Rachel Khanna, the endorsed Democratic candidate for CT State Representative of District 149, called on the Insurance Department to reject health insurance companies’ requests to increase rates by more than 20% on average.
“At a time when healthcare companies are making record profits, and federal credits for the Affordable Care Act have been renewed, this increase is unjustifiable and unconscionable,” said Khanna in a release.
Rachel Khanna is running against incumbent Republican Kimberly Fiorello, a member of the Conservative Caucus.
“Unfortunately, my opponent, Kimberly Fiorello, has repeatedly voted against healthcare affordability. She rejected bills requiring insurers to cover breast cancer diagnostics and to make epi-pens more affordable,” Khanna said, adding, “Now, instead of holding multi-billion dollar insurance companies accountable, she is attacking the need for essential medical services that CT residents are legally entitled to receive, such as ambulance transport, anesthesia, and diabetes treatment. As your representative, I will always fight to keep healthcare affordable, and will hold health insurance companies accountable.”
“Her opposition to healthcare rights codified in our state’s essential benefits law is just another example of how Kimberly Fiorello has consistently voted against her own constituents. Rep. Fiorello has also voted against public school funding, against funding for police and other first responders, and against community grants for her owndistrict,” according to Khanna.
“A district that contributes such a large portion to the state’s revenues, deserves a representative who will fight to secure badly needed funding for our schools, infrastructure, essential workers, and our wallets,” said Khanna.
Below is the testimony submitted by Khanna to the Insurance Department on August 16:
“I write to urge the Connecticut Insurance Department to reject the 19.64% increase on health plans requested by CIGNA. These rate increases were calculated based on the expectation that the Federal Advance Premium Tax Credits would expire this year. Once President Biden signs the Inflation Reduction Act, these subsidies will be extended by three years.
These large rate increases are unjustifiable at a time when CIGNA saw $5.36 billion in profits in 2021, spent $7.4 billion to buy back stock to increase their share value further, and their CEO received $91.1 million in compensation. CT insurers don’t need this rate increase and Connecticut residents can’t afford it. I urge the CT insurance Department to reject CIGNA’s requested rate increase.”