Michael Sullivan

Proposed cuts to HUSKY -- in the form of increased premiums and co-pays, reduced benefits, increased enrollment barriers, and eligibility restrictions -- would weaken a pillar of Connecticut's health care infrastructure. One in four children in the state is enrolled in HUSKY and relies on it for preventive, comprehensive health care. Cuts to HUSKY would cost jobs and set back Connecticut's economic recovery. These cutbacks would have a ripple effect on the economy -- jeopardizing not only family health, but also the viability of suppliers, physicians, clinics, hospitals and countless others.

Cuts to HUSKY would be penny wise and pound foolish, forcing Connecticut to turn away federal funds. The federal government now reimburses Connecticut for nearly two-thirds of the cost of HUSKY. This means that Connecticut would have to make nearly three dollars in HUSKY cuts in order to save one dollar of state funds. These cuts will result in more uninsured residents, who will forgo preventive services, leading to more emergency room visits and hospitalizations. These higher health care costs will be shifted to providers, other areas of the budget, and low-income persons themselves. (May 2009)

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