Posts by Ellen Andrews
Healthcare workforce growing faster than rest of employment
In good news for healthcare workers, from September 2018 to 2019, Connecticut healthcare employment grew by 1.75%, or 3.8 times faster than total non-farm employment. One in eight Connecticut workers is employed in healthcare. Healthcare grew even faster nationally, by 2.66% vs. 1.50% for all workers. One in six US workers is employed in healthcare.…
Read MoreICER seeks input on non-drug topics for 2020
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is seeking input on non-drug topics they should study for 2020. An independent nonprofit research institute, ICER is the US leader in assessing the evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other medical services. ICER’s reports and pricing benchmarks that represent a good value for consumers…
Read MoreBipartisan Insurance Committee forum finds a lot of consensus on potential reforms
Download the CTHPP presentation Yesterday the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Insurance Committee convened a forum on potential reforms to lower healthcare costs. Legislators invited David Seltz from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Connecticut speakers included representatives from the insurance industry, providers, state officials, a foundation and advocates. A recurring theme was the need…
Read MoreMedicaid transportation gets a closer look
For the second month in a row, MAPOC focused in on the Medicaid transportation contractor’s performance Friday. Questions about Veyo, the contractor, have persisted since they were chosen by DSS. There were more questions than answers at Friday’s meeting, including what terms mean in the report. The number of rides the state is getting for…
Read MorePublic comment open for CT health planning data
The state Department of Public Health is in the midst of planning for improving the health of every Connecticut resident in 2025. DPH regularly refreshes their plan through a very thoughtful process that is a model of inclusiveness and data-driven policymaking, especially for Connecticut. Other agencies should take note. Right now, the draft State Health…
Read MoreCTNJ: Analysis — How industries influence healthcare spending, and it’s working
There are a thousand ways that healthcare is different than other economic sectors and those differences keep the market from working to keep care affordable. . . . An important way the healthcare market fails is that industries have powerful tools to drive the prices and use of their products that most consumers aren’t aware…
Read MoreCT insurers lost enrollment in 2018, Spent 89% of premiums on medical care
There were 332,015 fewer Connecticut residents with commercial insurance coverage last year than in 2017, according to the latest Consumer Report Card from the CT Insurance Department. All insurers lost enrollment. The report also includes important information for consumers including member satisfaction performance, numbers of participating providers by county, medical measures such as cancer screens,…
Read MoreThirty medically complex children stuck in CT hospitals waiting for home health care cost state over $100 million
Last week, MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee heard from the three remaining home health agencies that provide care for Connecticut’s most medically complex children. We heard about the massive challenges facing both families and agencies. Most parents caring for medically complex children are single mothers due to high divorce rates, who cannot work because of inconsistent…
Read MoreCT healthcare price variation varies
Prices vary by city and for selected healthcare treatments, in some cases substantially, according to Healthscore CT, using the new All Payer Claims Database from the CT Office of Health Strategy and UConn Analytics and Information Management Solutions. The site provides important information on cost and quality for consumers and payers shopping for healthcare services…
Read MoreIf the ACA is overturned, one in four Connecticut adults could lose coverage due to a pre-existing condition
A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 529,000 non-elderly adults (24%) in Connecticut have pre-existing health conditions that could affect their ability to get or afford health insurance if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is overturned. Researchers estimate that 27% of non-elderly adult Americans have a health condition and 45% of families…
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