> > This week on the wheel house > > The governor takes your calls a hand.

The politics of health insurance, > > Connecticut public on > > for Frankie Graziano.

This is the wheelhouse.

It's a show that connects politics.

The people we got your weekly dose of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here.

we got a big wheel house on tap for you later in the show, we're going to dive into the discourse around health insurance.

Yeah, that expensive health insurance that you have.

I would imagine can also be difficult to access even when he got coverage.

And we're going to share a big announcement about how you can join the wheelhouse live in studio.

But first, the next legislative session kicks off in Connecticut in just a few weeks.

So what's top of mind for state lawmakers here to talk through that?

I got a very special guest this morning.

Somebody we're happy to have in studio with us.

> > Governor Ned Lamont, how are you, Good morning.

Practive.

Pretty good.

This holiday season and that's one of saying thank you so much for joining us during the holiday season.

5 minutes away.

Pretty easy a love.

It.

> > 5 minutes away.

It's a nice commute.

Happy to happy to have you here during a festive time.

Also busy times.

I know you're preparing for the latest legislative session, a budget year as well.

We're trying to figure out today how folks tax dollars will go.

Plus, we're going to get the governor's reaction to the recent election of Donald Trump and what might change or not for Connecticut residents.

You can ask the governor question too.

Join the conversation.

8, 8, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 720-9677.

We are streaming live today YouTube and we're also on air and online at CT Public DOT let's start with the health care system and insurance in particular.

This shook the world when the United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed 2 weeks ago in New York.

We're also talking about a time cap on and it's easier coverage that was proposed by Anthem Blue Cross widely criticized, including by your administration.

They ended up rolling it back.

So there's a lot essentially happening on in the health insurance right now.

Just want to know how you all are reacting to it.

> > I know what it's doing families and I know still want to our state budget.

I'll start with the state budget since that's a front and center for We're getting control over budgets, specially those big fixed costs.

Member pensions were eating up more and more averse to bed.

Then we're bending the curve there that was bonded debt was eating up more and more of our spending.

We're bending the curve there in a positive way, freeing up more resources to invest in people.

health care's going the other action.

Medicaid costs are going like that.

It's eating up more and more of our budget.

And I know what what it's meaning for families as well.

Those higher deductibles means you're paying more.

Maybe you're putting off necessary care.

We did something this week just the number of people that have medical debt, it's crushing and is the biggest source of bankruptcy.

It's not your fault.

You get.

You get hit with something.

So it's a bad accident a bad illness.

and you can't afford that deductible of that.

As you point out the indices, geologists outside network Obama got you've got to pay for that as well.

trying to make good for those people.

> > Can you tell us a little bit about eligibility or anything you can about that about who's going to get help with the clearing of medical debt.

Lucketts 98% of debt is related to people, middle class working folks that you know, can't afford otherwise.

> > This sometimes these are deaths, frankly, that have been sitting on hospitals books for, you know, years.

But it also was sitting on your credit rating, ruining your ability to get a mortgage in the future.

That type of thing.

So for pennies on the dollar, actually less than a penny on the dollar we're getting the hospitals that just wipe that off.

So and then it goes off your record.

Not your record at all.

> > One part in particular that we want to talk about of health care is reproductive care.

We were very lucky to have on our show a couple weeks ago.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong > > He said that the team is working in particular on preserving access to the abortion medication.

If a person own Tong says that an attack and if a person is an attempt to ban abortion.

> > Of my colleagues on the other side of this debate that's ridiculous.

You're being hysterical.

That's not gonna happen.

And and so and so they have right and attack.

And if a is nothing, if not and attempt to enforce and then impose a nationwide ban on abortion because mifepristone is used in the half of all abortions in this country.

> > What are you saying now to state residents that that are really fond of reproductive care and their own care?

Of course.

Were some risk.

And now let's say President elect Trump is not going And this or that.

But you can have the FDA said, let's take a pause in press down.

Let's do another 5 years of testing and that is in effect like a bandit.

Obviously here in the state we have established reproductive rights built-in by law.

We've also said if somebody comes to the state seeking a reproductive care, going to make sure the Texas Gantt Sue our doctor, Sue that a patient.

But the feds step in and try to overrule us.

We've got some issues.

That's a big thing that providers are talking about to that lawsuit with Ken Packs in Texas as well.

Could they brought that up?

Safe Harbor state?

As you just mentioned, you are trying your best to get out information.

I understand the people that are coming here > > as well.

And obviously to make this a safe harbor state.

What's the talk like among governors right now or at least maybe with you and some staff and and the attorney general?

Are you confident they are going to be able to remain a safe harbor statement Comer coming years?

> > don't know whether > > President elect Trump's actions are going to match his rhetoric during a campaign off than their campaigns.

Then you get back.

So I'm not going to be dismissive of up from also going take a look at wait and see.

And I want people to be alarmist.

We've done everything we can in this state to make sure that your reproductive rights are there and will stay there.

Despite whatever pressure we get from the feds.

Let's see what they're trying to do.

> > Speaking of the president elect called climate change the hoax.

You recently said that you're no longer can pursue, at least the short term, the phasing out of new gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035.

It's something that you are working on last year.

Are you concerned about Connecticut's ability to continue its progress on environmental park projects with I know you don't want to be alarmist, but with the the the former president, now president-elect coming in office.

> > Let's face it.

The president-elect.

Doesn't give a hoot about the environment.

He calls it a Hokies dismiss of he's probably dry and defund wind power, defund resiliency.

Pull back on to put drill, baby, drill.

So, you know, words were small state.

We represent, you it.

The nation's population is like so much we could do.

We continue to try and lead, by example and that's why I think energy efficiency is going to continue to be a big focus for the state.

I like it for Joe Energy you don't use doesn't create any co 2.

And also energy you don't have to use because of energy efficiency reduces bills you and your home.

Those are the type or priorities that I think can match affordability and green.

> > That announcement that you had to make with the new car sales is that because it still doesn't have the votes order.

You kind of preparing for This tide here that we have in America, people, particularly that might vote for Donald Trump that are not supportive of of of anything.

But little bit of all the above.

I a > > Connecticut joined the California standards that were pretty strict in terms of saying by 2035, I want all car sales.

The hybrids or EV we forgot the hybrids read part of that because that does save you money and the Legislature Wreg's committee said that that's too aggressive.

Let's not do that.

Then we said let's follow the federal rules that everybody has to do.

And then Donald Trump says might even have any federal rules.

So at this point, I think the market still going to drive us towards hybrids and EVs.

I think we're going to make continue to make real progress.

There.

It would have been better if we kept those federal rules in place.

> > Roughly one year ago, Connecticut announced that it would join with Massachusetts and Rhode Island in this tri-state request for New offshore wind projects.

I know the coming up as best as you can.

Can you take us into the negotiating table and help us understand what Connecticut needs here to make this work?

> > Well, we are.

Bringing in more solar power from Maine of all places.

Bringing in more hydropower from Quebec.

That seems logical.

Obviously Connecticut's made the biggest commitment to wind the northeast right now in New England.

We did state pier, which is be a platform for future projects that we're doing revolution.

When was charged on I year year and a half, there's been another round of bids that went out and that Rhode Island and Massachusetts and Connecticut.

We took a look at right now.

It seems very expensive and I care deeply about green and affordability.

But we'll see how it plays out.

> > reminder to our listeners, you can ask the governor question if you'd like today, the governor has graciously agreed to answer your question.

Join the conversation.

8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, looks like we have a caller here.

David, from Wyndham.

Go ahead.

David.

> > Governor, thank you for allowing me to speak to.

I want to ask you about our healthcare system and in particular, advertising that is taking over television done by.

Of hospitals health care and Scandinavian countries.

They do not allow this to this criminal to, you know, advertising Aspen, there's no I've never been having a heart attack or known anyone that I'm having a heart attack.

Please take me to.

That's why the hospital they just say take me to the hospital.

There's no reason for these advertisements television.

And I'm wondering if Connecticut to maybe start the way.

> > And ban all medical type of advertising so they could take that money and put it into getting nurses in the hospital.

My mother was recently Windham Hospital and we were in the hallway even though part of the hospital as close as it is not a whole section hospital that we're not using.

And they said, well, we can't open them because we don't have enough nurses.

Well, stopped advertising and telling us how great health care was.

Every 30 seconds on major networks, maybe they could get nurses and hire them.

> > David, thank you so much for calling this morning.

We hope your mother's well and please have a happy hour.

I think he's right about the immigration that road.

> > May we didn't allow pharmaceutical advertising got 35 years ago.

I do remember hospitals that, you know, yeah, you watch cable those with the average viewers about 70.

So all you see are pharmaceutical ads you're right.

We spend as much on some of those pharmaceutical companies spent almost as much on advertising as they do in R and D it does also add to their costs, which they pushed through and the consumer.

And also as there are no costs overall because everybody's always grabbing at the latest promise that was made on TV.

How much we can do as a state where so much of this is national advertising is another question.

But I really that type of to stop.

> > All right.

Let's get to the meat and potatoes of why we're here.

We've got the legislative session in a in a month that would imagine this is something that you're thinking about.

We want to enjoy holidays first, but help me understand some priorities.

I guess.

Take me into what the state of the State address might look like.

> > Look, I think the priorities for the state is to keep it growing.

You know, we were striking state young people relieving the state companies relieving the state and we were going from, you know, deficit.

The deficit was a pretty tough time.

I like to think that that is charred around, but you can't take it for granted, but we are growing as the state more people are moving to the state for people visiting you know, our parks and beaches, I guess today, ski slopes that up, you know, ever before.

And we've had pretty good budget that's been fiscally stable and at the same time with it been able to make biggest investment ever in everything from education to expanding health care.

To David's point, expanding child Care Day care.

You want to know a priori expanding child care and daycare.

I know what that means for the kids.

I know what it means for the parents and I know what it means to to keep this economy growing for everybody.

> > The fiscal guardrails is something that you already brought up on the show.

And it's something that I think nonprofits are continuing to use it as a way to try to get more money to support them.

I think voices for children just recently came out and talked about the deleterious effects of lack of funding there.

I know you're facing pressure on this, probably from lawmakers even in your own party.

So what can you say about bonded debt and paying that down for says, I guess taking some of that rainy day fund out and spending it elsewhere.

> > That we've been able to increase investments in all these key services every year.

Historic highs.

I'm a little surprised by voices for children made up.

I was a voice for Joel tonight say stop leaving all this debt on the plate for my kids.

The payoff.

I think we ought to take care of our bills right now.

And that's what we're trying to do and pay down some of that debt.

But I don't want people to think it's at the expense of some of key priorities we've got.

You mentioned the not-for-profits.

You're right for 10 years.

They did not keep up with inflation.

We're doing more than that now for him.

> > But with and I know you face us all the time, the fight, what?

What can you what can you say to lawmakers as as they try to ask you to 2, maybe put more money into higher?

Ed is a is a big thing.

Maybe when you when you go to one of these, you can't.

you're getting some pressure from from Bird David Benedict and things like that.

How do you just address with folks?

> > Look, we've 187 187 people in a lobbying for more resources, more money, more investments in the causes they care for.

look.

Here's what I tell.

Rebecca, how come there all other states look, we give more state grant per student almost any other state in the country yet our tuition keeps going up by look at other states to get a smaller grant.

They're doing very well academically and they hold the line tuition this year.

It looks like you kind beholden line on tuition.

What I think makes an enormous difference we'll making sure that we have a bigger grant that ever before.

Uconn.

But you can't solve everything with just more money from the taxpayers.

Just have to manage yourself in a way that makes sense for the future.

> > Just a few minutes left with the governor.

So if you have a call, give us 88 720-9677.

If you'd like to give us a call, it's 70.

9, 6, 7, 7, on the lower level under higher.

Ed is education.

I know that some teachers in Hartford were frustrated with the administration earlier this year or at least with a lack of funding overall.

And I guess as well as some administrator and field as well.

Maybe not necessarily with your administration, but that the fact that we've had these arpa dollars for the last couple of years that have supported the budget.

But now they're not there anymore.

What do say to those folks?

> > Would you say lack of funding?

Remember are making the biggest state contribution.

The Hartford Education, sure that we ever have and they have probably 30% fewer students in the public schools and they had, you know, 20 years ago.

So money is a big piece of what we gotta do to make sure we continue to have the very best education system in the country, which I believe we do.

But also it requires leadership in making sure we're putting those dollars to work in the best interest of the kids in the classroom, not administrative overhead in the classroom.

> > important that you address education here today.

Something else I'd like you to address.

We just had a big election.

We've got another one coming up in Twenty-twenty 6.

I would imagine a lot of folks want to know whether or not you're going to run again.

If you're going to be the governor for 4 more years.

Time will tell.

> > feel like I was just re-elected I live in a town every it's a non-stop election and every cent of what by support, you're going to have to promise me there.

So that I kind of like Graham, I like focus in on this next budget cycle making sure we continue the progress we've had, you know, in some time next year.

I've got make my intentions clear.

I turned 70 71, you know, life marches on you but at the same time, I love the job.

But I think we're doing > > But what help us understand okay.

how you're going to make your decision?

Is this something I know it's something I'll talk with the any of the kids I would imagine.

But the state's fiscal health, how important is that in your decision?

We got over COVID so that I guess is still a concern for many of us.

But what other kind of considerations will you have in terms of helping you make the decision?

let's let's get through the session.

As you point out to be a lot of people say you're not spending enough on my > > Cheat off of the governor.

I can't take this anymore.

They'll be some Republicans say my God, he only limited income tax for reduced for middle class.

People have for everybody else.

You know, so to be back and forth.

Let's see how people are feeling.

And June governor, thank you so much for joining us here today.

Especially during the holiday season.

I appreciate having you here today.

> > Hey, joy, the holidays, everybody.

> > Thank you so much.

That's the governor.

We very much appreciate him coming on.

Happy holidays to him and his family.

This is the wheelhouse.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

We've covered a lot of ground with the Governor.

Gray says that he took a phone call as well.

A response from out Spider-Man is coming reporter from Connecticut insiders can help us dive into what we just talked about with the governor and of course, what he's hearing about this upcoming legislative session.

Stay tune.

Join the to date 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is the wheelhouse from Connecticut, public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

> > gavel drops.

Don't 3 weeks from today on the next legislative session in Connecticut.

That's probably the more law and order than a student here.

But we just spoke to Governor Ned Lamont to get a sense of the state's top priorities.

And now for some analysis and what we heard from the governor and a bit of a primer on the long budget session in 2025, I'm joined by reporter for Hearst Connecticut, Media and CD Insider Dot Com.

One of our favorites, Alex, part of it.

Good morning, Alex.

I it.

I am.

Well, are you?

I'm doing well.

It's very nice to talk to you this morning, folks want to join in on the conversation.

88 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Anything you heard from the governor that you want to respond to before we dive in here.

> > I think the most interesting part of the conversation to me was the conversation about the budget.

I know, you know, the word budget sometimes, you know, people's eyes glaze over.

How does that affect me?

But, you know, I think God budget is so important and really so many different parts of life.

You touched on a K 12 education, higher education, a nonprofit and the most interesting thing to me in the upcoming session is going to be that sort of tension that the governor talked about.

That would be in continuing to pay down debt store away money versus spending money things that people want to spend > > that sounds Qaeda to me.

And Alex, I think you got the sense are ready, but it sounds like a hard know already that we won't be necessarily shifting away money from this pension debt from bonded anything like that towards like you said, maybe education or nonprofits.

I have mentioned voice for children.

That was one group that came out.

But, you know, the onslaught of groups that will come out at the end of the session to say, hey, we were looking for more money from the governor.

We're hoping that they were going to use the rdf.

> > Yeah, I don't know if I agree that it sounded like a hard no to me.

At least.

I mean, I think the negotiation posture.

Yeah.

Exactly.

You start with your negotiating posture.

I mean, it will be interesting.

You know, the governor has been very consistent about this for a long time.

He he likes these a physical card rails, things that they're valuable.

But at the same time, you Senator Looney, who is, you know, the top Democrat in the state deals very strongly that the guardrails need to be tweaked to allow for more spending.

Speaker Renner, speaker of the House.

You know, I think feels maybe a little bit less strongly, but but is certainly expressing openness to tweeting or has expressed openness to tweaking the guardrails as the governor mentioned, a lot of Democrats you know, in the Legislature various priorities that they can only fun by tweeting the guardrails.

So there's going to be a lot of pressure on him to a kind of compromise on that position.

And, you know, the past couple of sessions, we've seen him compromise in certain sort you know, making his own party happy while also trying to stick to his sort of fiscal you know, ideology you know, I certainly wouldn't be shocked if that happened again because it doesn't, as you mentioned a lot a lot.

A lot of people are going to be frustrated because yes, as as the governor pointed out, they have committed a lot of money over the past sessions to a lot of different areas.

But as as I think you also touchdown that was using a lot of that federal pandemic relief money, which is gone.

So if they want to kind of maintain and continue to increase the investment in all these different areas, I reading those guardrails you know, could be.

The even the easiest may be the only way of doing > > You allude or for finding a that.

new river revenue stream somewhere?

I don't know where that's going to be found.

But nonetheless, we talked earlier.

Do you alluded earlier to the fact that there's these COVID relief dollars that have expired or rather have at least been spent and are now accounted for.

So we talked about this over the summer.

Alex, what's the latest reaction from folks that are grappling with this new school year without more COVID relief dollars coming down the pike.

At least.

> > Yeah.

I mean, saw cuts and a lot of school districts, you know, including classroom teacher positions being eliminated.

It was worse in some places than in others.

But I can get it touched every district in the You know that streams, town budgets.

You know, if you're losing this federal money than the school board says, hey, we can't afford that layoffs.

Special ed teachers, we need more money from the town will then maybe that pressures, you know, property taxes.

That's an argument that the Connecticut conference of municipalities as many better if we don't read the guardrails to put more money to education, the result going to be taxpayers paying more in property taxes, either that or services getting slashed.

So that the consequences, I been significant, I think across a lot of different sectors, everybody's kind of waiting to see what the state budget is going to look like.

You know, I just wrote an article about some of these kids, mental health programs, better housed at different nonprofits a lot of these programs got a lot of attention back a couple years ago when kids mental health was kind of a big focus for the state of COVID.

But, you know, those are federally funded, you know, through those federal arpa dollars.

So we that money isn't replaced.

Some of those programs they say been very successful.

We'll have to, you know, be diminished or close entirely.

So so something's got to give.

And and when I talked earlier about Rick Danko David Benedict.

Those are folks that are you folks, the athletic director and the president of the University of > > Connecticut.

I was talking about them having a special interest in the budget.

And of course, most of the people in the state University ecologist system.

So what are you anticipating going to happen on that front with higher education?

> > Yeah, I think it's going to be similar.

Both UConn and the Connecticut State colleges and universities system are both going to go to the legislature and say, hey, we could really use some more cash and I think the legislature is going to ask the tough questions.

You know, we saw the reason report that suggested that the CSU system was not may need managing its resources properly, but it's it's going to be a fight because, you know, you kind I don't know if people have falling.

There you know, they did this big review and are limiting eliminating some academic programs that not a lot of people are enrolled in.

And I think to the faculty there, it feels like a bad sign that they're looking to cut programs.

There's some concern about what that sort of means in the long run.

Similarly on the CSU side.

And that's, you know, Central Connecticut state, southern Western eastern, as well as all the community colleges.

You know, they've had some really tough cuts in the last few years.

This new report that came out is recommending more cops.

The faculty certainly aren't happy.

I think a lot of students aren't happy.

So, you know, the only way to prevent cops that the schools, I think it's going to be more money from the state or at least again that the easiest way, you know, I know the governor would say that there are things that they can do it on their as well.

So, you know, it's kind of the same story.

Wherever you people want more money you know, it'll be interesting to see what the whether the Legislature can > > And it might be easy to ask place.

the state for dollars, but we also have to consider the fact that much of we don't want to sound alarmist.

As the governor said, but much of the concern about the Trump administration and federal agencies is that they're essentially going to disappear and education for one, at least a federal funding may be.

You're not getting those block grants from the federal government and you're gonna have to fund education entirely.

So maybe that could factor into this.

Hey, I just want to shot out color.

Here we got from Branford Thomas.

He was disappointed that I didn't get to ask the governor about Eversource here and the high costs.

Sorry, I didn't get to that, Thomas.

What are your thoughts here on what we could do here to maybe get those energy costs down.

> > Yes, I guess my main point about the Reese's Eversource hikes that that have affected everyone.

I think we need take closer look at the agreement we have with Millstone.

> > And Waterford, you know, I post most on and, you know, we're taking the risk of having a nuclear power plant and our small state.

And I think it could do a lot more work for us.

So I think the deal that was negotiated, he's a contributor to our high prices and we should try and the legislature should try to renegotiate > > Good call, Thomas.

Thank you so much.

Happy holidays, Alex.

Let's help Thomas out here.

This was a divisive issue on the campaign trail earlier this year.

A lot of people talking about the Millstone agreement.

Anything you can shed light on here in terms of energy costs and at least.

This could be something that impacts the governor and 2026.

Obviously when it's when it's time to vote.

But at least for now, is there anything that lawmakers could do here?

The session to cut down on energy costs?

> > Yeah.

So that's not necessarily my area of expertise.

But I will say that from following the campaigns this summer and fall, I think energy costs are probably the number one thing that you saw candidates talk about from both parties.

I think Republicans really focused on it as a way to sort of, you know, an attempt to sort of blamed the incumbents for spikes and utility costs that we saw.

And, you know, Democrats have also talked you know, ways to bring down those energy you know, I don't have specifics, but I do think in the coming session, you're going to hear the terms you know, energy cost of utility quite a bit.

I almost feel like they have to do something.

You know, it.

Isn't always, you know, when these come up, it isn't always, you know, the biggest most dramatic, a bill that gets passed in the end.

But I think they're probably going to be dishes proposals and we'll see where they land.

> > They also help me here as we as we close up here, what are you looking forward to in 2025 year, at least we got a bit of a preview of what this legislative session end up a battle over hoping that the governor and some of the leading Democratic lawmakers will stay away from putting money away from fiscal guardrails and of course, into the rainy day.

Excuse me, taking money away from the rainy day fund and putting it in different places be I besides that obvious budget.

Your stuff.

What are you looking forward to?

> > I mean, one issue that I plan keep a close eye on during the coming session is housing.

I increasingly we're sort of seeing that > > you know, people can't afford to they can't afford the rents they can afford to buy homes.

It's becoming more and more of a problem.

You know, I think almost everybody admits that it's a problem.

Everybody has a different solution for it.

I think we'll probably see a return of some of these sort you know, really ambitious, affordable housing type bills that would that would sort of require towns to have more affordable housing.

You know, that has failed year after year.

And I don't have any particular reason to think that it will succeed this time.

But I think the pressure kind of continues to grow lawmakers to to do more on the housing front, not that they haven't done anything but to do more so that people can afford to live in Canada.

> > And that's one of the first things the governor mentioned.

talked about getting folks that were young to stay here and live here forever.

Essentially Connecticut.

So that was one of the first things that he addressed.

Alex, I appreciate you coming on the show here this morning State.

Thank you so much out for coming on the show.

We appreciate it.

Thanks for having > > Coming up, state and federal law makers want answers on a recent call from Anthem to put a time cap out surgical procedures, work hiring, anesthesia, swift outrage caused Anthem to roll that policy proposal back.

We'll talk to our women or woman on the Hill.

Lisa Hagen and Connecticut near health reporter Katie Go Valla about anesthesia.

The cost of health insurance and recent discourse about national health insurance coverage.

Next.

Join the conversation.

8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Stay tuned for the end of the show for a special announcement.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is the wheelhouse from Connecticut, public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano, 2 high-profile news events have once again.

But health insurance in the spotlight, CEO of America's largest private insurer United Healthcare was killed in a targeted attack.

And Anthem, a major health insurer of Connecticut residents attempted to cap coverage of anesthesia.

With us now get a pulse check on the politics of health care are to reporters from the Connecticut near health reporter Katie Gove, Ala, good morning, Katie.

> > Hey Frankie, how's it going?

It's going well.

Thank you so much for coming out of Kingwood to talk to you.

Thanks for having me.

And federal policy reporter for the Mir and Connecticut public Radio.

She is our woman on the Hill.

Lisa Hagen.

Good morning, Lisa.

Thank you.

folks out there are sick over the high cost of health insurance.

You can join the conversation.

888-720-9677, 8, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, We're talking about the CEO of United Healthcare, Katie, Brian Thompson fatally shot in Manhattan.

Almost immediately.

The memes started with some people minimizing the shooting and social media and others sharing their stories about health care denials and more one person that NPR's Selena Simmons stuff and talk to captured it perfectly.

I thought this is your lawn to Wilson.

A woman from Missouri who battled united over the coverage of a surgery.

> > A lot of people are > > The pain maybe didn't have anywhere to put that > > Our health insurers reacting to that sentiment into some of the more vehement criticisms of the industry.

> > I think the V criticisms have them very shaken up.

We've heard reports about increased security at some of these.

> > Facilities as well.

As for executives and some news outlets have done reporting with rank and file insurance employees, not even executives who say that, you know, there, they're scared for their own safety and they also feel like they're doing the best job that they can within a broken system.

And I think in general insurers of just trying lay low right now so that they do becomes are the next target of online vitriol or, you know?

Worst case scenario another's where attack?

> > I think we're all wondering if that's going to be enough for people out there that are outraged, I guess at their bills.

Could this event?

I know you're talking about a broken system.

Could this lead to greater reform to health insurance and our health care system?

Overall?

> > I hope so.

I do think the moment at least the entire healthcare industry.

The opportunity to grapple with what people are so > > angry > > and many people rightfully so.

I mean, they're sharing these experiences that, you know, I'm sure we all know you deal with your insurance companies.

You deal with hospitals and some of the vulnerable times in your life.

And people don't feel served by the industry.

So you know, we'll But it certainly seems like a time of introspection for many different parts of the industry.

> > Something that a lot of people are seeing right now is this giant figure that I'm about to give to you, Katie United Healthcare reported 370 something billion dollars in revenue last year.

According to NPR.

And it's the biggest private insurer in the United States is I guess the money these companies make a big reason why some people are.

Less than empathetic at this time.

> > I'm sure.

I mean, United Healthcare is the 5th biggest publicly traded company in the U.S. that overall you look at the top 20 companies, you have other health insurance and health care companies in there as well.

These companies revenues are going up there.

Ceos make millions and millions of dollars and then on the flip side, you have people are spending hours on the phone with their insurance company having to argue different charges.

They're getting surprise bills they're getting out of network costs.

And I think they see those 2 things together and understandably they're frustrated.

And, you know, they're you know, but why was this the way it is?

> > Lisa lawmakers looking at this conversation and looking to see overall what they could do to keep health insurance costs down.

I guess federal lawmakers.

> > Yeah, I think so.

But, you know, we're in the midst of a transition in federal government.

I mean, we're days away from the session.

The current session ending in so come January, Republicans will fully take over Congress.

The Trump administration take over and so I think that's just a really big, outstanding question of why it Trump and Republicans, healthcare agenda could look like.

And so obviously we've in that before you know, affect of Republican government 2017 time info.

You know, we've seen kind of areas where the Trump administration has tried to make changes to health care.

But I think that's still pretty outstanding.

And what we could see, I mean, on the campaign trail, I think Trump talk more about other issues and so I think the biggest take take away is that we don't quite know what look like.

But I think there is them.

I think people are definitely looking to see whether friends being on a changes to the Affordable Care Act and even Medicaid funding worth, though, and some other health programs.

> > Let's stay with that transition.

Lisa, former President Donald Trump coming into office now will be is the president-elect.

Here's some things that former that excuse me, the current President Joe Biden is taking credit for America's response to COVID-19 drug prices being lowered using executive action in support of reproductive rights.

Andy revive the cancer moonshot program to tackle cancer.

Actually, those reporters pointed this out.

This is why ask you that he's led his legacy could be fragile and that most of his work could be undone by the next administration.

I don't know if is is that fair to say what ways I guess could that be true?

> > Yeah, I mean, Trump talked about ways that he made to sample part of Biden's agenda are legacy.

I think we've heard that more so on climate provisions that he Congress helped enact over the past 4 years.

And so when it comes to health care, it's a little bit more unclear what he could decide to do or how fragile that really is.

I mean, when you look at the health care component of Democrats, Inflation Reduction Act.

It helped cap insulin at a certain level for seniors.

It also allowed Medicare negotiate certain drug prices.

And so those provisions that are pretty popular.

And so I haven't exactly seen.

Trump decide.

You know, it be too in terms of reversing those policies.

So when it comes to some of his health care some of that might stay intact because they are pretty popular policies.

But when it comes to something with the Affordable Care Act, I mean, that is something that Trump has talked about repeatedly.

He said during a debate as concept of the plan of how stay fit or repeal it.

That I Republicans have tried to appeal many times before.

So I mean, that is yet to be seen what that could look like.

And so I think something that could potentially be on the chopping block is weather affordable care Act subsidies expanded subsidies could be renewed at the end of 2025.

> > William from Bethlehem wants to know whether or not the following could be on the chopping block, I guess is a good follow-up for you, Lisa.

Here.

Go ahead.

William.

> > it was it was necessary Austin.

was taking > > I can't really hear you and your connection, William, you're asking about eliminating the tax on Social Security.

We lost William, but he wants to know whether or not the tax on Social Security, I guess is going to go away.

What you heard, anything like that.

> > When it comes Social Security > > Trump is that pretty recently debate.

He doesn't really want to touch that program and and Medicare.

So I mean, take that for what you?

Well, I don't any anything is possible.

I mean, we've heard Republicans in Congress, some of them talk about raising retirement ages, but it seems.

At least from Trump's current rhetoric that he doesn't really want to change those programs.

And so again, when looking to fund other priorities for Trump back come the expense of some health care opponents and that could come in the way you know, changing ACA subsidies or even Medicaid funding when it comes to Social Security, at least right now, it doesn't seem like any potentially big changes.

But of course, you know, grain of salt.

> > The other big part of the news recently was this anthem e-mail that went out to providers talking about potentially capping coverage on and it's the Zia looked like it was a move that they were going to make Haiti in New York.

Obviously, Connecticut as well would have been impacted.

But they went back.

So help us understand where that's at now.

> > they last.

We've heard from is that they they are not going to rule out the policy in in any states.

I mean, this true swift criticism politicians as well as just special regular people, mind their chats about, you know, waking up mid surgery because of this policy.

> > is like your worst nightmare per But think it's like a horror movie but just, you know, in the interest of adding just a little bit nervous is conversation people are rightfully angry at health insurance companies are premiums are high.

Deductibles are high.

Can't afford coverage.

We're getting, you know, outnumbered billion can't make sense of what's covered.

But health insurance is not the only thing that drives our health care costs up.

So so do cause charged by and so.

You know, hospital.

Costs have risen faster in the past 2 decades.

tuition childcare.

You know, it's one of fastest growing areas but expenses and so.

Just to say that, you know, these situations are always more complicated than they seem on the surface.

And oftentimes these negotiations with providers is a way for insurers to drive down the cost of care for for there in Rowley's.

So, you know, I've posed these questions ask them, you know, have you seen evidence of overbilling and a seizure?

Because if they had, maybe that's a good reason to tell.

> > The anesthesiologist we're only going to cover a certain amount I also asked there a couple of academic saying that this policy actually these costs would not have been passed on to consumers.

So the the extra costs for going long, the surgery would have been passed to the anesthesiologist themselves.

And so if that's true, then just a matter of trying to pay providers less to save, to save costs for people.

So again, it's hard to get any clarity really on on what they were thinking because they decided to stay pretty tight-lipped about it and just say that there was a lot misinformation and for that reason, they're rolling the policy back.

But there are there are potentially reasons why this policy could have made sense from their perspective.

I think the rollout was.

Disaster.

Obviously when in doubt misinformation.

> > A recent Kaiser Family Foundation News reports said that 9 states could end coverage for their residents if Trump cuts Medicaid funding.

Is it possible that the administration makes these cuts, I guess, is this something, Katie, that Connecticut lawmakers are worried about?

> > I think, yeah, this is absolutely something that people are watching for is are there different types of cuts that the federal administration could do to Medicaid?

You know, they could right now states get paid based on how many people are enrolled.

They could say instead we're just giving you a lump sum and you have to figure it out regardless of how many people enroll, they could also, you know, right now, the federal government matches the amount that states pay for Medicaid enrollees, they could.

They could live.

They could reduce the amount that they pay per enrollee.

you know, all of those changes would require congressional approval.

But I think perhaps the most immediate change or those are those subsidies that Lisa reference before.

So here in Connecticut and all of the country that state marketplaces for insurance, we have a program called covered Connecticut that provides no-cost health insurance to people who or slightly above the income look at for Medicaid but still are in very, very little and with those federal dollars, the state is able to provide free health coverage for them.

If if those expire at the end of 2025, state can no longer do that.

And and the Trump administration wouldn't have to do anything for those to expire.

It would take an act of Congress to extend them.

So I think that is one of the more immediate concerns for a lot of advocates and lawmakers.

> > Lisa, could you jump in there and talk to us about the subsidies and that talk among lawmakers on how they're going to treat > > And I think that the rate with like he was saying, I mean, I think that's one of the biggest things that Congress will have tackle because yet those I expanded subsidies are able expire at the end of 2025.

And so.

There's a lot of people in Congress, Democrats, family who want to make sure those on expiring laps and so I you know, I think where this will factor in is if the Trump administration decides to prioritize tax reform and extending those tax cuts from 2017.

Again, that's where I think it's the health care provisions could come into play of the subsidies that come into play because that will eat up a lot of federal funding and they might need to help pay for it.

And again, that can come at the expense of ACA subsidies.

Trump haven't.

I haven't seen him weigh on when exactly and what they would do it that so it's possible that these could be extended.

But I think that's big question mark.

And then in terms of Medicaid funding, exactly cutest thing, the potential for giving block grants to states found that could drastically change the way that Medicaid is funded and who is covered.

> > Katie, go validly say, Hey, can do wonderful work for the CT Mirror.

The Connecticut Mirror follow Katie's Health reporting it CT Mirror Dot work follows Lisa work there as well as CT Public debt or thank you for coming on the show, guys.

Happy holidays.

> > holidays.

Thank you.

> > I love that song.

> > I love that.

Festive to my love.

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