Advocates, providers send Governor, legislators letter about cost cap impact and unintended consequences

Yesterday, twenty advocates and providers sent letters to the Governor and legislative leaders objecting to the rush to develop a cap on healthcare cost increases during a pandemic, and to use the time to incorporate input from diverse stakeholders and for thoughtful design with a broad group chosen democratically. “This controversial proposal, if rushed ahead now without stakeholder input, could risk the health of Connecticut’s high-need residents, literally in the middle of a pandemic.”

The letter cites potential unintended consequences of the cost cap. Advocates and providers object to making significant, long-term changes to how care is paid for during a pandemic that has caused massive disruption in healthcare delivery, upended usual healthcare spending trends, and hit people of color, and seniors, people with chronic health conditions hardest. The authors raise concerns that Medicaid, which has achieved impressive levels of cost control, would allow commercial payers to increase costs more. “The best way to correct this is to provide for a robust system of input from all stakeholders, especially consumers and advocates whose sole job is to represent them.”