Posts by Ellen Andrews
Governor releases her budget proposal
As promised, the Governor’s state budget proposal for the next two years released today includes painful cuts. Overall, Medicaid would be cut $283 million (6.8%) in the first year and $317 million (7.2%) in the second year. SAGA would be cut $13 m (5%) and $14 m (6.5%) in the two years. Among the proposals…
Read MorePrimary Care Authority meeting
At today’s meeting, the Primary Care Authority accepted UConn’s report *check link * assessing CT’s primary care workforce capacity. The upshot of the report is that by a simple calculation of licensed providers per population we are OK. But that is only part of the story – that is probably an overestimate. The list of…
Read MoreHealth Policy Basics
We are fortunate at the CT Health Policy Project to have over a dozen work study students, interns, and volunteers working with us at any given time. All staff receive training on taking consumer calls and working cases, details of public and private health care assistance programs, research, advocacy and the basics of health policy.…
Read MoreNew blog by Kevin Lembo, state Health Care Advocate
Check out Kevin Lembo’s new blog at http://www.healthcareadvocate-kevin.blogspot.com. Kevin is CT’s State Health Care Advocate in his day job. Fascinating take on federal and state health care updates. He points out that this is his personal blog, not an official State of CT site. Thankfully so — makes it much more interesting.Ellen Andrews
Read MoreFebruary health policy web quiz
Test your knowledge of an individual insurance mandate – what it would mean for CT, the challenges, and costs. Take the CT Health Policy Project February health policy web quiz. For more on the individual mandate, go to our policy paper or issue brief.
Read MoreCT’s state and national legislators express concerns about forcing HUSKY families into inadequate HMOs effective today
Friday morning state legislators gathered for a press conference outlining their concerns that DSS plans to force 60,000 HUSKY consumers today into new HMOs that are not ready for them. DSS chose to default today any HUSKY families who are still in Anthem’s network or in traditional Medicaid into only two of the three HMOs…
Read MoreHouse stimulus package would give CT $474 million for Medicaid; COBRA subsidies for unemployed
Yesterday the US House passed an $819 billion stimulus package meant to reverse the declining economy. A great deal of the package is devoted to health, including $228.6 million in increased Medicaid funds to CT in 2009 and another $245.8 million in 2010. Those funds are from raising the federal Medicaid matching rate to states…
Read MoreThe character of our social networks may be genetic; why women have more trouble losing weight; inaugural luncheon weighs in at 3,048 calories
A new study finds that the structure and size of our network of friends may be genetic. Researchers found identical twins were more alike than fraternal twins in the size and interconnectedness of their social networks. The results may have important implications for the incidence of smoking and the spread of disease. The original article…
Read MoreHealth 1st Authority worsens individual mandate language
In their last meeting, the Health 1st Authority announced a change to their draft report in the individual mandate language attempting to accommodate some members who are holding out for the provision. The CT Health Policy Project has published research and analysis challenging the effectiveness of an individual mandate and outlining the impact on stressed…
Read MoreDodd hears from public, policymakers on national health reform
Friday 675 people attended a hearing held by Senator Chris Dodd in East Hartford to learn what CT residents need in President Obama’s health reform plan. Sen. Dodd has been tapped for a leadership role in development of the plan. The Senator heard about the struggle CT families face to hang onto their physical and…
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