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Get Ready for Our December Launch! HES' 2025 Legislative Priorities Page & Policy Agenda

Each year, HES releases our policy agenda to inform advocates, policymakers, community partners, and other supporters of our top priorities for the upcoming year. For 2025, our policy agenda will feature four key focus areas, carefully developed with feedback gathered from conversations with Connecticut residents. 

We are excited to share the finalized agenda with you all very soon! In the meantime, we encourage you to look at last year's agenda and explore previous policies we’ve identified as critical for advancing equity in Connecticut.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for your continued support in helping us create meaningful change in our state.

Other Policy Updates

Do you need health insurance? Open Enrollment begins November 1st, 2024

Open enrollment through Access Health CT begins November 1st. You can shop for, compare, and enroll in or renew a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) or Stand-Alone Dental Plan (SADP) here. 

DACA recipients can get health insurance coverage via Access Health CT

DACA recipients can now enroll in health insurance coverage through Access Health CT. They may also be eligible for Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) or Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs), depending on their income, address, and household size.

• Click here to learn more about coverage options on Access Health.
• Click here for state resources on outreach, education, and improving enrollment.

Coming Soon! HES' 2024 Community Conversations Report

Community involvement is essential to effective policymaking. Earlier this year, Health Equity Solutions organized Community Conversations to understand the health equity issues that most concern Connecticut residents. During these discussions, participants shared their perspectives on health equity and expressed interest in contributing to this work. Stay tuned for our 2024 report detailing the findings!

Here's what to expect:

• Improved reporting on self-identified demographic information, including, for the first time, data on participants' gender and sexuality!

• A dedicated section on Medical Debt and Hospital Financial Assistance policy. Learn what participants see as most pressing in addressing these issues!

• Anonymous Quotes. Hear what participants had to say during our in-person Community Conversations!

#GivingTuesday is on December 3rd, 2024!

At Health Equity Solutions (HES), we don’t just talk about equity—we transform systems by shaping illuminated, inclusive policies that amplify voices and break down barriers to health justice. But we can’t do it without you. With your support, we can deliver more trainings to policy decision-makers, mobilize grassroots advocates, and inform and push government officials to build a future where everyone, regardless of race or income, has access to equitable health opportunities. Please consider a charitable donation: https://hesct.org/donate/

Here’s how you can take action:

• Donate: Every dollar counts in the fight for health equity.
• Share: Spread the word about HES and inspire others in your network to participate in this annual day of giving on December 3rd. 
• Engage: Follow us at @HealthEquityCT on Facebook and X, as well as @HealthEquitySolutions on Instagram for more #GivingTuesday Updates.

Our Team Attended APHA's Annual Meeting & Race Forward's Facing Race Conference!

Some members of our team attended this year's APHA's Annual Meeting and Race Forward's Facing Race Conference. Thank you to the American Public Health Association, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund for their generous support in sponsoring our visit! These conferences serve as a reminder of the work we do to propel public health and ensure everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. We take away from these experiences an opportunity to connect those who are equally passionate about advancing health equity and driving systemic change. We look forward to continuing these conversations and bringing the ideas gained from these events back to our work at HES. Thank you to our partners for their support in making this experience possible!

Make the Road CT: Annual Holiday TOY DRIVE | Donations Accepted through Dec 5th

Join Make the Road CT this holiday season for their annual Toy Drive for children and teens (0-18 years old). Donations will help create unforgettable memories for local families. They are looking for a variety of toys for all age groups, such as:

• Infants/Toddlers: Soft toys, stacking blocks, sensory toys
• Preschool: Educational toys, dolls, building sets
• Children: Action figures, board games, art supplies
• Teens: Books, tech gadgets, sports equipment, gift cards

Donations can be dropped off at 87 Washington Ave, Bridgeport, CT, by Dec 5th. If you can’t donate a toy, please help by sharing this message. For questions, call 646-624-1090. Help make this celebration special for everyone!

FCCF's In Community Conversation Series Featuring Louise Story & Ebony Reed 

Join FCCF for an inspiring event featuring journalists Louise Story and Ebony Reed, co-authors of Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap. 

In partnership with the Westport Library and Team Westport, the event will delve into the historical and systemic causes of the racial wealth gap and explore solutions for change. The evening will include a presentation by the authors, followed by a panel discussion with Connecticut leaders dedicated to driving change. Panelists include Andrea Comer, Rep. Corey Paris, and Mendi Blue Paca. Register now!

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:

• Four Million People Will Lose Health Insurance If Premium Tax Credit Enhancements Expire in 2025: "By our [Urban Institute] analysis, if PTC enhancements expire after 2025, subsidized Marketplace enrollment would decline by 7.2 million people, and 4.0 million people would become uninsured. However, these effects aren’t felt equally across states or by race, income, and age, which means some communities may experience greater coverage losses, making health care unaffordable and inaccessible." https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/four-million-people-will-lose-health-insurance-if-premium-tax-credit-enhancements-expire

• CT $20K student loan reimbursement program will launch in 2025: “To qualify for the program, applicants must: have graduated from a Connecticut state public or private college or university with a bachelor’s or associate degree; have an occupational/professional license or certificate; or have been granted a hardship waiver by the OHE and left their college in good standing." https://ctmirror.org/2024/11/20/ct-student-loan-reimbursement-program/

• What if Our Systems Actually Served ALL of Us?: "We owe it to all our children and their children to build systems that get rid of the hurdles between them and health and wellbeing. Rather than asking each of us to swim upstream through dangerous rapids to get to health, why not clear the way so the stream can carry us all toward health?  Why not make health the default rather than the result of luck or privilege?" https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/blog/2024/10/what-if-our-systems-actually-served-all-of-us.html

Made it this far? Thank you so much for reading our updates! We appreciate your support. If you have any questions, please email info@hesct.org.

Best,

HES Team

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