Patrick Biggins

Dear Neighbor,

While the federal government shutdown continues, I wanted to include resources this week that may be of help to you, including food assistance.

There are several Connecticut Foodshare program partners in our district, and I've included them below.

November is Heating Assistance Awareness Month. There are several options available to help pay or lower your heating bill this winter, and I've included information about them below.

I've been learning and working on my Spanish, but I'm just not ready to get through a full book just yet - but I'll get there. More details in the Biggins Books section below.

As always, please feel free to reach out to my office with any suggestions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Patrick Biggins
State Representative

You can find a pantry or mobile pantry at Connecticut Foodshare’s website here. 

Please see the Connecticut Foodshare Program partners in East Hartford and Manchester below, including
 

And in Manchester...
 

Open Enrollment for Access Health CT (AHCT) health and dental insurance began on Saturday and ends on Monday, December 15, for plans effective at the start of next year.

Residents can enroll until Thursday, Jan. 15, for plans beginning in February.

You may have received a letter in the mail warning of healthcare premium price increases starting Jan. 1 due to legislation passed in the U.S. Congress this year. Currently, the federal government is shut down as those price increases are debated and negotiated.

As it stands, state officials in Connecticut are encouraging residents to hold off on enrolling in the AHCT plan while the debate over those price increases continues. If you can, please wait to enroll until the issue is fully resolved.

For those looking to enroll, please have the following information and documents prepared for you and anyone else in your household, even if they don't need coverage:

• Dates of Birth
• Social Security Numbers
• Visa, green card, or immigration documents
• Most recent W2 and/or Form 1040, 1099 
• Pay-stubs, Profit & Loss Statements or other employment information
• Current insurance coverage (policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household)

You can click here to view the enrollment checklist.

Access Health CT's staff remains a valuable resource to guide you through this process and to tell you what to expect during open enrollment. To get in contact, you can :

• Visit AccessHealthCT.com and click “Get Help” for a list of places to get free, in-person help.
• If you do not have a broker, find one on the Access Health CT website. Visit AccessHealthCT.com and click “Get Help” and “Find Certified Broker.” Brokers are free to work with, and they are trained 
  and certified to help you find a plan that works best for you and your family.
• Call at 1-855-805-4325 - help is available in over 100 languages. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call a relay operator. Hours of Operation are Monday-Friday 8 am-4 pm (Holiday hours may vary, check website for details)
• Live Chat available at AccessHealthCT.com
• Visit one of their Enrollment Locations  

To learn more about the enrollment process and to find the plan that is right for you, visit Access Health CT's website.

There is a plan for everyone, including:

Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP):

• Apply to get up to $645 towards your heating bill from CEAP. Apply for CEAP online at CT.gov/heatinghelp or through your local Community Action Agency (CAA). Find your local CAA at 211.ct.org or call 211. 

Energy Efficiency: 

• Take advantage of Eversource’s energy efficiency programs, incentives, and tips to help you save money and reduce your overall energy use during the colder months. Renters need permission from their landlords to participate.  

Winter Protection:

• If you provide proof of qualifying household income or public assistance benefits you receive for at least one household member, your service cannot be shut off between November 1 and May 1.

To find the right options for you, click HERE to learn more about these programs. You can also find your local CAA for assistance at 211ct.org or call 211.

Full disclosure? I hope that you're encouraged to pick up a book, any book, and just read. Reading is a wonderful way to relax, relieve stress, enhance brain activity, and more.

In the last few weeks, I've read:

The Road to Tender Hearts: A Novel by Annie Hartnett
 
This is a great book, where you can see the train wreck coming, but are not sure how it will happen, and then you are taken aback by the way it does happen.
 
Coco. La novela by Walt Disney Company 
 
Ok, so I have been trying to practice my Spanish and am working on my Duolingo.  And I love the movie Coco, remember me at the end of the movie brings a tear to my eye every time. Turns out, though, I am not ready to read a full book in Spanish.  It was a great perspective for my students who are working to learn English.

 I was lost then I could picture what was happening in the movie, then I was lost again.  Necesito practicar mi español mucho ante leer libros en español. Disculpe mi escribir mal.
 
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez 
 
This is another book that appeared on my Libby, but it was actually from my wife’s holds.  You will stop believing this to be the case if I keep reading them, and that is fine. This was a good book, a little sappy but in a good way.