Posts by Ellen Andrews
State poses more questions to YNHH over primary care plan
Yesterday, CT’s Office of Health Strategy asked Yale-New Haven Health System for more information about their controversial plan Yale New-Haven’s application to shift care for 28,500 mainly low-income New Haven area residents to a new site, far from neighborhoods and to shift Medicaid billing for those patients to the two community health centers. Information requested…
Read MoreCTNJ: Medicaid Buy-In Sounds Good But A Closer Look Finds Plenty of Risk, Little Potential
Insurance in Connecticut is expensive. Policymakers are desperately seeking options to provide relief for struggling families and employers. There are several good ideas floating around that could help, but the public option based on Medicaid is not one of them. Read more
Read MoreMedicare penalizing fifteen CT hospitals for patient safety problems this year
This year, fifteen Connecticut hospitals will receive 1% less payment from Medicare because of infections and patient injures, according to Kaiser Health News. Nationally, 800 hospitals are penalized this year. Five of the CT fifteen in Connecticut are part of the 110 hospitals nationally that have been penalized every year for patient safety since 2015…
Read MoreMedicaid’s Care Management program is saving lives and money, but state paying twice and savings may be going to PCMH+ ACOs
Last week, the Complex Care Committee of the Medicaid oversight council heard from CHNCT, the nonprofit that, among other things, administers our state’s Intensive Care Management (ICM) program. ICM is available to Medicaid members with complex health needs and, typically, high health costs. The ICM program includes regional teams providing comprehensive assessment and care planning,…
Read MoreInsurance Committee to hear prescription cost control bill tomorrow – it’s a good start
Raised bill No. 7174 includes some important provisions that would help moderate drug prices and limit increases. The CT Health Policy Project supports them all but urges the Committee to go farther. Drug costs in Connecticut are out of control. We can’t wait for federal action. An array of substantial, bold measures at the state…
Read MoreCTNJ: Public Option Discussion Moves Forward
Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Yesterday, CT News Junkie’s second public policy forum at the Capitol explored the issue with policymakers and experts. Hear the discussion
Read MoreGovernor’s first budget proposal has plenty of good news, with a bit of wait-and-see news, and a bit of bad news
The Lamont administration released their first budget today. In healthcare, it is mostly good news, but also some we’ll wait-and-see, and a bit of bad news. The good news: There are no cuts to HUSKY parents eligibility, no cuts to Medicaid Savings Program (mostly), and no plans to return to private insurers managed care. Let’s…
Read MoreSeven years later, Connecticut Medicaid still saving taxpayers money
Download the report As with most health care in Connecticut, Medicaid spending was rising quickly before 2012 growing by almost half over the prior four years. But in 2012, Connecticut made a remarkable and unique move — Medicaid switched from a capitated payment model using private insurers to a care coordination-focused, self-insured payment model. Since…
Read MorePublic Option Forum – high expectations, big challenges
Legislators were warned that ideas that sound simple are rarely that easy at last week’s forum on building a public option to bring down CT’s high health insurance premiums. The forum by the Insurance and Human Services Committees brought in national experts to explore the concept. The idea is to create a non-profit, publicly-accountable insurance…
Read MoreCTNJ Public Policy Forum: Would a Public Option Help Connecticut?
The second CT News Junkie Public Policy Forum will be next Thursday, Feb. 21st at 10 am in Capitol Room 310. Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Important questions…
Read More