Dear Friend,

In 2025, Health Equity Solutions submitted testimony on 24 bills relevant to our 2025 Policy Priorities, our community partners’ needs, and our mission to advance anti-racist policies and practices that promote health equity across Connecticut.   

Thanks to all of you who showed up, spoke up, and fought hard for health equity. The following summary notes the bills HES testified on that are likely to become law (some are pending signature):  

Hospital Financial Assistance  

Medical debt remains a prevalent barrier and a priority of the communities we survey. In coalition with partners, we championed legislative language to improve hospital financial assistance policies, which was included in section 182 of HB 7287, now Public Act (PA) 25-168.  

This new law creates a statewide online hospital financial assistance portal housed by the Office of the Healthcare Advocate. The portal will include: 

  • A screening tool to determine eligibility for hospital financial assistance 
  • Guidance to apply for hospital financial assistance 
  • Information on how to avoid future medical debt 

It also directs the Office of the Healthcare Advocate to work with advocates to develop recommendations and identify solutions to prevent medical debt for CT residents. 

To all who joined in this effort: congratulations and thank you!  Your continued engagement and support is invaluable in shaping the decisions and policies that impact our communities and our state. A special note of gratitude to the Health Equity for the People by the People Coalition (HEPXP). We are grateful for your enthusiastic and powerful advocacy and look forward to continuing our work together to advance health equity.

 

✅New Laws That Promote Health Equity✅ 

  • HB 7214: AN ACT CONCERNING MATERNAL HEALTH, included (1) a task force to study perinatal mental health care, (2) a report card for birth centers and hospitals providing maternity care, and (3) an advisory committee to study doula-friendly practices in hospitals. All sections passed—sections 1 and 3 are now Special Act 25-7, while section 2 was embedded in section 124 of HB 7287, now PA 25-168.  

  • SB 10: AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE AND PATIENT PROTECTION includes many provisions to advance health equity, including: (1) establishing reporting requirements and enforcement of compliance with mental health and substance use disorder benefit laws, (2) creating a mental health parity advancement account; (3) requiring health insurance to prove certain health care services under adverse determination or utilization review are not medically necessary; and more. This bill, now PA 25-94, is awaiting the Governor’s signature. 

  • HB 7192: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BIPARTISAN DRUG TASK FORCE implements recommendations of the bipartisan drug task force, including policies impacting pharmacy benefit managers, rebate transparency, a prescription drug shortage taskforce, a pharmacist compensation workgroup, Canadian drug importation feasibility, patient credit for certain drug expenses, and a state agency drug purchasing consortium. This bill, now PA 25-167 is awaiting the Governor’s signature. 

For more, including updates on which bills did not pass, please visit our 2025 legislative session wrap up page! 

 
 
 

Thank you so much for your continued engagement and support. Your participation is invaluable in shaping the decisions and policies that impact our community. We look forward to continuing our work together to address the health equity challenges and opportunities ahead.  

Health Equity Solutions
53 Oak Street  | Hartford, Connecticut 06106
860.461.7637 | info@hesct.org

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