Federal Health Policy in Focus: Insights from Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation is a special editorial series from CT Health News designed to highlight the healthcare priorities of the members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation. The members of our delegation have been invited to share their perspectives on the federal policies and issues they believe should be top priorities for improving health and healthcare, both in Connecticut and across the nation.   Through this series, CT Health News aims to provide Connecticut’s healthcare community with a window into how our state’s leaders in Washington are thinking about the future of healthcare and health policy.

We continue the series with insights from United States Senator Richard Blumenthal.  Senator Blumenthal has served in the United States Senate since 2011 and is currently in his third term. Raised with a strong commitment to public service, he graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School before serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. His career includes roles as a federal prosecutor, state legislator, and five-term Connecticut Attorney General, where he led nationally recognized efforts in consumer protection, environmental enforcement, and healthcare affordability.

In the Senate, Blumenthal continues this work, focusing on consumer safety, veterans’ healthcare, infrastructure investment, and corporate accountability, reflecting a longstanding dedication to improving the lives of Connecticut residents.

Senator Blumenthal provided answers to a series of questions about key healthcare issues impacting our state and nation, learn more below:

1. The Future of Affordable Coverage Through Access Health CT

Enhanced federal premium tax credits have made coverage more affordable for thousands of Connecticut residents purchasing insurance through Access Health CT. As policymakers evaluate the long-term future of these subsidies, how should Congress balance affordability, market stability, and federal cost? What indicators would you look to in determining whether the current structure is working effectively?

Health care costs are sky high and rising.  Without health insurance, Americans who become sick may avoid critical care or face mountains of debt leading to bankruptcy.  Congress must listen to the American people and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Republicans’ failure to ensure Americans can access affordable health care has created real harm. I spoke with one couple in Glastonbury who are now paying $27,000 a year for health insurance when they would have been paying $7,000 with the tax credits. They own and operate a small business — the backbone of our economy — and face the difficult decision to forgo care entirely or sacrifice a significant portion of their income. According to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 1 in 10 people who were enrolled in an ACA marketplace health plan last year are now uninsured following the lapse of enhanced subsidies.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If people delay treatment because they can’t afford to pay for it, the costs will be higher. Those costs are passed on to everyone else’s premiums. There will be no cost savings at the end of the day.  The tax credit system worked well to keep care affordable, and Congress must act to restore the credits.

2. Hospital Consolidation and Healthcare Affordability in Connecticut

Connecticut’s healthcare landscape has seen increasing consolidation among hospital systems and physician groups. Supporters often cite care coordination and financial stability, while others raise concerns about pricing and competition. From a federal policy standpoint, how should Congress and regulators approach consolidation in smaller states like Connecticut? Are there policy tools that can preserve innovation and integration while promoting affordability?

The role of private equity in the consolidation of hospitals, health care services and nursing homes across Connecticut and nationwide has been disastrous for patients who face higher costs and a decline in quality care. Over the last decade, private equity fund assets nationwide have more than doubled to over $8.2 trillion as these predatory companies purchase businesses in every industry, including health care. Their aggressive slash and burn approach poses a grave risk to patient health outcomes and raises troubling concerns regarding the role of corporate interests in our healthcare system.

While mergers and consolidations can offer streamlined services and lower operating costs, they can also lead to reduced consumer choices, less innovation, and higher costs. Simply put, health care companies need to put patients over profits. If they don’t, Congress needs to step in with strong legislative oversight.

A first step would be to pass the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2026 and the Health Over Wealth Act, which I am helping to lead, to establish serious guardrails to protect people’s care when private equity takes over a health care provider. These bills would create legal penalties for corporate executives when they put patients and communities at risk by cutting services and guarantee that corporate wealth does not come before public health. They would also increase transparency and accountability for private equity. 

3. Advancing Mental Health Parity and Crisis Services

Despite longstanding federal parity requirements, access to mental health and substance use services remains uneven. Connecticut continues to strengthen its behavioral health system, including crisis response infrastructure. In your view, does Congress need to focus more on enforcement, funding, workforce development, or new legislative approaches to fully realize mental health parity?

To be blunt, Congress needs to devote more funding to mental health and substance use disorder treatment if we want to achieve mental health parity. Right now, I hear from health care providers in Connecticut that the demand for their services is increasing and they don’t have the resources to fully meet the need. As Connecticut continues to grapple with a mental health crisis that is particularly affecting young people, robust federal funding is needed so that health care providers and schools can hire therapists and social workers. We also need to invest in the development and retention of skilled talented mental health service providers.  

There’s a real opportunity for bipartisanship. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration cancelled millions of dollars in funding for mental health and addiction services prompting bipartisan outcry. The pushback from red and blue states was so stern and swift that they were forced to reinstate the funding less than 24 hours later. I am hopeful this is an area where my colleagues and I can come to a consensus and work together on solutions to ensure everyone has access to mental health care.

4. Advancing Health Equity and Maternal Health Outcomes

Significant disparities persist in maternal and infant health outcomes, including within certain communities in Connecticut. Federal initiatives have focused on extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, improving data collection, and supporting community-based programs. From your perspective, which federal policy levers show the most promise in closing these gaps? How should Congress measure progress over time?

Women in the United States are still twice as likely to die from childbirth or related complications as their peers in other developed nations. This statistic is even more sobering when applied to Black women who are three times as likely to die. These deaths are preventable with comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care, and yet the Trump Administration has slashed Medicaid funding that many women, including 64.5 % of Black women, rely on for before, during and after childbirth. Without Medicaid, more women may not seek prenatal care or postpartum care — endangering their health and their lives.

This funding must be restored, and Congress must pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus to reduce these deaths and close the disparities in maternal health outcomes. Within the Momnibus — a comprehensive legislative maternal health proposal — I am proud to sponsor the Social Determinants for Moms Act, to establish a whole of government task force to address the maternal health crisis, extend the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and provide robust funding for community-based organizations and public health departments to support families during and after pregnancy whether that’s with housing, transportation, food or other needs. The first few months after welcoming a child are some of the hardest in a parent’s life. Ensuring they have their medical care, mental health support, and basic needs covered is essential to their and their child’s success.