Posts by Ellen Andrews
Fewer physicians accepting visits from drug reps in the office
The Wall Street Journal blog reports on a new survey of US physicians that found the number who are “rep-accessible”, or willing to meet with drug company sales rep.s in the office, is down 18% from last year. However, still 58% of doctors take meetings with at least 70% of the reps who call and…
Read MoreSen and Mrs. Dodd to host food allergy forum
Sen. Christopher and Mrs. Jackie Clegg Dodd will host a forum on managing food allergies at home, in school, away at college and in restaurants. The forum will feature Dr. Hugh Sampson of Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Eva Bunnell, parent of a child with a food allergy, Cheryl Resha, RN from the CT Dept of…
Read MoreBudget agreement reached
The Governor and General Assembly have reportedly reached an agreement on changes to next year’s budget, beginning July 1st, to cover a $2 billion deficit. The agreement includes converting HUSKY to a self-insured ASO model saving $77 million and increases in copays and premiums for HUSKY Part B families, saving $576,000. The legislature is expected…
Read MoreCT woman files one of first actions under federal genetic anti-discrimination law
Pamela Fink, a Fairfield resident, filed complaints last week with the US Equal Opportunity Commission and the CT Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities under the new Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Ms. Fink argues that her employer, MXenergy of Stamford, eliminated her job after learning that she carries a genetic risk for breast cancer. Ms.…
Read MoreRell administration will not challenge national health reform law
At yesterday’s Health Reform Cabinet meeting, the Rell administration announced that they will not join twelve other states in a lawsuit challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. All twelve Republican state senators signed onto a letter urging the state to join the suit. The senators argue that the federal law usurps states’ rights…
Read MoreGovernor interested in creating a CT high risk pool
Among other things, national health reform gives states an opportunity to create an insurance pool for people with pre-existing conditions. The law gives CT up to $50 million, possibly more, to implement a high-risk pool through 2014. At that point the law prohibits insurers from denying coverage to adults based on pre-existing conditions and it…
Read More$50 million health coverage opportunity for CT from national health reform
CT can access $50 million in federal funds to cover state residents with pre-existing conditions until 2014 when insurers will no longer be able to exclude adults from coverage because they have health problems. Under the law, insurers are prohibited from excluding children with pre-existing conditions from coverage this year. Since 1975, CT has had…
Read MoreSustiNet medical home committee making progress
At last week’s SustiNet Patient-Centered Medical Home committee meeting we heard about medical home initiatives in the two programs that will form the basis of SustiNet, the state employee plan and Medicaid/HUSKY. Tom Woodruff of the Comptroller’s Office presented on the state employee plan’s medical home initiative. The state will be moving to a self-insured…
Read MorePredictably Irrational author comes to CT
Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape our Decisions, spoke at Wednesday’s Donaghue Foundation annual meeting in Farmington. How choices are framed has a lot to do with how we respond. For example, a group of people were asked to name either 3 or 10 reasons they love their significant other.…
Read MoreThe Treatment Trap author visits CT
I had already ordered her book online after reading a review in Health Affairs when I got an invitation to hear Rosemary Gibson, author of the Treatment Trap: How the Overuse of Medical Care is Wrecking Your Health and What You Can Do to Prevent It. Her visit yesterday was hosted by AARP-CT and the…
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