Posts by Ellen Andrews
Does expanding health insurance improve health?
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal addresses a question that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Health reform debates too often miss the real point – we want to improve the health of people. A plastic health insurance card does not guarantee access to care, much less improved health – ask anyone on Medicaid/HUSKY/Charter…
Read MoreTest your knowledge of national health care reform
Take CNN’s quiz on national health care reform. Only eight questions. I’m not telling how I did. Ellen Andrews
Read MoreHospital community benefits reports out
The Office of Health Care Advocate has released their community benefits report on what hospitals are providing to residents of their communities to improve health, not just the health of their patients. Under state statute, uncompensated care does not qualify as a community benefit. The data is self-reported and there are very likely differences in…
Read MoreNew London getting a health needs assessment
Over the next three years, the Ledge Light Health District will be assessing conditions in the New London area that contribute to better health for residents. The study, funded by the CDC, will consider assets that contribute to healthy lifestyles, reducing smoking, and managing chronic problems such as diabetes and heart disease. The goal is…
Read MoreCharter Oak celebrates first anniversary
Friday, Governor Rell announced that her Charter Oak Health Plan has enrolled 10,257 previously uninsured CT residents as of the program’s first anniversary. The program is an affordable option for many people and is providing care to thousands. An important advantage of Charter Oak is that no one is denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions,…
Read MorePrescription assistance bus in CT
The “Help is Here” bus travelling across the country offering help applying for drug company assistance programs is in CT this week. Drug company assistance applications can be confusing; each company has different eligibility standards and discounts vary widely. The assistance program you apply to depends on which drugs you are taking. Questions you will…
Read MoreCT health insurance premiums grew 7 times faster than our incomes since 2000
From 2000 to this year, family premiums rose 7.4 times faster than median earnings in Connecticut according to a new report by Families USA. Premiums are up 96% while earnings inched up only 13%. Also stunning is that while employers’ average share of that premium rose 91%, workers share jumped 114%. The cost shift to…
Read MoreExtreme out-of-network charges for CT health care services
A new survey of out-of-network physician claims finds some extremely high examples of over charging in CT. The highest example includes a bill for $26,881 for a lower back spinal fusion; the Medicare rate for that service is $1,572.95 or 17 times less. The report includes ten examples of out-of-network charges ranging from 1,709% to…
Read MoreValue-based purchasing and VT health care reform updates
Our second day of health panels at last week’s CSG/ERC annual meeting in Burlington VT started with a set of talks on value-based purchasing and how states can take advantage of this critical health reform trend. Value-based purchasing reorients financial incentives to align all stakeholders and reward improvements in health. The current fee-for-service system rewards…
Read MoreFarm to School panel at CSG/ERC meeting
This week I am in beautiful Burlington VT, on the shores of Lake Champlain, at the Council of State Governments/Eastern Regional Conference annual meeting. Our first health track panel was on farm to school programs. F2S programs are about far more than getting local foods into school cafeterias; it’s also about in-class nutrition education, farmers…
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