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Will Empower Consumers

I am writing this letter in strong support of the re-election of State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D-12). Ted has shown outstanding leadership in the ways he has worked across party lines on many issues, especially those related to health care topics.

One of his efforts resulted in PA 15-146, a key bill that will enable consumers to have increased transparency concerning the price and quality of health care services. This information will empower consumers by allowing them to compare the costs of outpatient procedures at different facilities, allowing patients to minimize their out-of-pocket costs. Selecting equivalent providers has the additional benefits of lowering insurance expenditures, increasing competition, and potentially helping to slow the rate of increase for our health care premiums. Another major impact of this bill is that it protects consumers when they are receiving care at an in-network emergency facility. Previously, even if you went to an in-network facility, you could be billed at the out-of-network prices if your physician working at the hospital was not part of the network. Ted understood that it would be impossible for any consumer to get this information in an emergency room setting and this bill ensures that patients will be billed only the in-network rate.

There are many other examples that could be listed demonstrating the hard work Ted does every day on behalf of his constituents and all residents of the State of Connecticut. It is for these reasons that I encourage your readers to join me in supporting the re-election of State Senator Ted Kennedy.

Linda P. Milici

Branford