KEVIN LEMBO		VICTORIA VELTRI
COMPTROLLER		ACTING HEALTH CARE ADVOCATE
State of Connecticut		State of Connecticut
Contact :	Tara Downes	TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2011
	860-702-3308

COMPTROLLER, HEALTHCARE ADVOCATE URGE VIGOROUS DEFENSE OF FEDERAL HEALTH CARE; REPEAL COULD COST CT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS

Comptroller Kevin Lembo today urged Connecticut's congressional delegation to vigorously defend the federal Affordable Care Act in order to protect hundreds of millions in annual health care dollars to the state.

In a joint letter with the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, Lembo thanked the Connecticut delegation for its hard work on health care, but acknowledged that the critical fight must continue to defend the law against repeal.

Lembo and Acting Healthcare Advocate Victoria Veltri offered their assistance in that fight, citing the immediate and long-term harm of a repeal on Connecticut taxpayers, including more than $226 million lost.

"Connecticut has a massive stake in this fight - both financially and health wise," Lembo said. "A repeal of this historic, hard-fought federal health care law would unjustifiably deprive consumers of higher quality and affordable health care and - by conservative estimates - jeopardize $226-$227 million in savings to Connecticut taxpayers."

Veltri said, "The immediate impacts of repeal - to both state programs and private employers - are staggering."

Specifically, the impacts of federal health care law repeal would include the following:

• Connecticut loses 50 percent matched funding it receives for the Medicaid Low Income Adult population - a savings to state taxpayers of over $50 million per year over the former SAGA (State-Administered General Assistance) program;
• Federal funding for consumer assistance positions that enable the state to advocate for those denied health care or coverage would be eliminated;
• Grant money to promote coordinated and more efficient health care for chronically ill individuals would be jeopardized;
• Connecticut's ability to offer coverage to the massive ranks of uninsured adults will be lost, and the ultimate cost for such health care will be borne by state taxpayers;
• Funding to implement health information technology measures would be threatened, potentially undermining more efficient and cost-effective health care systems;
• Connecticut employers, including state government, would be deprived funding to help cover health care costs of early retirees;
• Funding to cover uninsured citizens with pre-existing conditions will be eliminated;
• Funds enabling transparency in health insurance rate review - critical in protecting consumers against excessive and unjustified health insurance rate increases - could be jeopardized; and
• Federal reform is the foundation for SustiNet, the state's health care reform effort. Its repeal could undermine the state's entire roadmap to reform.

The Office of the State Comptroller administers health benefit programs covering 200,000 lives - and that number could grow if we successfully extend the state's purchasing power to small businesses, municipalities, nonprofits and all households. Through the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, Lembo and Veltri have intervened on behalf of thousands of Connecticut consumers who have been denied critical health care or coverage - or faced obstacles navigating the complexities of a broken health care system.

Lembo and Veltri said in their letter, "Like you, we are acutely aware of Connecticut's interest in the federal health care law, and stand ready to assist you in any way possible, including through testimony and other means. We hope that you accept our invitation to meet and discuss these matters as soon as possible."

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