public health
CTNJ op-ed: Health disparities are real and new payment schemes are probably making them worse
Connecticut is a very healthy place; we rank fifth healthiest among states. But not all state residents share in that good fortune; too many suffer from health inequities. Very good people across the state are doing important work promoting better health for everyone. However some emerging policies, both government and private sector, are working at…
Read MoreCT excels at getting Medicaid-eligible families enrolled
A new study finds that 96.3% of CT children eligible for HUSKY participated in the program in 2016; we are tied for seventh among states. The US average is 93.7% for all states; 94.9% for states, like CT, that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Even better, CT ranks fourth among states in enrolling…
Read MoreRash of New Haven overdoses the latest in a growing CT problem
The New Haven Register is reporting that there’ve been 80 overdoses on the Green in the last two days. Two patients overdosed three times each Wednesday. It was ongoing earlier this afternoon. DPH delivered 50 more doses of naloxone to city first responders and is facilitating communications between city agencies. DMHAS has engaged mental health…
Read MoreGood news – FDA committee reviewing lots more antibiotics
The best news from this week’s FDA Anti-Microbial Advisory Committee meeting was that there are a lot of meetings. A busy committee means that they have more antibiotics to review. The race against drug-resistant superbugs has reduced incentives for drug companies to develop antibiotics. These drugs cost as much to develop as others but are…
Read MoreCTNJ: Capitation vs. fee for service: Which team are you on?
is a sharp divide within Connecticut’s healthcare community over how to pay for care that’s as fervent as the Yankees vs. Red Sox split. Some believe that capitation is the holy grail, but others believe that fee for service isn’t the problem and isn’t broken. Read more
Read MoreSummer reading — What the Eyes Don’t See
To save money in 2014 the state of Michigan switched Flint’s drinking water supply, with disastrous consequences. The latest addition to the CT Health Policy Project Book Club, What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, follows her journey as a pediatrician with a conscience fighting the state to protect Flint’s kids. Not an…
Read MoreSummer reading: CT Medicine special issue highlights HIT in CT
The latest issue of CT Medicine, the CT State Medical Society’s peer reviewed journal, focuses on the great potential of Health Information Technology (HIT) to improve healthcare delivery, safety and building a learning system in our state. But it also highlights the substantial HIT challenges facing CT and stresses on physicians. The issue includes articles…
Read More31 ways to save on healthcare in Connecticut’s budget
Connecticut’s state budget is facing future deficits and health spending is a large share of the budget. The state now spends $3.8 billion between Medicaid and the state employee health plan to cover about a million state residents. Health care spending outside the state budget is also growing. Connecticut has the sixth highest per capita…
Read MoreCT suicide rate up, but it could be worse
The national suicide rate grew by 25% from 1999 to 2016 while CT’s rate grew by 19.2% over those years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicides in CT are more than three times higher for men and 31% higher for whites. Over half of Americans who died by suicide did…
Read MoreCTNJ: Healthcare questions for Connecticut’s Next Governor
How will Connecticut’s next governor fix the state’s healthcare system? It’s a big job but they will have a lot more leverage and power than many appreciate. Read more
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