DeLauro Applauds Expansion of Medicaid Coverage in Connecticut

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03) issued the following statement today praising Connecticut for becoming the first state to permanently expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults under the new health reform law, the Affordable Care Act.

Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama earlier this year, states could only extend coverage to childless adults by applying for a waiver of the Medicaid rules. Now, states can apply for federal funding that enables them to provide Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 for an individual in 2010), and will cover all low-income adults by 2014. Connecticut is the first state to be approved, and estimates that 45,000 adults will now be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

Until now, many uninsured adults in Connecticut received coverage through a state-funded program, known as State-Administered General Assistance (SAGA). Connecticut will now enroll individuals whose annual income is up to 56 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) or $6,650 per year for an individual in 2010.

"I am so proud that after the long, uphill battle in getting the new health care reform law passed, Connecticut will be the first state to permanently expand coverage to some of our neediest residents. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of everyone involved, from my colleagues in the House and Senate, to Secretary Sebelius, to our Governor Rell, we are ensuring that one of the major tenets of the bill, that everyone will access to quality, affordable health care, becomes a reality," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "This is but one of the many benefits included in the Affordable Care Act, and I look forward to seeing the positive benefits for 45,000 of our citizens."