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CT DACA recipients can soon get health coverage on the exchange

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CT DACA recipients can soon get health coverage on the exchange


Beginning Nov. 1, Connecticut participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA, can for the first time enroll in health coverage through Access Health CT.

The change follows a federal policy finalized in May expanding the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, eligibility to DACA recipients.

The ACA allows U.S. citizens and lawfully present noncitizens to obtain health coverage and subsidies through state-based marketplaces, like Access Health CT. But, prior to the new regulations, DACA recipients weren’t considered “lawfully present” as it pertains to the ACA.

“This really fixes that exclusion that happened when DACA was created back in 2012,” said Carolina Bortolleto, a co-founder of CT Students for a Dream, a statewide organization advocating for undocumented students and their families. “It shows that expanding coverage is something our government officials know is a good thing to do.”

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With the updated regulation, DACA recipients will now be able to enroll in coverage through state-based marketplaces, like Access Health CT. They can also obtain subsidies to help cover the cost of a plan if they qualify based on their income, address, and household size. 

People can enroll online, in person, or by phone. Residents can also visit one of Access Health CT’s Navigator partner locations to get help from an enrollment specialist. 

The Biden administration estimates that more than a third of DACA recipients currently do not have health insurance and that the new rule could help 100,000 people across the country obtain coverage. 

There are roughly 2,900 DACA recipients in Connecticut as of March 2024, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Bortolleto said most DACA recipients that have health coverage get it through their employers. Some also qualify for Medicaid, known as HUSKY in Connecticut. 

But the expansion could still face legal challenges. 

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A lawsuit filed by Kansas and 18 other states seeks to block the new rule. But no decision has been made yet, meaning DACA recipients are still eligible for marketplace plans and subsidies when open enrollment starts on Nov. 1. 

‘HUSKY for immigrants’

Bortolleto said that the new federal regulation could also help bolster the ongoing push to broaden health coverage to undocumented residents in the state.

“It’s particularly significant because here in Connecticut we are fighting to expand access to HUSKY Medicaid to the undocumented population,” Bortolleto said. “It also highlights that there’s still a gap that will be left behind, even after DACA recipients are able to access the ACA.”

In Connecticut, children 15 and under, as well as people who are pregnant and postpartum, qualify for health coverage from the state regardless of immigration status.

But the effort to extend Medicaid-like coverage to children without permanent legal status has been a gradual and sometimes frustrating journey for many advocates. In 2021, legislators passed a bill opening the program to undocumented kids 8 and younger but delayed the launch until Jan. 1, 2023. In 2022, they broadened the population to include those 12 and younger.

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Last year, a measure was introduced expanding it to everyone 25 and younger. But legislators settled on a pared back version, folded into the state budget, that extends coverage to kids 15 and younger regardless of their immigration status, which went into effect in July of this year.

The program has seen strong demand. As of April of this year, over 11,000 children 12 and under who wouldn’t have otherwise qualified for Medicaid because of their immigration status were enrolled in state-sponsored Medicaid-like coverage, smashing estimates that roughly 4,250 kids would enroll. 



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Connecticut

Public Middle School In Fairfield Among Top 5 In CT: New Report

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Public Middle School In Fairfield Among Top 5 In CT: New Report


Roger Ludlowe Middle School in Fairfield is the fifth-best in the state, and is credited with having a 10:1 student/teacher ratio; 72 percent proficiency in math; and 80 percent proficiency in reading.

U.S. News ranks schools based on “their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school.” Click here to read the publication’s methodology.

Roger Ludlowe joins five public elementary schools in Fairfield to be ranked by U.S. News among the state’s best.

The best public middle school in Connecticut is House of Arts Letters and Science Academy in New Britain. Rounding out the top five are Eastern Middle School in Riverside (#2); Saxe Middle School in New Canaan (#3); and Middlebrook School in Wilton (#4).

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U.S. News studied publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education for its ranking, and analyzed 59,128 middle schools throughout the country for the report.

For more information on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of top public middle schools, click here.



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Connecticut couple arrested for $1 million Lululemon theft spree across multiple states | The Express Tribune

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Connecticut couple arrested for  million Lululemon theft spree across multiple states | The Express Tribune


A Connecticut couple allegedly stole nearly $1 million worth of Lululemon merchandise during a two-month, multi-state theft spree, according to authorities.

Jadion Richards, 44, and Akwele Lawes-Richards, 45, were arrested on November 14 for stealing high-end fitness apparel from stores in Minnesota, Utah, Colorado, New York, and Connecticut since September, as detailed in a criminal complaint reported by multiple outlets.

The theft spree was uncovered after Lululemon investigators noticed significant losses, which escalated when the pair triggered a security alarm while leaving a store in Woodbury, Minnesota.

Richards reportedly accused store employees of racially profiling him, the complaint stated. However, a company investigator alleged the couple had stolen at least 45 items worth $5,000 from various stores the previous day.

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Police apprehended the pair and discovered multiple credit and debit cards, along with a key to a Marriott hotel room. Inside the room, officers found 12 suitcases, three of which contained approximately $50,000 worth of Lululemon merchandise, as per the complaint.

The company investigator estimated the total stolen merchandise could be worth up to $1 million, though the complaint did not detail how this estimate was calculated.

Lululemon merchandise is known for its high price points, with clothing starting at over $50 and sweatshirts often costing more than $130.

“This outcome continues to underscore our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and our investments in advanced technology, team training and investigative capabilities to combat retail crime and hold offenders accountable,” Lululemon’s vice president of asset protection told NBC News.

“We remain dedicated to continuing these efforts to address and prevent this industry-wide issue.”

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The couple allegedly used various tactics to commit the thefts, including one distracting store staff while the other hid the fitness apparel under their clothes and jackets, according to the complaint.



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Connecticut man arrested in Puerto Rico for allegedly killing 4-month-old and Massachusetts mother

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Connecticut man arrested in Puerto Rico for allegedly killing 4-month-old and Massachusetts mother


Connecticut man arrested in Puerto Rico for allegedly killing 4-month-old and Massachusetts mother – CBS Boston

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A Connecticut man has been arrested in Puerto Rico for allegedly shooting and killing a four-month-old baby and the child’s 20-year-old mother from Massachusetts.

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