Materials from webinar on improved HUSKY cancer survival in CT without MCOs

Yesterday, Dr. John Cramer described his study published earlier this year describing a significant increase in cancer survival and early detection in Connecticut’s Medicaid program when the Managed Care Organizations left in 2012. Click here for slides and here for a recording of the webinar. The study — Association of Medicaid Privatization With Patient Cancer…

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More updates to CT Healthcare Explained

We are continuing to update chapters in CT Healthcare Explained. This month we finished a complete overhaul of the Hospitals chapter. Last month we finished Consolidation and big health systems. Next is Quality. Connecticut’s healthcare system is deeply confusing. Too often people motivated to advocate for change find themselves frustrated and give up. To help…

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Happy Birthday to us

The CT Health Policy Project turns 25 on September 1st. No party, but there will be cake. Anniversaries evoke memories — how far we’ve come and how much remains to be done. It’s striking how much of our 20th anniversary advice from friends, still stands. Nothing happens alone. Remembering the dozens of staff and hundreds…

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CT Healthcare Explained is updating

We are taking on the massive project of updating CT Healthcare Explained. We just finished the Workforce chapter, including updated numbers and wages for the broad range of people who provide healthcare. We’ve included trends, shortages, disparities, and changes happening and recommendations for improvement. We updated Healthcare Costs last month. Hospitals are next. Connecticut’s healthcare…

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Medicaid MCOs and cost savings – What the evidence says

Go to the full report Governor Lamont is reportedly considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Do MCOs save states money in state Medicaid programs? We looked into the evidence. In a word, No. From the literature: The evidence does not support Medicaid managed care saving money…

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NoHuskyMCOs – New resource to preserve Medicaid success

Go to NoHuskyMCOs.org for up to date information on plans to return control of Connecticut’s Medicaid program to private insurance company managed care plans (MCOs). From 1996 through 2011, Connecticut Medicaid was run by MCOs, and it was deeply troubled. The program ended under pressure from advocates, providers, and legislators. Since the MCOs left Connecticut…

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Analysis: The Governor Could Be Making a Big Mistake

When I first heard the rumor from various sources that Gov. Ned Lamont was exploring returning control of the HUSKY insurance program to a managed care company, I didn’t take it seriously and neither did they. But apparently it’s true. Read more

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Bristol Health Cares explores advocacy in CT healthcare

A recent episode of Bristol Health Cares features a conversation with Kurt Barwis, President and CEO of Bristol Health and Ellen Andrews, of the CT Health Policy Project. Bristol Health Cares is a wide-ranging program with guests ranging from providers, community leaders, to innovators about navigating healthcare and answering questions. The conversation touched on the…

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CT Healthcare Explained — what’s next?

Hopefully, you’ve found our short Sunday Health Policy Minute emails informative and helpful. This is just the beginning of CT Healthcare Explained’s efforts to help make sense of our state’s unreasonably complex system. Hopefully, you’ve accessed the site resources including explainer videos, Basics, and Deeper Dives on the current seventeen topics. Consumers, policymakers, clinicians, students,…

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Updated Advocacy Toolbox: How to make a difference, where to start, and how to get there

Just in time for the legislative session starting today, we’ve updated our CT Health Policy Advocacy Toolbox to help with your advocacy to make healthcare better in Connecticut. (Actually, we update it every month.) Healthcare policymaking in CT can be complex and frustrating. But you’re not alone and there is help. The comprehensive site covers…

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