CBIA BizCast: Setback for Small Business Healthcare Options

Health care affordability, Connecticut’s economy, and workforce development are front and center on this episode of CBIA BizCast.

CBIA Policy Director Grace Brangwynne joins host Amanda Marlow to discuss the defeat of legislation allowing small businesses to form association health plans.

Association Health Plans allow small businesses to come together, pool their risk, and purchase affordable, high quality health insurance through a trade association or local chamber of commerce.

Marlow was also joined by CBIA Foundation director Dustin Nord to break down new economic data and highlight the foundation’s newly released Connecticut Workforce & Education Strategy Blueprint.

The episode also features a portion of a conversation between Nord, former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Electric Boat’s Willie Barber, and Economic Leadership’s Kat Saunders highlighting the blueprint.

And the episode highlights a recent news conference on a push to expand the R&D tax credit to pass-through entities at Burke Aerospace. The event included Gov. Ned Lamont, Burke president and CEO Brittany Isherwood, DECD commissioner Dan O’Keefe, and CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.

Episode Highlights

Small Business Healthcare

• What are Association Health Plans?
• Why did the legislation fail?
• What’s next for small businesses and their employees?

Economic Update

• Connecticut added 5,300 jobs in January
• Connecticut’s economy expanded 2.4% in 2025—12^th fastest in the country

Workforce Blueprint

• Release of CBIA Foundation’s Connecticut Workforce & Education Strategy Blueprint
• Panel discussion on strengthening high school-to-career pathways, aligning education and industry needs, and overcoming fragmentation in Connecticut’s workforce system
• Panelists include:
  • Miguel Cardona, former U.S. Secretary of Education
  • Willie Barber, Electric Boat
  • Kat Saunders, Economic Leadership

R&D Tax Credit for Small Business

• News conference highlighted efforts to expands Connecticut’s R&D tax credit to pass-through entities
• 6% credit helps small firms invest in innovation and jobs
• Supports small business growth in Connecticut

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