Bill > HB05041

This bill establishes a study to explore the feasibility of a "Connecticut Option program," a state-designed health benefit plan intended to lower insurance costs, and requires the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to analyze various design elements, potential statutory changes, and market impacts, with reports due in early 2027 and 2028. It also mandates that health insurance plans, starting in 2027, must offer generic drugs and biosimilars (less expensive versions of brand-name drugs and biological products) on their formularies with lower out-of-pocket costs than their brand-name counterparts, provided the generic or biosimilar is cheaper than the original. Furthermore, the bill creates a tax credit for qualified small businesses (employing fewer than fifty people) that adopt an "individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement," a type of health savings account, offering up to $1,000 per employee per year for two years, starting in 2026. It also allows for the creation of "portable benefit accounts" for eligible workers, who are independent contractors or 1099 workers, enabling hiring parties to contribute to these accounts for health insurance and related expenses, with provisions for voluntary worker contributions and opt-out options, effective October 2026. Finally, the bill makes changes to the existing "Covered Connecticut program," which provides subsidies to reduce health insurance costs for certain low-income individuals, including clarifying its administration and allowing for future program design changes to secure federal funding, and updates the program's reporting requirements and provider network rules.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05041&which_year=2026