 | | | Friend, welcome to Health Equity Solutions' monthly newsletter! | | | |  | | For more information on how you can support Health Equity Week, contact Jennifer Baril at jbaril@hesct.org. | | | | | | | | | | Session Updates -
We have a public hearing! An Act Concerning Hospital Financial Assistance was raised favorably by the Public Health Committee. Senate Bill 1192 and House Bill 5621 were introduced. Senate Bill 1192 has a public hearing this upcoming Monday, February 3rd at 11:30am at the Legislative Office Building! Interested in testifying to prevent medical debt for CT residents? Sign up to join us and find our resources, including a factsheet, here. -
The Human Services Committee raised concept An Act Concerning Medicaid Reimbursement for Community Health Worker Services and added to the consent calendar. The bill would look at the barriers that are impacting the implementation of the 2023 CHW Medicaid reimbursement bill. We anticipate a bill number in the coming days. -
Two bills introduced in the Human Services Committee, House Bill 5471 and House Bill 5430 would work to expand the HUSKY (Medicaid) program to certain income-eligible residents, regardless of immigration status. Follow our coalition partners on Instagram @husky4immigrants for further developments! -
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, several legislators held a press conference to discuss the need to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates this legislative session. The Department of Social Services published a two-part study on Medicaid reimbursement rates, one in February 2024 and the second on December 31, 2024. We anticipate to see bill language in the Human Services Committee in the coming weeks. | | | | Health Equity Solutions' 2025 Policy Priorities* -
Address Health-Related Social & Economic Needs: Promote policy solutions that ensure the basic needs of all residents are met to attain their optimal health. -
Advocate for Improvements in Health Care Affordability: Pursue policies that protect, restore, and promote pathways to affordable and accessible coverage options. -
Promote a Comprehensive & Integrated Health Care System: Advance access to culturally responsive and integrated care. - Advance the Implementation of Anti-Racist Policies & Practices: Ensure equity-focused policy victories are implemented with community input.
| | *abbreviated. For a full breakdown: | | | | | | | | 📢 Join Us: Testimony Writing Workshops on Medical Debt Advocacy! Medical debt is a growing crisis that fuels economic and health inequities. Racial disparities in income, wealth, and insurance coverage contribute to the burden of medical debt, disproportionately affecting communities of color. That’s why Health Equity Solutions, along with our partners in the HEPxP Coalition, and healthcare advocates in Connecticut are working to strengthen hospital financial assistance policies—ensuring that those most impacted have access to the care they deserve. 📌 Get Involved!
We’re hosting testimony writing workshops for our public hearing on Monday, February 3rd, where you can learn about the legislative process and how to share your story as a healthcare advocate. Workshops will be available in both English and Spanish. REGISTER HERE: bit.ly/HESTESTIMONY25 🗓 Upcoming Workshops:
📍 Testimony Writing Workshop (English)
📅 Friday, January 31st | ⏰ 6:15 PM 📍 Taller de Redacción de Testimonios (Español)
📅 Viernes, 31 de enero | ⏰ 7:15 PM 🔗 Both sessions will use the same Zoom link. Join at your preferred time! 💻 Virtual Testimony Writing Hang-Out (Bilingual: English/Español)
If you can’t attend a workshop, no worries! HES staff will be available to answer your questions, support you in writing your testimony, and help with public hearing registration. 📅 Sunday, February 2nd | ⏰ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 📩 Have questions? Contact kdaley@hesct.org for more information. Together, we can advocate for policies that make healthcare accessible for all! ✊🏽 | |  | | | | | | | | | HES Welcomes Grace Williams, our new Policy and Advocacy Intern! | |  | We are excited to welcome a new intern to the HES team! Grace Williams is a first year MPH student at Yale School of Public Health in the Health Policy department and recently graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in Public Health. Her passion for healthcare reform and the advancement of health equity took form during her undergraduate studies and time working in healthcare. While interning at HES, Grace hopes to deepen her understanding of how community voices can drive impactful policy initiatives and advocacy efforts for health equity. When she's not in class or working, Grace enjoys reading and spending time with friends. | | Scaling Up Solutions at the Families USA Conference | |  | Last week HES staff members Kally Moquete, Senior Policy Manager and Katia Ruesta-Daley, Community Engagement Manager attended Families USA’s 30th annual Health Action Conference. Conversations focused on innovative strategies towards advocating for equity despite an ever-changing federal legislative agenda. Thank you to Families USA for creating a supportive and invigorating environment! | | | The HES Advantage is an extension of Health Equity Solutions that offers customizable, equitable consulting, facilitation, and training services to agencies, healthcare systems, and communities with a race-forward approach. | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | We love to highlight the work of our partners and interesting events in the health equity neighborhood. Have content to contribute? Fill out this form. We're eager to learn about what you're working on. Know someone who might be interested in receiving our newsletter? Share this subscription link! | | National Prep Call: Protect our Health Care Day Action Please join Community Catalyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Families USA, and NHeLP on Friday, January 31st from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET to prepare for a Day of Action/Call-In Day on February 6th with advocates across the country. | We want to make sure the voices of our community members are loud and clear now in saying to policymakers: | - Medicaid saves lives — it is a lifeline for millions, including kids, older Americans, and people with disabilities.
- Cutting funding would mean taking critical care away from those who need it the most – and leaving their loved ones to pay the price.
- Hands off Medicaid - DO NOT cut Medicaid and SNAP to pay for tax benefits for the wealthy!
Click here to register. | | | | | | | | | | | Stay informed about the latest developments in health equity, social determinants of health, racial justice, and more! Every week, we feature relevant news articles and reports on our social media. Check out a few highlights below: | | - If you receive this Letter, it's REAL. Governor Lamont Announced $30 Million in Medical Debt Relief for 23,000 Connecticut Residents. Earlier this month, Governor Ned Lamont announced that nearly 23,000 Connecticut residents with medical debt will receive relief as part of a partnership with Undue Medical Debt. The partnership will eliminate up to $30 million in debt for those with low incomes or high medical expenses. No application is needed; affected residents will be notified by mail. See below for a preview of the letter or click here.
- Connecticut's Office of Higher Education Announces a Student Loan Reimbursement Program: Exciting news! The Office of Higher Education, in partnership with NELNET, is launching the Student Loan Reimbursement Program (SLRP) within the CT SCHOLARS portal. Starting January 1, 2025, applicants can create an account, complete their application, and upload the required documents for consideration. Click here to learn more about the eligibility requirements!
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With federal funding in limbo, CT Dems propose Medicaid expansion: "Legislators and physicians for years have been sounding the alarm that the prevailing reimbursement rates were too low, making it unaffordable for health care providers to treat patients with Medicaid coverage, thus decreasing access to care for those residents." https://ctmirror.org/2025/01/28/ct-medicaid-reimbursement-rate-federal-aid-pause/ -
CT Education Department issues guidance to K-12 schools on immigration enforcement: "Beyond protocol guidance for dealing with ICE officers, the state Department of Education also urged districts to make information accessible in several languages and to provide mental-health support services." https://ctmirror.org/2025/01/28/ct-schools-ice-guidance-trump-immigration/ | | | | | | | | Health Equity Solutions
53 Oak Street | Hartford, Connecticut 06106
860.461.7637 | info@hesct.org | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
