Our Sick System

Connecticut’s health care system is failing a growing number of residents. Thousands lack adequate health insurance to pay for the care they need. Yet, their health care costs keep skyrocketing. Underinsured employees pay as much as 50 percent of the cost of health insurance premiums.

Beyond premiums, individual out-of-pocket costs account for 20 percent of all health care spending. In 2005, an uninsured family of four in good health, living in the lower Connecticut River Valley, spent $8,314 on all health care expenses – as much as a typical Connecticut family of four spent for food.

High out-of-pocket-expenses and limited coverage force many people to put off or go without medical care. Preventive care is prohibitively expensive. People who think they have decent health insurance can find themselves deep in medical debt, which causes 50 percent of all personal bankruptcies.

Even employer-sponsored insurance is too expensive for many. New or part-time employees face severe limits on their coverage, such as long waits before it goes into effect and no coverage at all if they don’t work enough hours.

In Connecticut, African Americans and Latinos have the most disturbing numbers. Among Caucasians, 7 percent say they can’t get needed health care because of the cost. Among Hispanics and African Americans, the number is 22 percent and 16 percent respectively.

Ten percent of state residents have no health insurance at all – even though most of them are working.

Universal health care is a health care system that covers everyone.

• Your coverage stays with you no matter how your life changes.
• Health care is timely, affordable, accessible, high quality and focused on your needs.
• The health care system is cost-effective and promotes a healthy population and a healthy economy.
• Universal health care is an investment in everyone’s future.

• Join the Campaign. • Contact your legislator. • Tell your story. • Stay updated on the latest news. healthcare4every1 is a statewide advocacy campaign committed to organizing a dynamic and diverse network of concerned residents to build public and political support for quality, affordable health care for everyone in Connecticut. Our goal is to make sure quality health care is affordable and available to everyone. Connecticut needs a health care plan that will be sustainable in the long term for employers, families, health care providers and institutions, and for the state’s economy. You can help by telling us how our state’s health care system is failing you. As consumers, employers and providers, it is important for you to speak up. Our elected leaders need to hear from you. At the campaign Web site, you can share your health care story, support the healthcare4every1 campaign, sign up to get campaign newsletters and alerts, contact legislators and more. Join the campaign today to make quality, affordable health care available to everyone in Connecticut.

The Bottom Line

Good health care is good for business.

Insuring everyone in the state would create 6,000 to 11,000 new jobs and increase the state's economic output by $660 million to $830 million, primarily by lowering labor costs. Health care costs paid directly by consumers would decline up to 20 percent. Cost controls and lower administrative expenses would reduce costs by up to 15.6 percent, according to recent research.

Universal health care could reduce businesses’ cost for employer-sponsored health insurance by as much as $590 million. When businesses have lower health care costs, they have more money to invest in hiring more workers and improving production. When employees get preventive care and prompt care when they need it, they miss fewer work days. With affordable, accessible health care, productivity will increase and companies will be more profitable. 

Connecticut’s economy will be stronger.

To have the competitive edge, Connecticut must have quality, affordable, accessible health care for everyone.