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Continuing to vote against measures that add to the state deficit, State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90) today voted against a veto override to restore Medicare Savings Plan funding until July 1.
The legislation, initially passed on January 8 and vetoed by Governor Malloy, restores funds for the state Medicare Savings Plan for half of the budget cycle but fails to address the program’s future, unbalances the present budget and creates an additional $17.8 million deficit for 2019.
The Medicare Savings Plan (MSP), a state program to help seniors and the disabled pay for Medicare coinsurance, deductibles and premiums, was reduced with passage of the bipartisan budget late last year. The program is administered to qualified individuals based on income eligibility limits. In the meantime, Governor Malloy delayed implementation of the cuts until the beginning of the next fiscal year in July.
“I support the program and its recipients but I could not cast a vote to increase the state budget deficit, and certainly not when it only creates a 5-month, temporary reprieve,” Rep. Fishbein said. “When I voted against the original bill I said the program needed substantial overhaul to better serve the people it is intended to serve.”
