Conn.
governor vetoes health bills
Associated Press
Associated Press Writer
July 8, 2009
HARTFORD, Conn.
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell
on Wednesday vetoed two high-
profile bills aimed at extending
affordable health insurance to
more residents.
Rell said the legislation, while
well-intentioned, was too
expensive and premature given
the current push in Washington to
overhaul the nation’s health care
system.
One bill would have created a
new public authority to develop
a plan to extend coverage to the
state’s uninsured -- the first step
toward a universal type of health
insurance system in Connecticut.
The second would have opened up
the state’s health insurance plan
for state workers and retirees to
municipalities, small businesses
and nonprofit agencies.
Rell, a Republican, meanwhile
signed an executive order
establishing a 15-member advisory
board to come up with proposals
in response to the anticipated
federal changes.
“We hope folks will see the
wisdom of moving in a more
deliberate fashion,” said Robert
Genuario, Rell’s budget chief.
But health care reform advocates
weren’t giving up on the bills and
urged the Democratic-controlled
General Assembly to override
Rell’s veto. Democrats are
expected to return to Hartford for
a veto session later this month.
“It’s a slap in the face to
thousands of small businesses and
every person in this state who
cannot wait for quality, affordable
health care,” Juan A. Figueroa,
president of the Universal Health
Care Foundation of Connecticut,
said of the vetoes. His independent
nonprofit, which promotes
universal access to health care,
estimates 325,000 of the state’s 3.5
million residents don’t have health
insurance.
Sen. Dan Debicella, R-Shelton,
ranking Republican on the Public
Health Committee, said he doesn’t
expect an override attempt by the
Democrats.
“I believe that a number of
moderate Democrats voted for that
with the expectation that it would
be vetoed,” he said. “I don’t think
that they are inclined to vote for
an override.”
Rell’s office maintains that the
bill to ultimately create universal
health coverage for the uninsured
would likely cost about $1 billion
annually, while the other bill
opening up the state’s health plan
would cost at least $69 million for
2010 alone and put state taxpayers
on the hook for additional costs in
future years.
House Speaker Christopher
Donovan, D-Meriden, disagreed,
arguing that opening up the state’s
insurance plan would save the
state tens of millions of dollars.
The governor vetoed similar
legislation last year.
“By vetoing the Healthcare
Partnership again this year,
Governor Rell has ignored
the opportunity to provide
Connecticut families and
businesses relief from the burdens
of high health-care costs by
denying them access to the health
plan that she, legislators and
state employees already enjoy,”
Donovan said.
AP-ES-07-08-09 1930EDT
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