Connecticut health insurers are seeking premium increases as high as 18 percent, on average, for their individual and small group health plans. Year after year, they raise rates while access to care, especially behavioral health care, remains poor.
The state’s rate review process gives us a chance to demand accountability. If insurers want to charge consumers, they must show real, measurable improvements in access to care.
Add your name to urge the Insurance Department to reject any premium hikes that don’t come with proof of progress on behavioral health access and network adequacy.
To: Connecticut Insurance Department
From: [Your Name]
Dear Connecticut Insurance Department,
I am writing to express concern about the proposed 2026 premium increases for individual and small group health plans.
Health insurance premiums continue to rise at a time when many Connecticut residents still face persistent barriers to accessing timely behavioral health care. These growing costs, without clear improvements in network adequacy or service availability, raise serious questions about whether the proposed rates are excessive under Connecticut law.
If insurers are charging more each year, they should be offering more in return — especially when it comes to mental health and substance use treatment. Consumers are told they have coverage, but many struggle to find in-network providers, wait weeks or months for appointments, or give up trying altogether. In this environment, the value of coverage is keeping pace with its cost.
The Department has a responsibility to assess whether rates are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. I respectfully urge you to consider whether premium increases are justified without measurable improvements in access to behavioral health care. When premiums increase but access stagnates, families are left paying more for less. This imbalance harms patients and weakens public health.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for considering the perspective of consumers during the rate review process.
Sincerely,