Health Equity Week 2024 was a resounding SUCCESS! Thank you for celebrating with us!  We extend our gratitude to the advocates, allies, elected officials, and community members who lent their voices, passion, and time to our collective advocacy!Â
As we approach the end of the 2024 Legislative Session, let’s keep the momentum. Here are some actions you can take today to push Connecticut, including our legislators, to eliminate medical debt for CT residents!
- Sign our petition to Demand Improved Accessibility and Affordability of Hospital Financial Assistance Programs in Connecticut 👉 https://bit.ly/Petition24
- Call your state legislators and ask them to Co-Sponsor H.B. 5320: An Act Concerning Hospital Financial Assistance. Sample Script here.
- Provide feedback to Office of Health Strategy on its recently released Draft Hospitals’ Community Benefit Summary and Analysis Report 2022. It gives an overview of hospital financial assistance (also called “charity care”) policies in CT. If you have thoughts on improving the report, you can submit a comment here by Wednesday, April 30, 2024.Â
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Questions? Email Kally Moquete at Kmoquete@hesct.org.
Scroll for a FULL Recap of the Week's Events & MORE!
Table of Contents
🎉 Saturday, March 30th, 2024: Step Into Wellness & Health Expo: 2024 Hartford Step-Off Classic Â
HES staff joined the Step Into Wellness & Health Expo: 2024 Hartford Step-Off Classic, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Beta Sigma Lambda chapter and The BSL Educational Foundation Inc., to table and take part in a panel discussion on chronic diseases, their correlation to high amounts of medical debt, and the dire need to pass proposed legislation with changes to CT hospitals’ Financial Assistance Policies to provide CT residents with financial relief. We are grateful to participate in these insightful discussions and look forward to future collaborations.Â
🎉 Monday, April 1st, 2024: Capitol News Briefing with Representative Elliott on Health Equity WeekÂ
Representative Josh Elliott was accompanied by a diverse coalition, including elected officials, representatives from Health Equity Solutions, passionate healthcare advocates, Health Equity for the People by the People Coalition, and engaged community members, as they gathered to mark the occasion of Connecticut’s 6th annual Health Equity Week. With this year’s theme centered around “Affording Equity,” the collective call resounded for heightened accessibility and affordability in healthcare throughout the state.
"'Affording Equity' is more than just a phrase; it is a resounding call to action."
Special thanks to: Representative Josh Elliott, Representative Keith Denning, Representative Kevin Brown, Senator Saud Anwar, Senator Matt Lesser, Comptroller Sean Scanlon, Make the Road CT, CT for All, and the Hartford Deportation Defense.
🎉 Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024: Combatting Medical Debt – A Fireside Chat
In this virtual webinar, the Health Equity by the People for the People coalition was joined by Community Catalyst to discuss strategies to combat hospital medical debt. Participants also learned about the legislative campaign for improved hospital financial assistance policies in Connecticut and how they can get involved. Watch the recording below.
- Download the Medical Bills: Everything You Need to Know About Your Rights Guide in English and Spanish.
- If you have any questions on the guide or combatting medical debt, email Jenny Chiang at jchiang@communitycatalyst.org.Â
🎉 Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024: Intersection of Affordable Housing & Health Equity Panel Discussion
HES staff joined Partnership for Strong Communities and the Housing and Health Equity Lab at the Yale School of Public Health to discuss the intersection between housing and health equity. Conversations examined how housing stability, quality, and affordability impact individuals and communities. Panelists discussed possible solutions to these inequities and answered questions from the audience. Watch the recording below!
- NEW! We recently released a blog post with Partnership for Strong Communities exploring the intersection between housing and health equity. Read more here.
🎉 Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024:  CT Paid Leave Lunch & Learn
Connecticut Paid Leave joined Health Equity Week conversations to answer questions about CT Paid Leave and CT Family and Medical Leave (FMLA). Click below to download the full presentation.
🎉 Thursday, April 4, 2024: Affording Equity Panel Discussion
This Health Equity Week we celebrated “Affording Equity” because Connecticut residents can not afford what they need to stay healthy. Some have huge medical bills, others worry about not having a stable place to live, and many are stressed about paying off student loans. “Affording Equity” reminds us how important it is to tackle these problems so everyone can have a fair chance to access what they need for a good and healthy life.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated in this year’s panel. Their presence enriched our discussions, allowing us to glean insights from experts on strategies to tackle inequities in affording health. Together, we’ll collaborate with legislators and channel our collective voices to address these concerns head-on.
Special thanks to:
- Valen Diaz, Research Associate/ Project Manager at the UCONN Health Disparities InstituteÂ
- Representative Corey P. Paris, CT General Assembly, 145th District (Stamford)
- Caprice Taylor Mendez, President of the Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut
- TJ Clarke II, Executive Director of Connecticut Oral Health Initiative and Assistant Majority Leader Hartford City Council
- Constanza Segovia, Organizing Director for Connecticut For All & the Hartford Deportation Defense
🎉 Thursday, April 4, 2024: Patricia Baker Advocacy Award Reception
Congratulations Rosana G. Ferraro, recipient of the Patricia Baker Award for Advocacy in Health Equity, and Senator Marilyn Moore recipient of the Racial Justice Advocacy Award. We are honored to share this space with you.Â
The Patricia Baker Award for Health Equity Advocacy represents excellence in policy advocacy to advance systems-level change to promote health equity in Connecticut. The Racial Justice Advocacy Award honors individuals, legislators, and organizations dedicated to fostering awareness and advocacy for racial and social justice, encompassing diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice.Â
More pictures here:
HEALTH EQUITY WEEK MEDIA MENTIONS!
- Tackling Medical Debt: A Path to Equity and Health Access: “As an international student, there was an unspoken pact among us, if you ever find yourself in need of medical help, do not call an ambulance—call an Uber. The reason? The fear of getting a medical bill you couldn’t pay, even with student health insurance” ss:
- Democrats, Advocates Say Standardizing Hospital Financial Assistance Forms Will Promote Health Equity: “Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, said that the legislation is meant “to ensure that people who have access to this help can actually get it.” The fear of debt, he said, keeps people from going to get help in the first place.”
- It’s harder to afford living in Connecticut, that could also harm people’s health, Yale expert says: “Tyson said if someone can’t afford where they live, then they most likely can’t afford to go to a doctor and buy medications. If they can make it to the doctor, she said it may still take them hours to reach their appointment if money isn’t invested in their community to improve transportation.”
- CT lawmakers want better hospital charity care to reduce medical debt:“Medical debt not only perpetrates economic disparity, but it also exacerbates a cycle of health inequity, entangling individuals in a web of financial debt and health-related challenges.”
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
April 6, 2025 –Â April 12, 2025
We look forward to seeing you at Connecticut’s 7th annual Health Equity Week in 2025! Interested in collaborating? Fill out this brief interest form.Â
Thank you for participating in our shared advocacy!