HARTFORD, Conn. (May 15, 2025) – This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released and moved forward a proposal that contains significant cuts and changes to Medicaid. Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation, released the following statement:
The proposal from the House Energy and Commerce Committee will do nothing to make health care more affordable, efficient, or effective. It will not improve people’s health, support health care providers, or lead to more employment and economic well-being. Instead, this proposal, if it becomes law, will add administrative hassles to individuals, families, and state agencies, and cause millions of people to lose coverage. It will cause people to miss out on preventive care, leading more people to resort to the emergency room or leave critical health conditions untreated until they reach a catastrophic stage.
Medicaid provides crucial health care coverage to more than one in five Connecticut residents. Research is clear that having Medicaid coverage improves health and enables people to be healthy enough to maintain or find jobs. Medicaid funding supports hospitals, doctor’s offices, community health centers, behavioral health clinics, nursing homes, and other providers that take care of members of our communities. Medicaid is a key reason why our state has had record low uninsured rates in recent years.
At a time when we should be looking for solutions to make our health care system more affordable and accessible to everyone, this proposal would take us backward and put the health and lives of thousands of Connecticut residents at risk.
Among the provisions of the Energy & Commerce proposal:
Requiring some Medicaid clients to report at least 80 hours per month of work or other specific activities: We know that Medicaid work requirements don’t work. Research is clear that they cause people to lose coverage but don’t increase employment. Most adults with Medicaid already work, and those who don’t are largely caring for others, attending school, or have a disability or illness. States that have tried work requirements have spent millions of dollars on administrative costs while thousands of people who qualify for coverage either lost coverage or never signed up.
Requiring states to check eligibility for certain Medicaid clients twice as frequently – every six months: Every time people must re-demonstrate their eligibility, there is a risk they will lose coverage because of the administrative burden, even if they’re still eligible.
Imposing cost-sharing on some Medicaid clients: People with Medicaid are by definition low-income. Studies show that low-income people with high out-of-pocket costs were less likely to get care or fill prescriptions.
This proposal would also penalize states like Connecticut that have done the right thing and ensured that immigration status does not stop pregnant people and children from getting the care they need. Coverage of children and pregnant people are among the strongest economic investments states can make. Medicaid coverage is critical to keeping our neighbors healthy.
Read the full proposal and summary.
Read CT Health’s previous posts on what’s at stake:
>>> Economic outcomes from Medicaid
About the Connecticut Health Foundation
The Connecticut Health Foundation is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving health outcomes for people of color. Since its creation in 1999, the foundation has awarded more than $80 million to nonprofit organizations and public entities to expand health equity, reduce health disparities, expand health coverage, and improve the health of all Connecticut residents.