Posts by Ellen Andrews
COHI seeking Executive Director
The CT Oral Health Initiative needs to hire a new Executive Director. For five years COHI has been advocating for better oral health for everyone. They have focused on access to dental care for CT’s underserved and education about the importance of oral health. COHI is seeking an experienced nonprofit leader who shares the organization’s…
Read MoreeHealthCT designated as a Chartered Value Exchange
Connecticut is entering the e-health big leagues! Yesterday, our own eHealthCT was designated as a Chartered Value Exchange by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. eHealthConnecticut is a not for profit entity incorporated in January 2006 and represents a collaborative approach to meeting the challenges of health information technology adoption and interoperability for the…
Read MoreDrama at the Medicaid Managed Care Council
Yesterday, the Council passed a resolution to recommend a delay in transitioning HUSKY families into the new HMOs and to freeze enrollment in Charter Oak until July 1st, 2009. The council was concerned that only a handful of providers have signed up with the two new plans, AmeriChoice and Aetna Better Health, and that patients…
Read MoreRetail Medical Clinics and Primary Care panels
Today’s panels at the CSG/ERC annual meeting explored retail clinics – opportunities and concerns – and primary care shortages. The clinic panel included Kim Rhodes from Take Care Clinics (owned by Walgreens) and Ken Ferrucci from the CT medical society. There are about 1000 retail clinics in the US, providing affordable access, including evenings and…
Read MoreState reform updates
I’ve been staffing the annual meeting of the Council of State Governments/Eastern Regional Conference health policy track meetings in Atlantic City, NJ. Today we heard updates from states at varying stages of reforming their health care systems – Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey. Sen. Joseph Vitale described New Jersey’s comprehensive plan to cover all…
Read MoreCharter Oak/HUSKY troubles in the news
The current problems getting providers to participate in the new Charter Oak/HUSKY plans have been hot news lately. A sampling: The Day ctnewsjunkie.com Hartford Courant Journal Inquirer New Haven Register Waterbury Republican American Kaiser Daily Health Reports Medical News Today CT Post WTIC News Talk 1080 Fox News 61 News Channel 3 Norwich Bulletin According…
Read MoreCharter Oak/HUSKY/PCCM update
DSS Comm. Mike Starkowski met with the Appropriations and Human Service Committees yesterday delivering a 72 page program update. The big news (from our perspective) is that the PCCM concept paper, drafted by a working group of DSS staff and advocates (including the CT Health Policy Project), will be submitted to the legislature next week.…
Read MoreTroubling Charter Oak call
We’ve received calls from many consumers about Charter Oak – and it is a good option for some. However yesterday we got a troubling call on our Consumer Helpline (888) 873-4585. Leslie Dmowski called the Charter Oak application number to find out how to apply. She was injured in a car accident and can no…
Read MoreWhat would you tell her?
I just returned from a wonderful trip visiting family. While I was there, I ended up in a conversation that put me in an awkward situation, given my job. I was talking with one of my sisters and some of her friends, about half of whom are uninsured. One friend, who is a self-employed 39…
Read MoreHUSKY/Charter Oak health plan rates up 24% from last year
After accounting for the impact of dental and prescription drug carve outs, the capitated rates paid to the three HUSKY HMOs – Aetna, AmeriChoice (United) and CHN – are 24% higher than the capitated rates paid to the plans last year before November. This is according to an analysis done July 17th for DSS by…
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