House Passes Health Insurance Protections for Families
Just before 1 a.m. Thursday morning, the House passed legislation I introduced with several of my colleagues to protect the "10 essential health benefits" in Connecticut health insurance plans.
Under current federal law, health insurance plans must cover 10 essential benefits that include many basic services that families rely on. House Bill 5210 ensures that even if the federal health care law changes in the future, Connecticut residents will maintain these benefits in their health care plans.
The bill also expands access to contraception by requiring insurance companies cover a 12-month supply of contraception, a measure that would benefit women taking the birth control pill.
Since the 10 benefits are already covered under current law, this bill should not cost consumers any additional money. But the financial impact for families if these benefits were no longer guaranteed would be devastating.
The ten essential health benefits I voted to protect are:
- Ambulatory patient services
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Maternity and newborn health care
- Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care
The bill now goes to the Senate.