Archive for October 2013
Maryland’s SIM proposal emphasizes quality improvement, community resources and engagement
Maryland’s newly released SIM proposal includes many attractive features CT advocates have been championing for our state. Quality improvement and sophisticated analytical tools to support quality are MD’s priority and constitute most of their proposal’s content. The foundation of their plan is to “integrate patient-centered care with community-based resources while enhancing the capacity of local…
Read MoreSIM proposal draft – no commitment to deny payment to providers who deny care
During yesterday’s meeting, SIM leaders posted their first draft online of the administration’s plan to reform health care in CT. SIM is designed to radically transform how health care is delivered and paid for in our state across all payers – Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, self-insured employers, individuals and small businesses. Despite earlier encouraging conversations,…
Read MoreAPCD Roundtable – lessons for CT
Yesterday’s CT Health Policy Roundtable on All-Payer Claims Databases yielded many lessons for CT from other states and organizations. Lessons included the need for strong privacy and security protections, avoiding commercial uses, licensing to universities and organizations rather than individuals, and developing a transparent, fair process for access to the data based on the…
Read MoreCT Health Policy Roundtable: CT’s APCD tomorrow
Join national and state experts tomorrow for a Roundtable to learn more about the potential for Connecticut’s new All-Payer Claims Database in health care planning, improving health care quality, capacity and promoting health equity. The Roundtable is sponsored by the CT Health Policy Project, the CT Center for Patient Safety and Access Health Analyticsand made…
Read MoreSIM update – moving in a better direction
Yesterday’s SIM meeting showed some positive movement toward a system that respects and protects consumers. Recognizing the potential harm to consumers, SIM leaders now intend to monitor for under-treatment and inappropriate treatment, and the payment model no longer includes capitation, both serious concerns raised by advocates. However advocates remain troubled that there is no…
Read MoreCT among ten highest states in Medicare drug spending
A new analysis by C-HIT finds that CT seniors on Medicare are spending more than consumers in most other states on prescriptions. CT elderly Medicare beneficiaries are more likely to use brand name drugs than generics, especially in high income towns in Fairfield county. Within the state, Meriden has the highest per beneficiary prescription…
Read MoreEarly insurance exchange enrollment older and half to Medicaid
Between the beginning of the month and Tuesday 3,847 people had enrolled in coverage through Access Health CT, our state’s health insurance exchange, according to a presentation to the exchange Board this morning. 1,857 (48%) are eligible for Medicaid, 1,125 (29%) for subsidized insurance, 772 (20%) for insurance without a subsidy, and 93 (2%)…
Read MoreMedicaid performance dashboard unveiled; marked improvement with switch from HUSKY HMOs
At Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting, DSS described their new ASO accountability dashboard with performance measures for the program. From January 2012, when the HMOs left the program, to this June the number of providers participating in CT’s program has grown 32%, hospital admissions are down 3.2%, the average length of stay is down 5%,…
Read MoreBook Club: David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell
I read this latest addition to the CT Health Policy Project Book Club on a long flight and couldn’t put it down. It should be required reading for every advocate. Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book describes why the underdog often wins against what initially seems like long odds. After he drills down on the story…
Read MoreSIM forum with advocates
This morning, SIM leadership held a forum to explain their plan to advocates. Unfortunately few independent consumer advocates were given an opportunity to ask questions, including this one. Most of the time was taken by SIM committee members expressing their positions, describing their programs and experiences. Many of the questions came from providers and…
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