Crossposted from Working Families' Party Line blog by Working Families director Jon Green.
Yesterday, the legislature overturned Governor Rell's vetoes on two important healthcare bills, and came one vote shy of overturning another one. But there's still plenty left to do.
The legislature overrode the Governor's veto of Sustinet, which establishes the framework for a universal healthcare system that could be implemented in 2012, pending further legislative approval (and financing) in 2011. Next, the janitor's standard wage bill. This bill ensures that state-contracted janitors can maintain healthcare for their families. What would have been the hat trick, the Healthcare Partnership Bill, which would allow municipalities, small employers, and non-profits, to join the state health insurance plan, failed when Senator Joan Hartley left the chamber instead of voting, leaving the bill one vote shy of an override.
There's a lot of much deserved celebration going on today. If they gave oscars for organizing, The Universal Healthcare Foundation, and SEIU local 32 BJ certainly both deserve one. After all, the legislature overrode the Governor's veto of Sustinet, which sets forth the plan for the most ambitious universal healthcare in the country - and in the Insurance Capitol, no less. Surely, it's a tremendous accomplishment.
But now what? The bill that was overridden yesterday puts the framework of the Sustinet plan in place - but remember, the plan won't go into effect without further legislative action in 2011.
You think the CBIA and the insurance lobby fought hard this time? Just wait until the vote to actually fund the Sustinet plan. We ain't seen nothing yet.
All it took was peeling away a single Senator, Joan Hartley (D, Insurance Lobby) to kill the more modest (but effective immediately) Connecticut Healthcare Partnership.
The campaign to put the Sustinet plan into action will be even harder. So it's time to start a collective brainstorm to answer this question: what will it take to make the Sustinet plan a reality in 2011?
I'm asking for your help. What kind organizing should we be doing? Which elected officials need the most pressure and how should that happen?
Help us figure it out: what can we do in the next 2 years to turn this planning stage into a real healthcare plan that is accessible and affordable for everyone in Connecticut?
If you want to cut to the chase:There is a health care rally at the State Capitol on July 7 that will take place rain or shine, veto or sign. Get details and RSVP by clicking here.
Things are moving quickly on health care in 2009 -- especially in Connecticut -- and so I have posted below an abbreviated timeline of events to show how far we've come since January:
The Universal Health Care Foundation's President Juan Figueroa said in a press release Wednesday that passage of both the pooling bill and SustiNet "reduce costs and increase choice."
He said the two bills complement each other and put Connecticut ahead of the pack in the race for federal resources.
"As we begin to craft a national health care reform bill, Connecticut's progress will provide real examples of how important reform is to our nation," US Rep. Chris Murphy said in a press release.
"Few elected leaders ever get such a perfect opportunity to enact major reform," Juan A. Figueroa, president of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, said Saturday in a press release. "The House, the Senate, and the people of Connecticut have delivered one such defining moment to Governor Rell."
[Governor] Rell's spokesman Chris Cooper said Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview that the governor will review the bills in their final form before making a decision. He said Rell has expressed concern about the "hefty price tags" of these bills, but will review them like all legislation she receives.
He said she has 15 days to decide whether or not to sign them.
Lawmakers like Speaker of the House Chris Donovan and Sen. President Donald Williams said the state is already paying a hefty price for health insurance in the state and that these two proposals would help save the state money.
Today is the 10th day since the two health care bills have been delivered to Governor Rell's office. She has until the 15th day -- July 8 -- to do one of the following: (1) Sign SustiNet and/or the Healthcare Partnership Bill; (2) Veto SustiNet and/or the Healthcare Partnership Bill; or (3) take no action and let both SustiNet and the Healthcare Partnership Bill become law.
We have worked long and hard for quality, affordable health care we can all count on, and the clock is ticking for Governor Rell to do the right thing and sign SustiNet and the Healthcare Partnership into law. Join us at the Capitol on Tuesday July 7 to let Governor Rell know that we can't wait for health care reform!
There is still much work to do before we have quality, affordable health care for everyone, such as protecting the public option in national-level health care reform efforts, but your presence at the July 7 rally is critical because our efforts in Connecticut are being closely watched throughout the country. What happens here will have an impact on the national health care reform debate. SustiNet and the Health Care Partnership would put Connecticut in an excellent position relative to other states when it comes time to implement federal reforms.
Disclosure: I am the Online Organizer for Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG)
SustiNet has passed the state House and Senate and will arrive on the Governor's desk very soon. Please add your name to the call for Governor Rell to sign SustiNet into law.
We need your signature on the petition, but we also need you to reach out to your friends, family, and networks and ask them to sign it as well. Time is short -- we want to have all of our signatures ready by Monday, June 15.
Once Governor Rell has the bill, we will deliver your signatures to her office. Tell Governor Rell -- Connecticut needs health care we can all count on!
And this Thursday, June 11 at 9:00 AM, folks from the Universal Health Care Foundation will be on WNPR's Where We Live to discuss SustiNet. Listen live here.
Disclosure: I am the Online Organizer for Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG)
For those of you who are not on the HealthCare4Every1 campaign mailing list, I wanted to pass along this message and call to action that the campaign's manager, Lynne Ide, sent out early last week:
Dear MLNer,
As you know, SustiNet has passed the House (107-35) and Senate (23-12), and will now head to the Governor's desk. It is likely to take some time for the bill to be transmitted to Gov. Rell's desk.
In the meantime, I want you to know that we will be in close, ongoing communication with Gov. Rell and her top aides. Given the high stakes involved for Connecticut's families and businesses, we trust that her administration will review SustiNet on the basis of it's merits and policy -- and NOT make a decision based on politics.
But right now, we need to celebrate our victories in the House and Senate, and thank our legislators for voting YES on SustiNet! We ask a lot of our legislators, so it is important that we take time to show our appreciation!
Lastly, I want to personally thank all of you for your hard work on this Campaign. We would not be where we are today without all of your phone calls, emails, and meetings.
Sincerely,
Lynne Ide Campaign Manager healthcare4every1 Campaign
The legislators who voted to give quality, affordable, health care to every person in Connecticut should hear how much we appreciate that act.
Governor Rell vetoed the health care partnership bill last year, but this year we want her to hear from us. The phone line at her office is only open between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays, so let's light it up!
Call Governor Rell and Tell Her to Sign the SustiNet and Healthcare Partnership Bills into Law!
Call (860) 566-4840 or (800) 406-1527 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM
After you've called Governor Rell and told her to sign SustiNet and the Healthcare Partnership bills into law, please help us spread the word by...
...recommending this diary.
...sharing this action alert with your family, friends and neighbors.
The people of Connecticut are ready for quality, affordable, accessible health care. Let's make sure that Governor Jodi Rell hears from us -- call now!
Tell Rell to Sign the SustiNet and Healthcare Partnership Bills into Law!
Call (860) 566-4840 or (800) 406-1527 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM
I've posted our latest action alert below the fold. Be sure to leave a comment after you've made your call, and thanks for doing your part to get health care that we can all count on.
SustiNet has passed in the CGA with no help from the Republican "Party of NO" in the Senate.
Awaiting the signature or veto of the Governor. A letter from Juan Figueroa follows:
Dear Michael:
Wow. That's all I can say. I am at the Capitol and wanted to let you know that SustiNet (H.B. 6600) has just passed out of the Senate 23 - 12.
I don't have to tell you that this is a historic moment for all of us. We weren't kidding when we said that SustiNet was the "most comprehensive health care proposal before the legislature." And now, Connecticut is positioned to set an example for the rest of the nation.
It's not often that elected leaders get to enact major reforms of this magnitude. The people of Connecticut delivered a clear message to the House and Senate -- and they responded. Now Governor Rell has the opportunity to sign SustiNet into law and deliver health care we can all count on to everyone in Connecticut.
This victory could not have happened without you -- the phone calls and emails worked. And while we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that Governor Rell signs this legislation, I think we should all take a moment and celebrate how close we are to quality, affordable health care for everyone.
Thank you,
Juan A. Figueroa
President
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut
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