Employees Paid Sick Leave for companies with 50 or more employees.

      SB 152 - Creates the "Connecticut Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Board," charged with establishing a state umbilical cord blood collection program to be established at Yale and UCONN.

UCONN Hospital

$846 million dollar expansion of John Dempsey hospital to include a new outpatient facility, renovations of existing space and expansion of their bioscience research facilities.  In the short term, this means jobs.  In the long term this means an opportunity for discovery and breakthroughs as the expanded research space will help make Connecticut one of the top research destinations in the country.

Missed Opportunity

One area we were less than successful in was expanding the state Clean Indoor Air Act to include small businesses of fewer than five employees and Hookah Lounges. These barriers to 100% smoke free air continue to negatively affect thousands of employees and patrons and place an increased burden on health care.  We will continue our efforts until no one has to choose between a job and their health or a night out and their health.

Affecting public policy is not easy.  Good bills, good concepts sometimes take years before they achieve passage and only then it is because of the never ending dedication of advocates and proponents like you.  Thank you for your continued dedication and support and keep an eye out for more information about the next legislative session as well as opportunities for you to continue to fight back through advocacy and help us celebrate more birthdays.

Bryte Johnson

State Director of Government Relations and Advocacy