Archive for February 2012
Medical Society pilot guides practices to PCMH recognition
A pilot training and support program has helped 13 small CT primary care practices, with 105 physicians plus clinical and administrative staff, achieve NCQA patient-centered medical home (PCMH) recognition. Six other practices have applications pending. Those practices join the growing list of 600 recognized PCMH providers in CT as first adopters of this important delivery…
Read MoreBill adding consumer and small business voices to Exchange Board passes Insurance Committee unanimously
Earlier today the legislature’s Insurance Committee unanimously passed HB-5013 with substitute language. The new bill language adds one consumer and one small business representative to the CT Health Insurance Exchange Board and makes the State Health Care Advocate a voting member. The bill will be effective upon passage. The bipartisan bill partially addresses concerns raised…
Read MorePooling bill moves forward
Friday OPM approved the first step in allowing municipalities to join the state employee health care pool. The option was created in law last year but has been held up by concerns about cost. Changes to the proposed rules allowed the program to move ahead. Proponents argue that the law will provide higher value, lower…
Read MoreAdvocates disrupt insurance exchange meeting
Yesterday, advocates spoke out during the CT Health Insurance Exchange Board meeting to protest the lack of consumer voices on the Board. The Board has been widely criticized for lacking any voting consumer members, despite federal regulations that call for consumers to comprise a majority of voting members. Several members of the Board called for…
Read MoreInsurance public hearing to add consumers to insurance exchange board
Today, the Insurance and Real Estate Committee held a public hearing on HB-5013 – a very weak bill that would have added only one, narrowly defined consumer advocate and one small business person to the exchange but not before July 1st. It also would have given the State Health Care Advocate a vote But again…
Read MoreMedicaid Council update
Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting featured DSS Commissioner Bremby’s comprehensive, long overdue client services system overhaul. To say the current systems are outdated is a massive understatement – fragmented, ancient, paper-based, and under-resourced. DSS’ plans for the future are as good as the current system is bad. Phone and online systems will be integrated, information for…
Read MoreGovernor’s proposed budget adjustments – one major health change
The Governor’s proposals to adjust the current biennial budget include changes to LIA (the former SAGA program). When SAGA was merged into Medicaid in 2010, creating LIA, the asset limit of $1,000 was removed. Since that time enrollment has grown significantly due in part to removing the asset limit (the economy doubtless had something to…
Read MoreYalies oppose federal needle exchange program cutback
Yesterday, a group of Yale students, the Student Global Health and AIDS campaign, protested the recent Congressional reversal of a 2009 Obama administration decision to fund needle exchange programs. The programs are an important, very effective public health measure preventing the spread of disease including HIV/AIDS.
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard — 10.4% progress to date
How is CT doing reforming our broken health system? Are we making smart choices? Are we taking advantage of opportunities? Having trouble keeping up with the many moving parts? Visit our CT Health Reform Dashboard at www.cthealthreform.org
Read MoreFebruary web quiz – Insurance exchange planning report
Test your knowledge of CT’s health insurance exchange planning. Take the February CT Health Policy Webquiz.
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