Archive for February 2013
CT Health Insurance Advisory Council hearing
Three of the four speakers at yesterday’s public hearing testified in favor of SB-957, An Act Establishing a Health Insurance Advisory Council. The Council’s mission is to advise the insurance department and “examine ways to ensure effective review by the Insurance Department of health insurance rates, ensure the affordability of health insurance in this state…
Read MoreCT exchange hire for call center has troubled history with the state
CT’s health insurance exchange has hired Maximus to provide the critical call center service for the new marketplace. Consumers with questions about the confusing new landscape — seeking help applying for programs, figuring out which plan is right for them, trouble navigating the website, etc. — will be directed to this call center. An article…
Read MoreHealth Insurance Advisory Council bill hearing tomorrow
Tomorrow the Insurance and Real Estate Committee will hold a public hearing on SB-957, An Act Establishing a Health Insurance Advisory Council. The bill would create a public, transparent Council to advise the state on regulating insurance, promoting affordable coverage, network adequacy, and implementing the important consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act. Council members…
Read MoreTime cover article focuses on health care prices, including two CT hospitals
Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us?, Time magazine’s latest cover story, is a fascinating look into medical prices – why they are so expensive and so unequal. The article includes a deep dive into several cases including Janice S at Stamford Hospital, and Emilia Gilbert from Bridgeport, part of the Yale New Haven…
Read MoreExchange update: HUSKY parents at risk, out of network standard plan costs alarming
Public testimony before yesterday’s CT Health Insurance Exchange Board centered on the administration’s proposal to cut eligibility for HUSKY parents over 133% of the federal poverty level (currently $25,975 for family of three) saving the state $3 million in FY 14 and $30 million (net) the next year. The proposal assumes those families will purchase…
Read MoreSeeking community input on public education about the ACA and insurance
The Affordable Care Act has a lot of moving parts – both opportunities and responsibilities – for consumers and it can be very confusing. Part of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act includes recruiting In-Person Assisters to help people who are uninsured get insurance. Organizers expect that hundreds of IPAs will be housed in community-based…
Read MoreMore Insurance Exchange forums scheduled
The CT Health Insurance Exchange, renamed Access Health CT, is planning more Healthy Chat forums. The events are designed to answer questions about the exchange and the states plans for health reform. Events will be held in Norwich, Willimantic, Manchester, Meriden, Torrington, Danbury and Enfield from Feb. 19th through March 19th in the evenings. For…
Read MoreEarly results on CT’s state employee wellness program encouraging
Early lessons from CT Health Enhancement Program (HEP) for state employees and retirees found primary care visits are up, specialty care is down, ER visits are down, and adherence to maintenance medications for chronic illness is up. HEP is administered by the Comptroller’s Office. There is also early evidence that HEP is slowing the increase…
Read MoreWin support for your health justice idea
Submit your idea to achieve health justice for every CT residents to the Health Justice Challenge and you may win $10,000 to implement it. The Challenge, project of Health Justice CT, is a competition open to individuals and organizations to generate solutions to health disparities in CT. The deadline has been extended to next Friday,…
Read MoreGovernor proposes to cut 40,000 working parents from HUSKY
The Governor’s budget proposal released today would move an estimated 20,000 working parents with incomes from 133% to 185% of the federal poverty level (currently $25,975 to $36,130/year for a family of three) from HUSKY to the CT Health Insurance Exchange. Right now those working parents pay no premiums or copays for comprehensive coverage. In…
Read More