Read CHA’s Op-Ed: Remove Budget Provisions That Harm Hospitals and Collaborate To Protect Patient Care

On Wednesday, May 28, CTNewsJunkie published an op-ed by Jennifer Jackson, CEO of the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), urging the legislature to reject and remove two harmful policies included in the Appropriations Committee’s and Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee’s state biennial budget proposals.  Connecticut hospitals are amplifying this urgent message in the final days of the Connecticut legislative session as state legislators, the governor, and other policymakers engage in the ongoing work to negotiate the state budget.

These harmful provisions would:

1. Increase the amount hospitals pay in taxes by $140 million in fiscal year 2027 without improving Medicaid reimbursement to hospitals
2. Reduce payments to hospitals by $72-$100 million in fiscal year 2027 for services provided to state employees and non-Medicare eligible state retirees

“These provisions would hurt hospitals and health systems immediately as well as complicate and further stall long-overdue improvements to the program,” Jackson wrote.  “First and foremost, we must ensure the state budget does not cause unintended harm to providers and patients in the short term.  Our priority immediately after must be to act swiftly to fortify our healthcare system for the long term.”

In addition to imploring policymakers to remove these provisions from the two-year state budget, local hospitals are eager to partner with state leaders to develop a plan to maximize federal Medicaid funding should the federal government pull back on its commitment to the program.  This two-fold request takes into account the impacts on Connecticut’s healthcare system now and in the future.

“The state’s hospital settlement, an agreement between the state and local hospitals on Connecticut’s use of the hospital tax, expires on June 30, 2026, and a new agreement should be put in place through a comprehensive negotiation between all parties, rather than a one-off annual budget exercise,” Jackson said.  “We look forward to promptly beginning the necessary work to ensure the hospital tax is used to protect and strengthen high-quality, world-class care.”

Click here to read the full op-ed.