SIGN PETITION: Connecticut, Expand HUSKY Health Coverage to Immigrants

CT General Assembly

In Connecticut, undocumented immigrants are unable to access healthcare coverage. They can’t buy into AccessHealth CT, are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, and private insurance companies are either too expensive or outright reject applications from undocumented individuals.  

Without health care coverage, many individuals delay seeking care until their condition requires emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Chronic health issues that could be easily managed or treated, such as diabetes and heart disease, develop into more serious and expensive conditions.

Our families cannot seek the proper health care we need. With 120,000 estimated undocumented immigrants in our state, this is a massive public health concern. But it doesn’t have to be this way! CT must pass legislation to expand CT’s HUSKY Health program to all CT residents regardless of immigration status.

A recent study concluded that doing so would have substantial benefits to the state, reducing the insured rate in undocumented immigrants from 57% to 39%, reducing uncompensated care costs for Connecticut’s hospitals by $63 million, and reducing CT Emergency Medicaid costs (approximately $15 million in 2021)

Expanding HUSKY to our undocumented community is supported by a majority of voters, including 84% of Democrats, 83% of Black voters and 76% of Latinx voters

The 2023 legislative session is now underway - we MUST show our legislators we support HUSKY Healthcare expansion to immigrant communities and urge them to introduce legislation and add funding into the budget for HUSKY expansion for immigrants.

SIGN THIS PETITION in support of the CT General Assembly expanding access to the HUSKY Healthcare Program to all immigrants regardless of status.

Co-sponsored by:
  • Connecticut Citizen Action Group,Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), CT Students for a Dream, Keep the Promise Coalition, Hartford Deportation Defense / Colectivo de Defensa de Hartford, Make The Road CT, Medicare for All CT, Nosotras CT, Pro-Choice CT, Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, Unitarian Church in Westport, Uniting for a Safe Inclusive Community - Manchester, United Action Connecticut , UUS:E Social Justice Committee, Yale Dept of Pediatrics, Working Families CT

To: CT General Assembly
From: [Your Name]

The undocumented community in CT annually generates $145 million in state taxes and $253 million in federal taxes. The state of Connecticut profits off the undocumented community by utilizing the tax revenue they generate to fund programs like HUSKY, yet does not allow them to access these programs they help fund.

The COVID-19 public health crisis is magnifying the daily and systemic inequities that undocumented communities face. Lack of access to healthcare means that chronic health issues that could be treated develop into more serious conditions, putting our immigrant community at risk for worse health outcomes if they become infected with COVID-19.

This year more than ever, as we are in a pandemic and public health crisis, it is essential that our state works to ensure that all of our state's residents have access to healthcare.

I urge you to support expanding HUSKY coverage to all of our state’s residents, regardless of immigration status.