My Charter Oak Health Plan — which became a reality on July 1 — will forever change the face of health care in Connecticut. Charter Oak will also change the lives of thousands of uninsured Connecticut residents by bringing them affordable health care regardless of age or income.
So far, the public response has been tremendous. Nearly 4,000 applications and 12,000 phone inquiries were received by the Charter Oak customer service center.
Connecticut made history when we began accepting applications for this landmark program. It is the first health plan in the nation for the uninsured that does not require income limits, employer mandates or individual mandates.
Charter Oak was founded on my belief that good health care cannot be a privilege available only to those with the ability to pay. If you are a small business owner, it is hard to afford health coverage for your employees. If you are not able to get health benefits at work, chances are you cannot afford a private policy.
The hard-working men and women of Connecticut strive every day to make ends meet and to help their family members achieve their goals. But for many, one of the chief obstacles to achieving those goals is the lack of affordable health care. That is why I proposed Charter Oak.
Leverages Private Plans
The Charter Oak Health plan is not the “single-payer” or universal program that some have advocated — we do not need that, nor can the state afford its estimated $17 billion price tag.
Instead, Charter Oak is good coverage targeted to the approximately 5 percent of Connecticut residents who do not currently have insurance through their job, through the State-sponsored HUSKY program or through a private policy.
Charter Oak leverages private managed care companies who want to participate because the population being served is large enough to enable affordable premiums between $75 and $259 per month — less than half what a private plan would cost.
From the time I first announced this initiative, my office has been receiving calls and e-mails from some of the thousands of uninsured in our state between ages 19 and 65 — too old for the HUSKY plan but too young for Medicare:
After I proposed Charter Oak, I heard from many people who were concerned that even a $250 monthly premium might be too much for some of our poorer citizens to manage.
Accordingly, I proposed an additional $11 million for reduced premiums for low-income enrollees — meaning that good health coverage will cost only $75 a month for the lowest-income enrollees.
The benefits package includes: primary care office visits with $25 co-pay; specialist office visits with $35 co-pay; preventive care office visits; prescription medications ($7,500 state cost annual maximum; enrollee realizes higher benefit); behavioral health services; inpatient hospital services, 90 percent covered after maximum $900 deductible met; outpatient rehabilitation with $35 co-pay, 30 visits annually; and outpatient surgical, 80 percent covered after deductible met; among others.
It is also important to note that Charter Oak will cover enrollees regardless of pre-existing medical conditions.
The three private insurers — Aetna Better Health, AmeriChoice of Connecticut and Community Health Network of Connecticut — will coordinate benefits and medical providers. Doctors and other health care professionals enrolling in the provider networks will become part of the solution — bringing affordable health coverage to adults of all incomes.
This is the Charter Oak bottom line: access to good, affordable health insurance.
Getting more information about Charter Oak is easy. So is applying. Just call the customer service center at 1-877-77 CTOAK or visit www.charteroakhealthplan.com.
M. Jodi Rell is the governor of Connecticut.
