Archive for January 2024
Making it work: Connecting medical and social care in Waterbury
As healthcare costs skyrocket, policymakers are searching for ways to improve the social drivers of poor health with little success. The problem is that the medical system has all the money, while community services manage on shoestrings, and they don’t connect with each other. Some innovators in Connecticut are doing the work to connect the…
Read MoreCT smoking costs total $4.9 million over a lifetime
A new analysis by Nerd Wallet finds that smokers in Connecticut cost an extra $4.9 million over a lifetime or $102,883 per year on average, the 4th highest rate in the US. Only smokers in New York, the District of Columbia, and Maryland have higher costs. Costs include not only out-of-pocket costs for cigarettes, but…
Read MoreComments on Medicaid maternity bundle plans
DSS is planning to move Medicaid payments for maternity services to a per-person bundle from the current fee-for-service arrangement. They will also expand services to include doula and lactation supports. However, advocates have asked questions and raised concerns about unintended consequences when providers make more money by reducing the costs of their patients’ care. While…
Read MoreAnalysis: Overheard in CT healthcare reform
Healthcare in Connecticut is expensive, and the quality doesn’t match the prices. We’ve had several mis-starts trying to reform our healthcare system. Perspectives vary, but lately I’ve heard some interesting statements that shed light on the problems. Read more
Read MoreRecommended Reading – Books
Download the list Building on occasional Book Club Blog entries, I’ve been asked for a health policy reading list. These are books that changed how I think as a health policy analyst. They inspired me, opened my mind, connected dots for me, taught me hard and soft skills, and told stories I didn’t know, even…
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