Health Equity Solutions

Health Equity Solutions' 2021 policy priorities are steps toward health equity in Connecticut. The inequities in our state are not new and it’s time that we implement proven pathways to addressing them. The pandemic’s disproportionate toll on people of color and the outcry to dismantle racism in Connecticut and across our nation highlight the need to act now.

These priorities were informed by 8 listening sessions across Connecticut, with a total of 92 participants from 37 towns/cities. Community-informed policies are crucial if we aim to address community needs and avoid unintended consequences. Communities must have opportunities to voice their concerns and decide which policies should shape their experiences.

Please please reach out with your thoughts, questions, and input.

To promote equity in healthcare access and affordability, HES proposes:

1. Restoring the HUSKY A eligibility limit for parents to 201% of the federal poverty level
2. Centering equity in private health insurance proposals, including public option concepts and other insurance reforms
3. Solidifying equity-focused telehealth by ensuring long-term extensions of telehealth address the digital divide and meet the needs of people of color

To address barriers to health, HES proposes:

1. Supporting pathways to sustainable reimbursement for community health workers and doulas
2. Tying community benefit spending to needs identified by communities through stronger state requirements

To target health disparities and racism, HES proposes:

1. Embedding health equity in all policies—a cross-sector approach to health policy
2. Acknowledging, at all levels of government, that racism is a public health crisis
3. Standardizing the collection and reporting of race, ethnicity, and language data so that we can evaluate inequities in our state’s programs and practices and monitor efforts to address these