State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6) has accepted a senior position in the administration of incoming Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT), working on health care policy.
Gerratana will be as a senior advisor in the state Office of Health Strategy.
The Office is charged with planning health care access in the state, including implementation of health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, health information technology planning and health care systems planning.
Gerratana says that she is excited about the opportunity to develop policy and systems for, “everything regarding access to health care and quality of health care in our state.”
She noted policy areas, including eliminating health care disparities, keeping the cost of prescription drugs down and improving the use of technology to improve health care quality and health coverage.
Health issues have been at the center of Gerratana’s work as a legislator over the years. Her official biography says,
Terry was instrumental in passing children’s health care legislation as well as managed care and mental health reform. She worked to create a breast and cervical cancer early detection and treatment referral program, to require health insurance plans to provide 48-hour inpatient care for mothers and infants after normal child delivery and to create a work incentives program for people with disabilities. In 2016, Senator Gerratana led the charge on a number of critical public health issues, including the passage of a strong, multi-faceted law that seeks to combat opioid addiction and save lives.
Gerratana will leave the State Senate and will not be sworn-in for the new legislative term that begins today.
Gerratana has been a state legislator for eighteen years. She served in the in State House of Representatives for ten years, from 1993 to 2003, representing New Britain and Berlin.
In 2011, Gerratana was elected to the State Senate in a special election to succeed Sen. Donald DeFronzo (D-6) when he became Commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Services.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of the Sixth District,” said Gerratana. She said that she had mixed feelings about leaving the State Senate, but that her new position allows a good continuation of her public service.
Gerratana said that her new position allows her, “broadening horizons,” enabling her to provide good public services to all of the people of the state.
Gerratana had especially kind words for the people of New Britain. She said that she is, “grateful for their support over the years in House and Senate, and deeply appreciate the support from people in my home town.”
State Rep. Rick Lopes (D-24), who has announced that he is running to succeed Gerratana lauded the Senator, saying she, “has been an exemplary advocate for this district at the Capitol and I hope to build on the great foundation of work that she has established over the past eight years.”
Gerratana’s departure sets in motion a process in state law for a special election to fill her seat. Incoming Gov. Lamont will have ten days to issue a call for an election. That election appears likely to occur either on February 26th or March 5th.
