A powerful grassroots movement is taking root in Connecticut, fueled by senior citizens who feel betrayed by the long-term care insurance they bought for peace of mind. Decades after purchasing these policies in good faith, thousands of residents are now facing staggering and relentless premium increases that threaten their financial stability. In response, these aggrieved policyholders are organizing a statewide campaign to demand meaningful legislative reform and hold the insurance industry accountable for what they see as a broken promise. This burgeoning consumer-led rebellion is poised to challenge the status quo, setting the stage for a significant legislative battle that could reshape the future of long-term care financing for an entire generation. The fight is not just about numbers on a balance sheet; it is about the dignity and security of elderly residents who planned responsibly for their futures, only to find that security slipping through their fingers.
The Unraveling of a Financial Safety Net
A Crisis of Miscalculation
The long-term care insurance market in Connecticut is in a state of profound crisis for nearly 100,000 policyholders, whose financial safety nets are rapidly fraying. These policies, originally marketed as a prudent way to cover essential services like in-home assistance, assisted living, and nursing home stays, have become sources of immense financial strain. The core of the problem stems from a series of critical miscalculations made by the insurance industry decades ago. A 2025 investigation by the Connecticut Mirror brought these issues to light, revealing that insurers had drastically underestimated key actuarial factors. They failed to accurately project how long policyholders would live, the escalating future costs of medical and personal care, and the sheer number of individuals who would ultimately rely on their policies. This perfect storm of flawed assumptions created a massive financial shortfall, and now, insurers are turning to their oldest and most loyal customers to bridge the gap through punishing rate hikes.
The direct fallout from these historical miscalculations has manifested as a relentless wave of aggressive and frequent premium increases imposed upon consumers. The scale of the problem is stark: between early 2019 and late 2024, more than 17,000 residents in the state were subjected to premium increases of 50% or more, with some individual hikes reaching an astonishing 174%. Major industry players like Genworth Financial, Metropolitan Life, and Transamerica Life repeatedly sought and received regulatory approval for substantial rate increases for five consecutive years starting in 2019. For instance, in 2022, Genworth implemented an average rate hike of 97% for a group of over 2,000 people. For seniors on fixed incomes, these abstract percentages translate into concrete financial hardship. The experience of 77-year-old Jack Cook personalizes this trend; he and his wife have seen their annual premium balloon from a manageable $1,950 in 2010 to $5,300, with another projected increase to $6,500 expected in 2027.
From Policyholders to Activists
In the face of what they perceived as legislative indifference and regulatory failure, a determined group of policyholders has taken matters into their own hands, launching a statewide grassroots campaign for comprehensive reform. This burgeoning movement is spearheaded by individuals who have transformed their personal frustration into a collective mission. Among its leaders are David Schwartzer, a 71-year-old former insurance executive whose own premiums have skyrocketed by over 300% in 21 years to an annual cost of $9,200, and Jan Kritzman, a 78-year-old whose policy costs have climbed from $2,000 to $7,000 since 2004. They are fighting not just to protect their own investments but to give a voice to the countless other seniors who feel powerless, are unable to navigate the legislative process, and are on the brink of abandoning the coverage they have dutifully paid into for decades, which would mean losing their entire investment.
This nascent movement has spent the last six months building a powerful coalition from the ground up. Schwartzer, Kritzman, and fellow advocate Kenneth Kollmeyer have been crisscrossing Connecticut, holding town-hall-style meetings in the community rooms of libraries and senior centers in towns from Berlin to Willimantic to Farmington. At these events, they share their personal stories of financial strain, educate fellow residents on the systemic failures and actuarial miscalculations that plague the industry, and provide practical tools to help attendees contact their state legislators effectively. Their strategic goal is to build an undeniable and well-informed constituency of engaged citizens. By creating this groundswell of public pressure, they aim to ensure that lawmakers cannot ignore their demands for relief and reform when they convene for the 2026 legislative session, forcing the issue to the top of the political agenda.
The Battle for Legislative Reform
A Push for Concrete Solutions
The current grassroots effort was born directly from the ashes of legislative failure during the previous session, a setback that has only strengthened the resolve of policyholder advocates. Last year, momentum for reform appeared strong, with five separate committees advancing relevant bills. A key measure, which would have required public hearings for any rate hike requests, even passed the state Senate with unanimous support. However, this promising piece of legislation ultimately died in the House of Representatives after it faced stiff opposition from a powerful coalition of insurance industry lobbyists. This defeat served as a wake-up call for consumers, demonstrating that passion alone was insufficient to counter entrenched industry influence. It galvanized them to organize more formally, refine their message, and develop a clear, targeted set of demands to present directly to key legislative leaders ahead of the next session.
Emboldened by their growing numbers and a clear sense of purpose, the policyholder coalition has developed a specific and pragmatic slate of legislative proposals for the 2026 session. These are not vague calls for action but concrete solutions designed to provide immediate relief and long-term stability. At the top of their list is a request for a firm annual rate cap for policyholders aged 65 and older who have maintained their policies for at least 15 years; they suggest tying this cap to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with an absolute maximum increase of no more than 10% in any given year. Furthermore, they are proposing a halt to any further premium increases for individuals who have already absorbed cumulative rate hikes of 300% or more. Finally, to address the lack of information that has hampered past regulatory efforts, the advocates are demanding greater transparency, pushing for regulations that would require insurance companies to disclose more detailed financial data.
Competing Voices at the Capitol
The persistent and organized message from policyholders appears to be resonating at the state capitol, where several influential legislators have acknowledged the severity of the problem and expressed a firm commitment to taking action. Rep. Jane Garibay, co-chair of the Aging Committee, confirmed that the issue of skyrocketing long-term care insurance premiums is a top concern among her constituents. Similarly, Sen. Jorge Cabrera, who co-chairs the powerful Insurance and Real Estate Committee, has framed the legislative objective clearly: to arrest the constant, unsustainable increases and ensure that these policies function as they were intended when policyholders need to make a claim. Sen. Matthew Lesser has described the need for reform as “overdue,” emphasizing the importance of keeping pressure on both the legislature and the state insurance department to demand accountability and action. This growing political support suggests the advocates’ efforts have successfully elevated the issue.
Despite this building momentum for consumer protection, the path to reform is far from clear, as it is being met with a counter-narrative from the insurance industry. Eric George, president of the Insurance Association of Connecticut, has publicly acknowledged the frustration and financial pain experienced by consumers but has also pointed to the significant challenges that insurers face in managing the escalating costs of care services. This perspective frames the situation as a complex economic problem where both companies and consumers are feeling intense financial pressure. This sets the stage for a major legislative showdown in the upcoming session. The debate pitted the tangible harm being done to thousands of elderly policyholders against the industry’s arguments about its own financial viability, and the outcome of this conflict will have lasting consequences for the future of long-term care in the state.
