June, 2009 - CT Health Policy

White coats are history

By Ellen Andrews | June 17, 2009 |

Beyond the President’s speech, the real news from the AMA conference in Chicago is the vote to do away with white coats for doctors. Apparently those long sleeves hide MRSA and other germs, but it isn’t clear if they are transmitted to patients that way. But to be on the safe side, Britain banned white…

From the consumer helpline

By Ellen Andrews | June 16, 2009 |

A consumer called our helpline about a large bill with Hartford Hospital. Her bill for two hospital stays is about $270,000 and she is uninsured. Her income of about $49,000 doesn’t make her rich but it is over the limit for any of the hospital financial assistance programs. She was making payments on one of…

CT Health Facts updated

By Ellen Andrews | June 15, 2009 |

21% of CT residents are enrolled in a managed care plan. CT’s per person health care spending is 20% higher than the US average. One in six CT high school students smokes. Find these and more in our updated CT Health Facts. The list was updated by Selina Tirtajana, a CTHPP 2009 Summer intern.

Medicaid Managed Care Council update

By Ellen Andrews | June 13, 2009 |

At yesterday’s Council meeting DSS announced that PCCM finally has a name – HUSKY Primary Care – and a brochure for marketing. The program will be available to more consumers and providers in Willimantic and Waterbury soon. SAGA spending is up 13.5% this year over last, however enrollment grew by 16.3% from May 2008 to…

CT uninsured hospitalizations report

By Ellen Andrews | June 11, 2009 |

In fiscal year 2008, there were 12,314 hospitalizations in CT for patients with no third party payer (government or insurance plan), down from 13, 241 in 2007 and 12,988 in 2006, according to a new report by the Office of Health Care Access. However ER visits by the uninsured rose by 2.3% from 2006 to…

Support SustiNet

By Ellen Andrews | June 10, 2009 |

HB-6600, An Act Concerning the Establishment of the SustiNet Plan is on its way to the Governor’s desk after passing both houses of the General Assembly. Show your support by signing an online postcard to the Governor urging her to sign the act.

June CT Health Policy web quiz

By Ellen Andrews | June 9, 2009 |

Test your knowledge of small group health insurance in CT. Take the June CT Health Policy Web Quiz. This month’s quiz was written by Selina Tirtajana, CTHPP intern, Summer 2009.

Unemployment up, but not for health care

By Ellen Andrews | June 8, 2009 |

Friday’s national unemployment numbers for May were up to 9.4% from 8.9% in April. Since December 2007 when this recession began, 7 million more Americans are unemployed. A study published in January by the Urban Institute estimated that if unemployment reaches 10% this year, 13.2 million Americans will lose employer-sponsored coverage, Medicaid and SCHIP will…

New OLR reports on PCCM, HUSKY employers

By Ellen Andrews | June 5, 2009 |

According to OLR, in 2004 when Oklahoma switched from HMOs to PCCM to run their Medicaid managed care program, the state saved money and access to primary care improved. An evaluation of OK’s program by Mathematica found that under PCCM the number of participating primary care providers rose 44%, patients’ office visits nearly doubled, avoidable…

Patient-centered medical home briefing

By Ellen Andrews | June 4, 2009 |

Medical homes have been featured prominently in federal and state health reform plans. Join us for a policymaker briefing on what the patient-centered medical home concept is and how it might work in CT on Friday June 19th at 12:30 pm in the Old Judiciary Room at the State Capitol in Hartford. Speakers include Suneel…