Community Forum on Insurance Mergers

April 14, 2016

On Monday, I hosted a community forum at the Mansfield Public Library on insurance mergers along with Sen. Mae Flexer, Rep. Linda Orange, Rep. Susan Johnson, and the Connecticut Campaign for Consumer Choice. The purpose of the event was to discuss what the proposed merger of health insurance companies Anthem and Cigna will mean for consumers.

Here are some things to know about the proposed merger:

  • If the merger takes place, the new company will own an unprecedented 64% of the health insurance market in Connecticut
  • The new company would become one of the three largest insurers in the country
  • Currently, there are only five national insurance companies: UnitedHealth, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna, and Humana

The proposal has led to concerns that a merger may result in increased costs and limited provider choice for consumers. The Connecticut Insurance Department will be holding a hearing in the coming months to review the proposed merger. I'm glad that we held this forum to give people a chance to voice their opinion on the merger, and I will continue to update you on how you can be involved in the process.