Budget Process
Reference pricing lowers healthcare prices, could save CT millions
Hospital prices are driving up healthcare costs making coverage unaffordable, in Connecticut and across the US. It’s hard to reduce hospital prices, especially in consolidated markets like Connecticut’s, where huge health systems have monopoly power to demand steep prices. But since 2019, Oregon has been saving $50 million annually on just their state employee plan,…
Read MoreAnalysis: The real goal of Medicaid work requirements
An old saying goes, there’s no right way to do the wrong thing. I hope that’s not true. Connecticut has to implement a requirement in HR-1, the new federal budget act, that 340,000 adults on Medicaid must work to keep their healthcare coverage. This wasn’t our idea; our policymakers didn’t vote for it. But we…
Read MoreHUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work
The largest cut in the new federal budget bill is Medicaid work requirements. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years. If history repeats, most will lose coverage in error – they will be working or exempt Only two states have implemented…
Read MoreAnalysis: State agencies need partners to avoid the havoc that’s coming
Lately, I’ve been reminded of both the importance and the difficulty in working with state agencies. But collaboration between state agencies and outside stakeholders who share the same goals has never been more important. Read more
Read MoreAdvocates call on state leaders to fix DSS call center and other problems in response to federal budget bill
Twenty-four consumer groups signed a letter to Governor Lamont and legislative leaders urging them to call a special session to address imminent harms from passage of HR-1 in Washington. While the federal budget bill passed July 4th is expected to cause significant long-term harms to Connecticut, some impacts need to be addressed before the next…
Read MoreMedicaid chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve made a massive update to the Medicaid chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and updated performance. We also included the significant changes to the program required by the budget bill passed by Congress and the Trump administration this month. We also included a description of Connecticut’s decision not…
Read MoreAnalysis: CT is a National Leader in Fight to Control Drug Costs
This year, Connecticut passed meaningful laws to control stubbornly-high prescription drug prices. According to the Office of Health Strategy, prescription drugs are among the top three drivers of Connecticut’s unaffordable healthcare costs, across Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. States don’t have the powerful levers that federal policymakers could access, and federal law can be a…
Read MoreCT health policy learning opportunity
To help build health policy capacity in our state, the CT Health Policy Project is launching a guided study/class that builds on CT Healthcare Explained. There is no cost for the course. There is a webpage for the course (learncthealth.org) that starts in September and runs through December. We’ll use a hybrid format – video…
Read MoreFederal changes are coming into view – it’s not good, but there is hope
It’s hard to keep up with the updates about the potential impact of Congressional healthcare proposals. Just when there is a glimmer of light, it gets worse. I won’t blame anyone for not reading any further. For those of us who can’t look away, here are two new analyses of note and two glimmers of…
Read MoreAnalysis: If it passes, Congressional bill would make 140,000 more people uninsured in Connecticut
If the current US House budget proposal passes into law, experts estimate that 140,000 more Connecticut residents will lose health coverage. They will join the 195,000 currently uninsured state residents and Connecticut’s uninsured numbers will rise to the highest level in twenty years. Losing coverage is not good for the uninsured, both their physical and…
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