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Legal Aid Lawyers Sounds Warning on Medicaid Cut for Working Families

Monday, April 23, 2018

Legal Aid Lawyers Sounds Warning on Medicaid Cut for Working Families

"NEW HAVEN — Sheldon Toubman says he is lending voice to the voiceless.

Toubman, an attorney with New Haven Legal Assistance Association and a longtime advocate for low-income families, said there is no movement in the legislature to assist some 13,300 individuals due to lose funding for Medicaid coverage.
He said it is unlikely they will be able to afford the premiums, deductibles and cost-sharing required of insurance through Access Health, the state’s exchange under the Affordable Care Act.
“They are all working folks, they are all low-income. They are all struggling to try to support their families and they are all going to lose their health insurance on Jan. 1 unless the legislature, before the end of the session, which is May 9, does something to undo that,” Toubman said.
This group represents the working parents and relative caregivers of children enrolled in HUSKY A, which is Connecticut’s Medicaid program for children.
“There has been almost no recognition from legislative leadership about what this is (the Huskey A cuts) and the harm it will bring,” Toubman said.
Lawmakers in 2015 changed the income eligibility limits for this group of residents from 201 percent of the poverty level to 155 percent of poverty. This was further dropped in October 2017 to individuals at 138 percent..."

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