Webinar — Provider Payment Reform Options: Aspiration Meets Reality

Join Bob Berenson, MD of the Urban Institute for a CTHPP webinar November 18that 1pm as he explains health care payment reform options. Dr. Berenson has long health policy experience, both inside and outside government. He served as Director of Medicare Payment Policy at CMS. His work focuses on quality measurement/improvement and Medicare shared savings.…

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Medicaid quality up, costs stable since switch to ASO

We got lots of good news at today’s Medicaid Council meeting. New financial reports show that since October of 2013 HUSKY enrollment has grown 20% but spending has grown only 13.6%. Per person spending on HUSKY Part D, which includes the former SAGA members and the newly eligible childless adults from the ACA, has actually…

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CT has second highest rate of 2013 hospital Medicare readmission penalties

CT was behind only NJ last year in the percent of hospitals receiving Medicare readmission penalties and the average penalty for CT hospitals more than doubled from 2012. Medicare fines hospitals for patients who return unplanned to the hospital for treatment within 30 days of discharge compared to an expected readmission rate, adjusted for severity…

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Webinar — Provider Payment Reform Options: Aspiration Meets Reality

Join Bob Berenson, MD of the Urban Institute for a CTHPP webinar November 18that 1pm as he explains health care payment reform options. Dr. Berenson has long health policy experience, both inside and outside government. He served as Director of Medicare Payment Policy at CMS. His work focuses on quality measurement/improvement and Medicare shared savings.…

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CT health reform progress meter up to 28.8%

CT’s progress toward health reform moved up slightly to 28.8% this month, from 28.4% last month. Medicaid accounted for most of the progress including addressing audit issues that serve as a barrier to provider participation and the health neighborhood pilot for dual eligibles that is carefully protecting consumers from underservice in a collaborative and constructive…

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Fascinating discussion — US Senate panel considering regulatory barriers to ACOs

The first meeting of a panel convened by Sen. Angus King (ME) to consider federal regulatory barriers to provider risk payment models was held in Dirksen Senate Office Building this morning. The panel was moderated by Michael Chernew of the Health Care Markets and Regulation Lab at Harvard Medical School, which is guiding the process…

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Investigators highlight problems in Medicaid managed care nationally – but through collaborative effort CT is a success story

Getting a lot of national attention, a new report by federal investigators highlights significant problems in accessing Medicaid care, largely through private managed care plans, as millions of Americans enter the program. However, through collaborative effort, Connecticut serves as an exception to that trend. The report outlines a lack of access or quality standards across…

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HHS finds ACA is lowering hospital uncompensated care costs

CT News Junkie is reporting on a new analysis by HHS finding that hospital uncompensated care costs are down significantly, particularly in Medicaid expansion states like Connecticut. However the CT Hospital Association says they have not experienced a decrease in the first nine months of 2014. The state’s OPM budget office expects to see a…

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