Senate Republicans unveiled their plan to make healthcare in Connecticut more affordable Thursday.
"For middle-class Connecticut families, the cost of healthcare is anything but affordable," said Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford). "People are taking it on the chin every day, and family budgets are breaking."
According to Senate Republicans, their proposal will reduce health insurance premiums by up to 30% and reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
"These solutions will make Connecticut more affordable for working- and middle-class families and increase access to healthcare," the Senate Republicans wrote in their proposal.
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Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D) said that he is eager to read the Republicans' plan and work on bipartisan solutions.
"A lot of it does come down to money so I am glad that the Republicans are putting forth a healthcare proposal. I hope it is part of an overall budget that they will submit as well," Duff said. "We have looked at surprise billing, different ways to lower prescription costs and those are some of the things that we are hoping to continue working on this year as well."
Duff said that Democrats are also hoping to expand Husky, the state's public health coverage program.
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The legislative proposal comes as more Americans say they are delaying medical care due to high costs.
According to a Gallup survey conducted last year, 38% of people who responded said that they or a family member postponed medical treatment in 2022 due to cost. That is up 12 points compared to the year prior, according to Gallup.
“Done it myself. You don’t have good insurance, you got high copays, you’ve got high deductibles....I am weighing my pros and cons on if I am going to the doctor and if my family is going to the doctor," said Melanie Langford, who lives in Berlin.