CT governor vetoes health reform bills, citing expense in face of state deficit

Two bills to reform health care in Connecticut drew vetoes from Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who called the measures too expensive for the state right now. The bills would have provided universal healthcare and allowed municipalities, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to join the state's insurance pool. Noting that the state faces a projected $8.85 billion deficit over the next two fiscal years, Rell said the universal SustiNet plan would cost an estimated $1 billion per year. A key problem, she said, was that the bill did not provide any explanation of how the plan would be paid for.