SIGN PETITION: Connecticut, Expand HUSKY Health Coverage to Immigrants
CT Officials
Following the disappointing results from the presidential election, now more than ever, we must demand our state officials to commit to protecting our immigrant community members. Now more than ever, we need our state officials to commit to expanding healthcare coverage to all, no matter their legal status.
Undocumented immigrants are unable to access healthcare coverage in connecticut. 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.
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 our state officials expanding access to the HUSKY Healthcare Program to all immigrants regardless of status.
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To:
CT Officials
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.
In 2018, nearly 1 in 3 uninsured persons in Connecticut were undocumented. This is a staggering gap in equity and access that the state of Connecticut must address if it hopes to truly lower the state’s overall uninsured rate.
Our policies have already covered 10,000 children and pregnant people, having a considerable impact on this figure.
Allowing undocumented kids under 15 years and pregnant people to access HUSKY coverage is already having a positive impact on our state. Health coverage means access to preventative care - leading to a healthier state, lower uncompensated care costs for hospitals, and lower healthcare costs overall for our state. Now we must ensure that more individuals have access to the HUSKY Program.
The current gap in HUSKY eligibility (which cuts off at age 15) makes too many of Connecticut's immigrants much too vulnerable, compounding existing disparities in healthcare access.
This policy also makes financial sense. Uncompensated care costs, which occur when uninsured residents seek medical help are shared across both public and private payers. Savings to hospitals from reduced spending on uncompensated care could amount to roughly $63.3 million.
I urge you to support expanding HUSKY coverage to all of our state’s residents, regardless of immigration status.