Families worry about health care for children on HUSKY B

<p>The federal government will not shut down this weekend thanks to a last-minute vote in Congress, but some families in Connecticut say they are still nervous about losing their health insurance.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Dec 22, 2017, 7:49 PM

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Updated 2,315 days ago

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The federal government will not shut down this weekend thanks to a last-minute vote in Congress, but some families in Connecticut say they are still nervous about losing their health insurance.

Corissa Thompson works for Optimus Health Care in Stamford and is also a patient there because she says she can't afford traditional health care.

"I was going to doctors' offices and they were asking me for $200 or $300 dollars per visit, and everybody can't afford that," Thompson says. "I don't think most people can afford it."

Optimus' federal funding was set to run out in February, Congress has now given them an extra month. Beyond that, however, they're in limbo.

"So everybody's very nervous," says Optimus Dr. Deb Gerson. "You should care about this because it does affect the economy in general."

Also in limbo is HUSKY B coverage for children in low-income families. United States Sen. Richard Blumenthal says Congress needs to give more.

"There's insufficient money -- only $2.5 billion for CHIP," he says.

Southwest Community Health Centers also don't know if they'll have any federal money past March.

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