Advocating for policies that grow our state’s life science industry.

MARCH 3, 2026

Testimony Submitted to the Insurance and Real Estate Committee
Support of Senate Bill 342

An Act Concerning Health Coverage

Senator Cabrera, Representative Wood, Senator Hwang, Representative Pavalock-D’Amato and members of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of SB 342 AAC Health Coverage.

My name is Jodie Gillon, the President and CEO of BioCT. BioCT is a leading voice for the life science industry in Connecticut. Our mission is to catalyze and accelerate growth in the life sciences with the goal of improving human health by fostering a rich, innovative ecosystem and promoting Connecticut as a preferred destination for life science exploration and innovation. Our members include life and healthcare science companies, major research universities and other academic institutions, health centers, medical device developers and manufacturers, and other partners. We educate, cultivate entrepreneurship, support the growth of life science companies, and collaborate to ensure a sustainable, high-value life science and healthcare community that improves our quality of life and keeps the Connecticut economy strong.

Section 4 of this bill is essential because it prohibits the automatic downcoding or denial of health insurance claims without clinical peer review. While AI tools can help with efficiency, they are not yet capable of consistently understanding the full clinical context, nuances of patient history, or the realities of complex medical cases. These decisions directly affect people’s health, safety, and financial stability, and they cannot be left solely to an algorithm. An approval or a denial could be the difference between life and death or severe morbidity. We have an ethical obligation to ensure that humans review these decisions.

AI is rapidly evolving but still imperfect. Even the most advanced systems can misinterpret medical documentation, apply overly rigid rules, or make errors that a clinician would not. Human reviewers provide the necessary safeguards of judgment, accountability, and compassion – qualities that cannot be automated. Requiring human oversight does not suppress innovation; rather, it ensures that technology serves patients, not the other way around.

A human reviewer provides the critical safeguard of judgment, accountability, and compassion—none of which can be automated. Requiring human oversight does not eliminate innovation; it ensures that technology serves patients rather than harms them. Section 4 is a balanced, commonsense protection that maintains efficiency while preserving the integrity and safety of medical decision making.

Thank you for your consideration of this testimony. I respectfully urge the Committee to adopt Section 4 of SB 342.

Jodie Gillon
President & CEO, BioCT