Posts by Ellen Andrews
Insurance Exchange Board meeting notes
The CT Health Insurance Exchange Board met last week – not much happened. Small business owner, Kevin Galvin, and a consumer who has struggled with health care and insurance access gave very moving public comment to start the meeting. There were lots of updates but no actual substantive information. The committee reports were interesting –…
Read MoreCT drops back to a C on health reform
This month Connecticut health care thought leaders gave our state a C on health reform, erasing the C+ bump in last month’s survey. Connecticut also earned a C for effort. Patient-centered medical homes join Medicaid as the bright spots, earning a B and C+, respectively. Medicaid is the only area that received any A grades…
Read MoreFascinating presentation at Health Care Cabinet
Today’s Cabinet meeting featured a presentation by Capitol District Physicians Health Plan, an Albany-based, nonprofit, physician-led health plan, that is succeeding in the triple goals of reducing costs, improving quality of care and addressing population health. Their CEO, a cardiologist, and VP of Underwriting described the innovations that led to their success including patient-centered medical…
Read MoreMedicare/Medicaid dual eligible reform plan update
On Friday, the Medicaid Council passed the recommendations of the Complex Care Subcommittee on DSS’s application for an integrated care demonstration program for people eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. The committee recommended that the Council endorse DSS’ application with the condition that providers be rewarded based on performance on quality measures; the amount they…
Read MoreExchange fix bill dies in Senate
The bill to bring the CT Health Insurance Exchange into compliance with federal regulations died on the Senate calendar last night as the session ended. The bill would have added two consumer and two small business representatives to the Board’s membership and given the State Health Care Advocate a vote. Currently there are no voting…
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard – CT up to 12.1%
CT has jumped ahead in progress in health reform to 12.1% of the tasks completed, according to the May CT Health Reform Dashboard. This is up from 10.8% last month. While we are closing in on the major January 1, 2014 deadline for many reforms, much remains to be done. At this rate, it will…
Read MoreRisk is all about perception, and that shapes health decisions
Making good decisions, about our health and everything else, revolves around perceptions of risk, according to speakers at yesterday’s annual Donaghue Foundation conference. David Ropeik, author of How Risky Is It Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts, and Brian Zikmund-Fisher, Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan,…
Read MoreMay web quiz – Medicaid eligible CT residents under national reform
Test your knowledge about the CT residents who will become eligible for Medicaid in 2014 under national health reform. Take the May CT Health Policy Webquiz.
Read MoreCT small businesses struggle with health benefits
A new survey by the Universal Health Care Foundation of CT found that two out of three CT small businesses can’t afford to offer health benefits to employees. A tiny fraction (6%) of small business owners who don’t offer coverage, don’t want to. Among those that offer health benefits, most have had to shift more…
Read MoreCollaboration and transparency key to MD’s insurance exchange success
Maryland is widely recognized as a leader in implementing national health reforms, particularly developing their state health insurance exchange well ahead of other states. Health insurance exchanges were created under national health reform as an understandable, fair marketplace for consumers and small businesses to understand and purchase health plans that provide value for the price;…
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