The Senate on Monday gave final legislative approval to a bill that allows municipalities and non-profit agencies to sign up with the state of Connecticut for health insurance for their employees, retirees and dependents, The Associated Press reports.
The bill, which is supported by many advocates of a universal health care system, passed on a 22-14 vote.
It requires the state Comptroller to offer coverage through the so-called “partnership plan.” State officials estimate nearly 578,000 municipal employees, retirees and their dependents could join the new plan, and more than 174,342 people from the non-profits.
According to the legislation, the Comptroller could pool the “partnership plan” with the state employee and retiree health plan. State union leaders and the state budget office would have to approve such a move. The state plan now covers 202,157 people and advocates maintain that by grouping more people together, the state can help drive down health care costs.
The bill also creates a new Office of Health Care Reform and Innovation that will work to make sure Connecticut takes advantage of various reforms in the federal health care reform law.
Meanwhile, the SustiNet Health Care Cabinet, an outgrowth of a board which originally recommended pooling everyone from state employees to the uninsured into one system, will advise the governor and legislature on evaluating the feasibility of a basic health care option, or a universal health care option.
Already approved by the House of Representatives, the bill now moves to the governor.
Open enrollment would begin in 2012 for municipal employers and 2013 for non-profit employers.
