Crisco backs Supreme Court ruling on health care

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, Senate chair of the legislature’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, today embraced the decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court upholding the major tenets of the federal Affordable Care Act. 

Crisco said many aspects of healthcare reform undertaken by the federal government have already been enacted in Connecticut.

As insurance committee chairman Crisco has successfully expanded insurance coverage to include new screening and diagnostic procedures, has worked to improve consumer options and increase transparency with regard to insurance rates, and has supported economies of scale, giving more people access to coverage through insurance pooling.

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling provides dramatic reaffirmation that we’re on the right track with regard to healthcare reform in Connecticut and encourages us to recommit to the process already underway,” Crisco said. “The goal remains to provide increased access to affordable, high-quality healthcare – we believe expanding the pool of those insured sufficiently spreads risk and responsibility to control costs for individuals, families, businesses, and both private and public insurers.”

Crisco said Connecticut’s Health Insurance Exchange is another initiative meant to make information about health insurance options available to residents, and will play a key role as the state continues preparing for full ACA implementation in 2014.

“Connecticut has made great strides in its approach to improved healthcare, through preventative care, expanded options for consumers and insurance providers alike, and with optional, extended coverage for children through the age of 26,” Crisco said. “Today’s decision upholds our belief that effective healthcare reform must include all stakeholders, must be comprehensive in its scope in terms of coverage, cost, and eligibility, and perhaps most importantly of all, must be ongoing.”

“I heartily endorse the decision announced today and look forward to further implementation of healthcare reform in Connecticut so more residents have access to affordable, meaningful health insurance coverage,” Crisco said.

This is from a release from Crisco's Senate office.