Posts by Ellen Andrews
CT teen pregnancy rates down
The rate of pregnancies among CT teens dropped to 22.9 per 1,000 girls in 2008, down from 23.1 the year before and 35.8 ten years before. CT’s rate has consistently been below the national average; our 2008 rate was the fourth lowest in the nation behind only MA, NH, and VT. The bad news is…
Read MoreLarge employers urge Hartford Hospital to be reasonable in Anthem negotiations
Rate negotiations between Anthem and Hartford Hospital have become tense as the October 31st contract end date nears, according to a CT Mirror article. On Monday a coalition of self-funded health plans, including the Office of State Comptroller on behalf of CT’s state employees, sent a strongly-worded joint letter to Hartford Hospital questioning the hospital’s…
Read MoreFeds urge CT Insurance Dept. to reverse Anthem 47% rate hike approval
HHS has sent a letter to CT Insurance Department (CID) Commissioner Sullivan asking him to reconsider the department’s approval of Anthem 47% health insurance rate hikes for next year. “The consumers of Connecticut expect and deserve transparency and a fact-based rationale as to why their rates are increasing,” according to the letter. The insurance department…
Read MoreCelebrate 30 years with the Hispanic Health Council
Join the Hispanic Health Council in celebrating their 30th anniversary. The party is next Thursday, October 21st from 5 to 8pm at the HHC offices, 175 Main Street in Hartford. For over three decades, HHC has been a pillar of Hartford’s large Latino community — working to improve health, fighting for social justice, and building…
Read MoreOffice of Health Care Advocate saved CT consumers over a million dollars this quarter
CT’s Office of Health Care Advocate (OHA) returned $1.36 million in savings to health care consumers in our state between July and September of this year. OHA assists consumers struggling with insurance companies to access the care they need. So far this year, OHA has saved consumers $3.3 million in health costs. The savings include…
Read MoreSustiNet Board considers governance and structure recommendations
At today’s meeting the SustiNet Board considered three different structural options for the new SustiNet Plan. Options varied in whether the new SustiNet governing body will oversee or directly administer the plan, whether the SustiNet option will be a licensed state insurance product offered in the new state health insurance exchange, the relative roles of…
Read MoreContrasting gubernatorial candidates on health care
Health policy has emerged as the latest disagreement among CT’s candidates for Governor. Dan Malloy’s and Tom Foley’s positions on health care are significantly different. Ellen Andrews
Read MoreHUSKY HMOs made $19 million profits last year; families paid $323.16 to HMO profits
At the very end of yesterday’s Medicaid Care Management Oversight Council meeting, DSS reported that the HUSKY HMOs made $18.8 million in profits on the program during 2009. This profit is on top of their administrative costs. Aetna made most of that profit — $14 million – despite having only one fourth of total enrollment.…
Read MoreMore state health policy in New Orleans
Yesterday, I finished up at the NASHP conference hearing the latest from VT’s Blueprint for Health and a panel on how FQHCs are stepping up to provide coordinated care and patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). VT is planning to expand their Blueprint PCMH program to the entire state in three years. Primary care practices certified as…
Read MoreMore health policy from New Orleans
A long day at the NASHP conference today. We heard about challenges facing states; the common theme was planning deep reforms on very short timelines with limited staff capacity and growing budget deficits. William Hazel, recently hired Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services, pulled together the heads of departments to look for savings. When…
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