Access Health Deadline Extension, and more

December 19, 2025



 

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Dear Neighbor,

In this week's eblast, you can read about the Access Health CT enrollment deadline extension, new laws effective Jan. 1, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
 

Access Health CT Enrollment Deadline Extended 

Due to a system outage that may have prevented many customers from enrolling in health and dental coverage by the December 15, 2025 deadline for coverage effective January 1, 2026, Access Health CT is extending the enrollment deadline. Customers now have until Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. to enroll in coverage beginning January 1, 2026,

To receive coverage effective January 1, 2026, enrollment must be completed by contacting the Access Health CT Call Center. Applications completed on the website will result in coverage beginning February 1, 2026.

Call: 1-855-805-4325 or TTY: 1-855-789-2428

  • Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Customers should expect longer-than-normal hold times and are encouraged to call before 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 to ensure enrollment is completed. Assistance is available in more than 100 languages.

If you work with a Certified Broker, please contact your broker for assistance enrolling by Saturday, December 20.

Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2026. You may continue to enroll online at AccessHealthCT.com, but coverage will begin February 1, 2026.
 
 

Raising Awareness for Unpaid Student Teachers 

It was great to join the aspiring educators with Connecticut Education Association this week to discuss a new survey released that sheds light on the difficulties our aspiring educators experience with unpaid student teaching.

The survey found 90% of Connecticut's student teachers are concerned about affording basic necessities like groceries and rent.

Student teaching is an invaluable experience where our future educators learn the real world classroom skills to be effective teachers, much like apprenticeships prepare individuals for their skilled trade. With the rising education costs and general cost of living, it is difficult for our aspiring educators to afford this required experience. This is coupled with the reality that our aspiring educators continue to pay tuition while they student teach.

We are losing people who are passionate about educating our children because they can’t afford it, further contributing to our teacher shortage. We should ensure we aren’t losing the best and brightest from the field just because they can’t afford to bridge this unpaid gap. 

Connecticut would benefit from a statewide paid student teaching program to support our aspiring educators as they develop these essential classroom skills and earn as they learn. As House Chair of the Education Committee, I will continue pushing for this important program.

Thank you to the CEA and my legislative colleagues for joining to raise awareness for this oft-ignored but serious issue!
 

New Laws Effective January 1, 2026 

As we welcome a new year, several laws passed in the last legislative session will take effect on January 1, 2026.

These new measures address key issues impacting our state and its residents, including expanded incentives for farmers, strengthened protections for workers in sensitive professions, and improved reporting requirements to better track higher education enrollment, post-secondary credits, and student opportunities.
 

Preventative health care continues to be a priority because early detection saves both lives and long-term costs. To support this, we now require health insurers to cover certain high-priority biomarker tests that aid in early detection, prevention, and treatment. Additionally, we have prohibited the substitution of lower-priced drugs for higher-priced medications for individuals living with multiple sclerosis and arthritis, and we have made this ban permanent for medications used to treat mental health disorders.

You can click here to see the full list of new laws taking effect on January 1, 2026. Feel free to reach out to my office if you have any questions.
 
 

Emergency Response Fund 

We passed a $500 million emergency response fund during November's special session to support residents facing harmful federal cutbacks from the Trump administration. Now, Governor Ned Lamont is putting a plan in motion to put that fund to use. His proposal calls for committing:

  • Tens of millions to offset cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies
  • $24.5 million to support community food banks and pantries
  • Nearly $7 million to combat homelessness
  • $4.7 million for 2-1-1 to increase call volume and Community Action Agencies to support outreach and assistance for SNAP recipients

CLICK HERE to see the entire proposal, which still needs approval from legislative leaders.
 

Medical Debt Erased for 40,000 More Connecticut Residents 

Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week that an additional 40,000 Connecticut residents will have their medical debts erased, part of an initiative launched in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those struggling to pay medical bills.

This is the third round of the initiative, which has now eliminated $198 million for 160,000 Connecticut residents since Dec. 2024. The program's arrangement allows the debt to be forgiven at a fraction of its face value - typically costing a few pennies on the dollar.

Those affected by this program should receive a letter in the mail this week informing them of their debt forgiveness. There is no application process for this relief, and it cannot be requested.

Relieving tens of thousands of Connecticut residents from the stress of paying down burdensome medical debt will make a profound difference in their lives - especially in the holiday season.

You can read more about the program here and here.
 

Local Events 
Fairfield Winter Farmers Market
Penfield Pavilion (325 Fairfield Beach Road)
Now through Sunday, March 22, 2026 10am-1pm
Read more here
All Aboard! Storytime
Fairfield Museum (370 Beach Rd.)
Tuesdays, Dec. 9, 16, and 23, at 9:30am
Read more here
 

I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol.


Sincerely,

Jennifer Leeper
State Representative

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