 | Friend, welcome to Health Equity Solutions' monthly newsletter! | | Mother Nature may have changed our plans, but she can’t dampen our commitment to health equity. Due to the Nor’ easter on both Sunday, October 12th and our rain date Monday, October 13th, we unfortunately had to cancel the HES Walk for Health Equity.
The weather prevented us from walking together, but we are united in spirit as committed partners in this movement for justice. A very special thank you to all the friends who STEPPED UP—our incredible sponsors, registrants, and donors. Your willingness to support this effort means everything. Your financial gifts are a deeply valued and critical source of funding that powers our advocacy to ensure everyone in Connecticut has access to quality, affordable healthcare. Your support makes a powerful statement: we must do better, especially for our Black and Brown communities that are disproportionately impacted by health disparities. We will forge ahead with our urgent agenda. The rain may have canceled our walk, but it hasn’t slowed our stride. We are energized by the community we’re building together around the shared belief that equity in healthcare isn’t optional—it’s essential. You can still make a difference today. Your donation helps Health Equity Solutions continue to advocate, educate, and push for policies that keep Connecticut covered and advance justice in health care. | | | | Thank you for standing with us and stepping up for health equity. | | | | | |  | | | | | | | Call to Action: Connecticut Must Act Now to Protect Health Coverage HES and partner organizations have joined together in calling on Governor Lamont and legislative leaders to make health equity a top priority in the upcoming special session. To safeguard the health of Connecticut residents, a special session must: - Ensure the over 5,300 recent immigrants who are currently enrolled in Covered CT do not lose access to health care when they are denied federal financial assistance in January.
- Fully fund Covered CT, replacing enhanced premium tax credits with state dollars in the likely event Congress does not address this lapse before the end of the year.
- Require HUSKY Health to gather and utilize input from enrollees when designing work requirements and messaging campaigns by leveraging existing enrollee groups.
- Fund navigators, community health workers, and the DSS call center to spread information now and offer assistance in complying with new administrative requirements as they occur.
- Refuse to allow Association Health Plans or other products that look like health insurance but provide inadequate protection from financial risk for enrollees. Instead, prioritize cost-containment strategies to protect Connecticut residents’ access to health care and the integrity of Access Health CT.
| | | | These steps are essential to safeguard access to care, prevent rising medical debt, and ensure Connecticut’s health system remains equitable and stable for all. | | | |  | | | | | | | Calling all Aspiring Community Leaders: Health Equity Ambassador Program Health Equity Solutions is excited to launch the Health Equity Ambassadors Program in 2026, a new initiative designed to advance anti-racist policies and practices across Connecticut. This program offers participants hands-on training in community organizing, advocacy, and policy change, empowering them to mobilize their neighbors and create lasting impact. Each regional cohort will meet weekly for two months and receive a stipend, with food and interpretation provided. Applications are now open for cohorts in Greater Hartford, Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex Counties, apply by your region’s deadline to join this exciting opportunity to make a difference in your community! For questions, contact Megan Scharrer at mscharrer@hesct.org
or (860) 937-6610. | | | | | | | | Kally Moquete Joins Capitol News Briefing on Protecting Healthcare On October 22, our Senior Policy Manager, Kally Moquete joined a briefing with Senator Jorge Cabrera, Representative Kate Farrar, Representative Jillian Gilchrest, and other advocates to urge Connecticut lawmakers to act swiftly to protect residents from steep health insurance cost increases. With federal subsidies set to expire on January 1, 2026, thousands of Access Health CT customers could lose financial assistance or coverage altogether. We're urging a special session to fund state-level subsidies and ensure health care remains affordable and accessible for all Connecticut residents. | | | | | | Kally Moquete Co-Facilitates Breakout Session at American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Priorities & Partners Meeting On October 7, our Senior Policy Manager, Kally Moquete, joined other advocates at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACS CAN) Priorities & Partners Meeting to facilitate a breakout session: You've Got a Friend in Me - Strengthening State Medicaid Coalitions for the Fight Ahead. The ACS CAN team did an incredible job hosting a thoughtful, timely, and energizing three-day event packed with networking, insightful panels, and key updates on cutting-edge innovations in medicine and science. It was a true honor to be part of such an inspiring gathering of advocates and leaders working to advance cancer prevention, research, and equitable care. | | | | | | | | | | 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! | | | | Save the Date: Advancing CHW Medicaid Reimbursement in Connecticut Summit - November 6 Connecticut’s Community Health Workers are essential to building healthier communities and it’s time to advance the conversation on Medicaid reimbursement. Join us for this free, in-person summit to learn, connect, and drive progress: 📅 Thursday, November 6, 2025
🕣 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
📍 Sheraton Hartford South – Nutmeg Ballroom, Rocky Hill, CT Enjoy a free continental breakfast and lunch buffet while engaging with leaders in public health, policy, and advocacy. | | | | | | A Roadmap to Fully Funded Communities - Multiple Dates The Connecticut Voices for Children is hosting a series of community conversations where they'll share new research on the State’s fiscal controls (or what politicians are calling “fiscal guardrails”) that will shed light on how Connecticut can raise revenue to invest in all of our children and families. The events is free and will include dinner, child care, and translation services. 📍 Upcoming stops: New London (Sept. 25), New Britain (Oct. 30), and Middletown (Nov. 20) | | | | | | PQI Innovation Webinar: Integrating Community and Hospital Care: Lessons from Step Up Together in MA - November 11 Join us for the upcoming webinar Integrating Community and Hospital Care hosted by Perinatal Quality Initiative, where they’ll explore key opportunities for collaboration between hospitals and community birth providers. Participants will learn how to build better communication systems, streamline hospital admitting processes, and strengthen safety-net supports across the care continuum. Whether you work in maternal health, pediatrics, or community outreach, this session offers actionable insights to advance quality and equity in birthing care. | | | | | | Advancing Disability Justice: The Collective Path Forward - November 19 Join the Connecticut Collective for Women and Girls for an in-person convening on disability justice and equity in Connecticut. This important conversation will examine the impact of federal cuts on people with disabilities and the broader ripple effects on our communities. Featuring Ayesha Clarke (Health Equity Solutions) and Eileen Healy (Independence Northwest), and moderated by Janée Woods Weber (She Leads Justice), the discussion will center lived experience, intersectionality, and pathways for collective advocacy. | | | | | | | | 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: | | | | - Opinion: Connecticut lawmakers must respond now to this crisis: CT lawmakers are facing a mounting crisis—rising human‐service costs, shrinking federal support, and underfunded programs are stretching the state’s safety net to breaking point. The writer urges swift legislative action to shore up critical supports and prevent far greater long‐term economic and social costs. Read the full story HERE.
- Expiring federal health subsidies could cost CT $295M to make up: Connecticut faces a potential $295 million annual burden if the federal “enhanced premium tax credits” that help lower health-insurance premiums expire at year’s end. State officials warn the expiration would force many residents to pay significantly more for insurance, risk losing coverage, and trigger higher premiums statewide. Read the full story HERE.
| | | | | | | | Health Equity Solutions
53 Oak Street | Hartford, Connecticut 06106
860.461.7637 | info@hesct.org | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
