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The House has been debating HB 5536, An Act Establishing the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership this evening. The bill is a step and a half toward universal healthcare and socialized medicine, and has been advanced by House Majority Leader Chris Donovan.
Section six of the bill requires the Comptroller to study how to include anyone not included, clearly intended to eventually make everyone in the state eligible for the state employee health care plan.
Based on letters to the state from insurance carriers that have submitted proposals for the plan, costs of health plans would need to be increased, thus increasing premiums. The state would also incur a significant increase in the amount it pays out for employee health care, cost for which already exceed half a billion dollars.
The amendment to strike the original bill replacing it with the current version under debate passed on a party-line vote with only one Democrat in opposition.
As of now, debate on the bill continues.
UPDATE: House passes the bill 102-43. All Republicans and only one Democrat voting against.
