Connecticut budget, debt, and interest

The provision concerns coverage affordability for a limited employee population, including charter-school paraeducators. Its Medicare-related route must not be equated with the under-65 uninsured population, and subsidy authorization does not prove enrollment gains. This connection does not establish causation or a change in the earlier measured value.

Retained Connecticut evidence context: People under 65 without health insurance. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Sec. 6. Section 203 of public act 23 -204, as amended by section 124 of public act 24 -81, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): (a) As used in this section: (1) "Health benefit plan" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-1080 of the general statutes; [,] and (2) "Partnership plan" has the same meaning as provided in section 3- 123aaa of the general statutes. (b) For the fiscal [years] year ending [June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025] June 30, 2027, and each fiscal year thereafter , the Comptroller shall establish a program to provide a subsidy, within available appropriations, to each paraeducator who (1) opens a health savings account, pursuant to Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding in ternal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, or is eligible for Medicare and enrolls in a high deductible health plan, and (2) is employed [by a local or regional board of education] in a public school. Such subsidy shall be in an amount up to a certain percentage, as specified by the Comptroller, of the deductible for the health plan in which such paraeducator is enrolled, minus the amount of any employer contributions to a health savings account or health reimbursement account, and not exceeding an amount specified by the Comptroller. No paraeducator may receive Substitute Senate Bill No. 220 Public Act No. 26-149 7 of 8 more than one subsidy pursuant to this section. The Comptroller may work with the local or regional board of education that employs such paraeducator to distribute such subsidy. (c) For the fiscal year ending [June 30, 2025] June 30, 2027, and each fiscal year thereafter , the Comptroller shall establish a program to provide a subsidy, from any funds appropriated for such purpose, to each local or regional board of education that provides coverage to paraeducators and their dependents under a health benefit plan or a partnership plan for such fiscal year or any portion thereof. Such subsidy shall be (1) in an amount not more than ten per cent of the aggregate premium cost, inclusive of the employee and employer shares, paid by such board of education for coverage under such health benefit plan or partnership plan, divided by the number of paraeducators employed by such board of education and enrolled in health coverage, and (2) used to offset the employee's share of such premium that is deducted from the payroll check of each paraeducator employed by such board of education during any pay period during such fiscal year. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a local or regional board of education that provides coverage under a high deductible health plan, as that term is used in subsection (f) of section 38a-520 of the general statutes. Pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10 -66dd of the general statutes, the provisions of this section shall apply to charter schools. [(d) The Comptroller and the Commissioner of Education shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, in accordance with the provisions of section 4 -97b of the general statutes, to allow the Comptroller to utilize the sum of $5,000,000 that is appropriated to the Department of Education for assistance to paraeducators pursuant to section 1 of public act 23 -204 to implement the provisions of this section.]

This is an administrative relationship to subsidized health coverage. Transferring authority does not itself create a program, change eligibility or establish an approved waiver. This connection does not establish causation or a change in the earlier measured value.

Retained Connecticut evidence context: People under 65 without health insurance. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

(c) (1) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Social Services may, subject to the approval required under subdivision (3) of this subsection, seek a waiver pursuant to Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act, as amended from time to time, to advance the purpose of the Covered Connecticut program. The [Office of Health Strategy ] department shall implement such waiver if the federal government Substitute Senate Bill No. 1 Public Act No. 26-68 158 of 745 issues such waiver. (2) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Social Services shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services and insurance containing any proposed waiver described in subdivision (1) of this subsection before seeking such waiver from the federal government. (3) Not later than thirty days after the [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Social Services submits a report under subdivision (2) of this subsection, the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services and insurance shall convene a joint public hearing on the proposed wai ver contained in the report submitted pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, separately vote to approve or reject such proposed waiver and advise the [Office of Health Strategy ] commissioner of their approval or rejection of such proposed waiver. If any committee takes no action on such proposed waiver within the thirty-day period, the proposed waiver shall be deemed rejected.

This is an administrative relationship to subsidized health coverage. Transferring authority does not itself create a program, change eligibility or establish an approved waiver. This connection does not establish causation or a change in the earlier measured value.

Retained Connecticut evidence context: People under 65 without health insurance. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

(c) (1) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Social Services may, subject to the approval required under subdivision (3) of this subsection, seek a waiver pursuant to Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act, as amended from time to time, to advance the purpose of the Covered Connecticut program. The [Office of Health Strategy ] department shall implement such waiver if the federal government Substitute Senate Bill No. 1 Public Act No. 26-68 158 of 745 issues such waiver. (2) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Social Services shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services and insurance containing any proposed waiver described in subdivision (1) of this subsection before seeking such waiver from the federal government. (3) Not later than thirty days after the [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Social Services submits a report under subdivision (2) of this subsection, the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services and insurance shall convene a joint public hearing on the proposed wai ver contained in the report submitted pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, separately vote to approve or reject such proposed waiver and advise the [Office of Health Strategy ] commissioner of their approval or rejection of such proposed waiver. If any committee takes no action on such proposed waiver within the thirty-day period, the proposed waiver shall be deemed rejected.