Susan Johnson

You don't want to miss an amazing concert in town that will support the community in a big way! I'll let you know when and where some amazing performers will take the stage to raise money for those in need.

You have more time to enroll in a health and dental plan with Access Health CT. Keep scrolling to learn when you need to register by to get coverage starting next month.

Connecticut continues to support thousands of residents from paying significant medical debt. I'll dig deeper into how these efforts are making a real difference.

Here are the sections in today's email:

• Let's Talk About It: Soup Kitchen Benefit Concert
• Access Health CT Enrollment Extension
• Erasing Medical Debt

Let's Talk About It: Soup Kitchen Benefit Concert

We had the pleasure of welcoming local music legend David Foster on my weekly radio show "Let's Talk About It" to promote his upcoming benefit concert – and it's one you won't want to miss.

"Take Me To the Rive All-Stars Live" will bring an unforgettable mix of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, Mardi Gras rhythms, and much more. Three members of the legendary Neville family and many other fantastic musicians will take the stage. We are grateful that David Foster continues to attract world-class talent right here to our community.

📅 Event details: When: Saturday, January 10 Time: 7:00 p.m. Where: Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall             Eastern Connecticut State University

Get your $50 tickets here

All of the proceeds will support the Covenant Soup Kitchen and ECSU's Shawn's Cupboard to provide critical food assistance to residents and students in need. Keep in mind, Covenant Soup Kitchen is out about 400 pounds of food per day since last year's federal cuts at the hands of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Click the video below to learn more about the concert and hear our full conversation with David Foster.

David Foster shares everything you need to know about an upcoming concert benefiting the Covenant Soup Kitchen and Shawn's Cupboard at ESCU.

Access Health CT Enrollment Extension

Access Health CT has extended its final deadline by two weeks to Saturday, January 31 to enroll in a health or dental plan. Customers who register or renew will have coverage starting February 1.   Connecticut is stepping up by offering financial assistance despite recent federal cuts. Some customers may qualify for new state subsidies or other low- or no-cost coverage options, including the Covered CT Program or HUSKY Health, Connecticut’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Free help to sign up is available online, in person, and over the phone.

Customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com and click the “Get Help” button on the homepage to find the option that works best for them, including scheduling an appointment or finding a nearby Navigator site. Help is available in more than 100 languages. Please take a look at the call center hours below for more information.

Erasing Medical Debt

The state announced it has helped erase some or all of the medical debt for 40,000 Connecticut residents, a move to help those struggling to pay medical bills. Those affected should have received a letter in the mail in December informing them of the good news.

The governor's office says the debt is forgiven at a fraction of its face value - typically costing a few pennies on the dollar. This is the third round of the initiative, which has now eliminated $198 million in medical debt for 160,000 Connecticut residents since December 2024. CLICK HERE to learn more about the program.