Posts by Ellen Andrews
CT Insurance Exchange standard plan – it got worse
Unaffordable in its first version, the CT Health Insurance Exchange Board today voted unanimously to raise deductibles and copays on the standard plans for in-network care, blaming federal regulatory constraints. The new standard plan for the Silver level raises the annual deducible (applicable to hospitals) from $2,500 to $3,000 and annual prescription deductible from $200…
Read More6 of 14 state exchanges actively purchasing coverage – but not CT
A new update on health insurance exchanges by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that six states – CA, MA, NY, OR, RI and VT – of the 14 that have made a decision, intend to actively purchase coverage. Those six exchanges will be negotiating with insurers to get the best value for consumers in their…
Read MoreInsurance exchange experts panel coming to CT
Next Tuesday CT will host — Health Insurance Exchanges: How Connecticut Can Benefit — a panel of national and state experts sponsored by the Council of State Governments/Eastern Region. The panel will describe what is happening in leading exchange states, federal guidance and expectations, and where CT is currently. Speakers include Dave Chandra, Senior Policy…
Read MoreWe are 17.7% of the way to health reform’s Jan. 1 deadline
CT policymakers have completed 17.7% of the tasks necessary for health reform; most are due on Jan.1st of next year. Medicaid, patient-centered medical homes and payment reform and quality improvement are leading reform according to March’s Health Reform Dashboard. CT still has problems with the CT Health Insurance Exchange (now access health CT), health information…
Read MoreLIA waiver denied
The administration’s plan to apply an asset test to families of young people in the Low Income Adults program (formerly SAGA) was not approved by the federal Medicaid agency Friday. Advocates objected to the plan stating that it was designed to address a problem that rarely happens, college-aged children in wealthier families on Medicaid, and…
Read MoreExchange prices will likely be very high
The Hartford Courant is reporting that premiums in the CT Health Insurance Exchange – Access Health CT – will be between 10 and 100% higher than current levels. “Thousands of Connecticut residents will have a shock this summer when they see the prices for 2014 medical coverage that they’re counting on buying through the newly…
Read MoreCT Health Insurance Advisory Council hearing
Three of the four speakers at yesterday’s public hearing testified in favor of SB-957, An Act Establishing a Health Insurance Advisory Council. The Council’s mission is to advise the insurance department and “examine ways to ensure effective review by the Insurance Department of health insurance rates, ensure the affordability of health insurance in this state…
Read MoreCT exchange hire for call center has troubled history with the state
CT’s health insurance exchange has hired Maximus to provide the critical call center service for the new marketplace. Consumers with questions about the confusing new landscape — seeking help applying for programs, figuring out which plan is right for them, trouble navigating the website, etc. — will be directed to this call center. An article…
Read MoreHealth Insurance Advisory Council bill hearing tomorrow
Tomorrow the Insurance and Real Estate Committee will hold a public hearing on SB-957, An Act Establishing a Health Insurance Advisory Council. The bill would create a public, transparent Council to advise the state on regulating insurance, promoting affordable coverage, network adequacy, and implementing the important consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act. Council members…
Read MoreTime cover article focuses on health care prices, including two CT hospitals
Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us?, Time magazine’s latest cover story, is a fascinating look into medical prices – why they are so expensive and so unequal. The article includes a deep dive into several cases including Janice S at Stamford Hospital, and Emilia Gilbert from Bridgeport, part of the Yale New Haven…
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