Posts by Ellen Andrews
June CT Health Policy Webquiz: CT hospital community benefits
Test your knowledge about community benefits at Connecticut hospitals. Take the June CT Health Policy Webquiz.
Read MoreAdvocates propose policy paper topics for SIM
In response to an offer from SIM staff, independent consumer advocates have proposed six topics for SIM policy papers. Topics that need detail and public discussion include protecting consumer choice, competition, and the safety net against contrary financial incentives, ensuring patient-centered care, integration with public health, behavioral health and oral health, conflicts of interest, and…
Read MoreMalloy signs bills allowing for-profit hospital conversions and not allowing e-cigarettes for minors
Among the 23 bills signed by Gov. Malloy yesterday was SB-35which eases CT hospitals’ conversion to for-profit status, however with more restrictions and protections for patients and workers. The Governor also signed SB-24making the sale of e-cigarettes to minors illegal.
Read MoreAnthem & ConnectiCare premiums submitted are up sharply for 2015, HealthyCT rates down — updated
Proposed premiums for the insurance exchange were due to the insurance dept. Friday and they are up significantly from this year’s premiums, according to CT Mirror. Anthem’s proposed premiums are up 12.5% on average; ConnectiCare’s base rate is up 11.8% for next year. CT’s premiums for this year are the 4th highest in the nation…
Read MoreHealth reform dashboard up again but APCD decision drags down progress
The CT Health Reform Dashboard is up a notch again this month to 29.7% on the progress meter, reversing last month’s slide. Areas of progress include new insurance market entrants and, as usual, Medicaid’s progress in many areas driven by transparent, open policymaking. CT Medicaid has made consistent progress toward turning around a deeply troubled…
Read MoreNCQA patient-centered medical home webinar video posted
A recording of today’s webinar with NCQA about patient-centered medical home recognition is posted online. Experts from NCQA described their process and standards for patient-centered medical homes and the benefits to Connecticut. The slides are posted online as well.
Read MoreSIM FAQs updated
We’ve updated the Frequently Asked Questions about CT’s SIM plan. SIM is the state’s newest plan to radically reform health care delivery and payment across the entire state. Advocates have raised concerns that the plan doesn’t do enough to protect consumers from stinting on care resulting from payment reform, could reverse recent progress in CT’s…
Read MoreNews: Independent CT hospitals discussing tiered networks, Pre-ACA CID routinely approved very high rates for Aetna
The Hartford Business Journal is reporting that some smaller, independent CT hospitals are in discussions with each other and with insurers about options that improve their efficiency and make coverage more affordable. The hospitals are talking with insurers about value-based insurance designs or tiered networks where consumers who choose to access care at lower priced…
Read MoreWebinar: The value of NCQA recognition of patient-centered medical homes
Join us for a webinar with National Committee for Quality Assurance experts Thursday, May 29th at 1pm to learn about their patient-centered medical home recognition standards updated for 2014. NCQA has the most widely adopted standards, with a growing list of 1,009 certified PCMHs in Connecticut. There is substantial evidence linking nationally recognized PCMHs with…
Read MoreCTNJ op-ed: Privacy and trust concerns at CT’s APCD
Advocates are raising concerns about the privacy of sensitive medical records at Access Health Analytics, our state’s all-payer claims database (APCD). At the CT Health Policy Projects we have been great supporters of an APCD for CT knowing that, if done well, it could be a powerful tool to give consumers information about the cost…
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