Appropriations Committee Public Hearing on Thursday, April 3 will Include Discussion on Bill to Increase Medicaid Rates
WALLINGFORD – The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), including representatives from local Connecticut hospitals, will testify at tomorrow’s Appropriations Committee Public Hearing to advocate in support of increasing Medicaid rates across the healthcare continuum – including for care provided at hospitals – to protect healthcare access and improve public health at a critical time for our state and nation.
“Medicaid underfunding is widely recognized by bipartisan state lawmakers as something our state must act on this year to support healthcare delivery, access, affordability, and residents in communities across the state,” said Jennifer Jackson, CEO, CHA. “The need to include hospitals in immediate efforts is crucial and becomes even more so as the hospital tax settlement expires in the upcoming biennium, and protections intended to ensure access to care evaporate. Lawmakers and hospitals can and must work together to make sure Medicaid, supported by the hospital tax, is able to best meet the needs of Connecticut residents in the short- and long-term.”
Hospitals are seeking the continued partnership of state lawmakers and the Appropriations Committee in working with care providers and the Governor to prioritize healthcare in the state budget. Hospitals are specifically advocating for modifications to the Governor’s administration’s budget proposals that would jeopardize patient care and access by adding more financial strain to hospitals and that fail to address Medicaid underpayment.
“We know the Governor’s intent is not to weaken local hospitals and public health resources, but if the administration’s budget proposals advance unmodified, that’s what would happen. There is an opportunity to pursue a better path forward together. It’s time for the state to meet the needs of its Medicaid program, which underpins the structure of healthcare in Connecticut, and ensure it is paying fairly for the care provided to patients by all caregivers, including at hospitals,” said Jackson. “It is imperative that we collaborate to fortify the healthcare delivery system here in Connecticut, advancing policies that drive the achievement of quality, equity, affordability, and accessibility goals.”
The Appropriations Committee will hear from the public on HB 7254, An Act Concerning The Department Of Social Services’ Implementation Of Changes Resulting From The Medicaid Rate Study at the public hearing on Thursday, April 3, 2025 beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Learn more:
- Read CHA’s testimony on HB 7254 here
- Learn more about Connecticut hospitals’ support for increasing Medicaid rates across the healthcare continuum and reimagining Medicaid to better address root cause drivers of chronic disease and poor health outcomes here
- Learn more about the Governor’s administration’s budget proposals that would weaken local hospitals and jeopardize access to care here
- Learn more about Connecticut’s hospital tax here
