Posts by Ellen Andrews
CT drops five notches in our state’s health system performance ranking
Connecticut ranks 11th among states according to the Commonwealth Fund’s 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance report. While we’re still ahead of 39 states, we fell from 6th place in the 2023 report. The problems touch the cost of care, no surprise, but also utilization/access and quality. The cost of care gets a lot…
Read MoreFederal changes are coming into view – it’s not good, but there is hope
It’s hard to keep up with the updates about the potential impact of Congressional healthcare proposals. Just when there is a glimmer of light, it gets worse. I won’t blame anyone for not reading any further. For those of us who can’t look away, here are two new analyses of note and two glimmers of…
Read MoreCoverage chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve refreshed the numbers, links, and trends in the Coverage chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers but also by significant potential changes being considered by Congress and the Trump administration now. We have a lot to lose in Connecticut, where our uninsured rates are low compared to other states.…
Read MoreThree years after 988 mental health line launch, impact is mixed
Studies considering the impact of national 988 system finds significant variation between states, but access to emergency services after the call is deficient nationwide. The 988 phone system for mental health crises launched nationwide in July 2022, providing a single easily-remembered number for mental health crises anywhere in the country. Call rates increased significantly after…
Read MoreUpdated data tool finds CT life expectancy 8 years better than US, but large disparities
County Health Rankings has updated their massive dataset for 2025, and Connecticut is doing well overall. We live longer than residents of other states, but our quality of life is just average. There are also significant health differences between communities in our state. The site has a wealth of data, and an AI-powered tool to…
Read MoreAnalysis: If it passes, Congressional bill would make 140,000 more people uninsured in Connecticut
If the current US House budget proposal passes into law, experts estimate that 140,000 more Connecticut residents will lose health coverage. They will join the 195,000 currently uninsured state residents and Connecticut’s uninsured numbers will rise to the highest level in twenty years. Losing coverage is not good for the uninsured, both their physical and…
Read MoreCT is underfunding public health despite growing risks, Updated CT Public Health resource
Public health focuses on preventing health problems rather than the more costly treatment of patients when they are ill. Experts estimate that only 20% of our health outcomes are connected to clinical care services. Over the 20th Century, Americans’ life expectancy rose 62%. Those gains were largely due to effective public health initiatives. More recently…
Read MoreOpinion: Advice From An Advocate For Connecticut’s Next OHS Commissioner
Last week, the Governor announced that Diedre Gifford will be leaving the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) next month. The agency has an ambitious mission — access to high quality, affordable healthcare for every state resident. It’s a heavy lift. Healthcare prices keep rising, the quality of care is just average, and everyone has…
Read MoreNew analysis finds CT Medicaid payment rates compare well to other states
A new analysis finds that Connecticut Medicaid payment rates averaged 71% of Medicare rates for the same 33 codes for common healthcare services in 2024, slowly narrowing the gap since 2019. The national average was the same at 71%. Comparison state averages were below Connecticut’s. Comparison states’ Medicaid rates were not as generous as Connecticut’s…
Read MoreUS News: CT is third best state for healthcare
New US News rankings find Connecticut’s healthcare system is behind only Hawaii and Massachusetts. The rankings are based on surveys across all 50 states and primarily government data. We are fortunate to be # 2 in the US in Healthcare Access and # 5 in Public Health Outcomes. We are a bit lower, at #…
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