CT Health Reform
Troubling Cabinet vote for downside risk on Medicaid and state employees, but there will be a public hearing
In a 13 to 4 vote Tuesday, the Health Care Cabinet voted to impose the controversial downside risk payment model on CT’s Medicaid and state employee plans. DSS, OPM, DPH and the only consumer advocate at the meeting all voted against the option (votes are listed below). Deep concerns have been raised about downside…
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard responds to efforts to undermine constructive policies
This month’s Health Reform Dashboardupdate reflects more attempts to unravel progress in CT. Medicaid leads the concerns with broken promises on downside risk and attempts to weaken critical consumer notices about shifting provider incentives, potential underservice, and how to protect yourself. OHCA’s approval of YNHH’s acquisition of L&M health system will require a lot…
Read MoreMedicaid Council weighs in on Health Care Cabinet reform proposal
Last week’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on the controversial Strawman proposal for reforming CT’s health care system and the implications for Medicaid. We reviewed continuing progress in the program improving quality and access while controlling costs. State spending on the program is down, despite strong enrollment growth, and per person costs are stable saving the…
Read MoreHealth Care Cabinet continues to debate reform plan; Medicaid commitment on downside risk reversed
Yesterday’s Health Care Cabinet meeting started with a statement by the Lieutenant Governor stating that the commitment made last year not to implement downside risk in Medicaid was time-limited to end with the state’s SIM grant in 2019. However that was never conveyed to advocates and, in fact, the state made a clear commitment, without…
Read MoreDownside risk explainer and response to Strawman payment model proposal published
In response to questions, we’ve published two new documents about the most controversial part of the Health Care Cabinet’s Strawman proposal for health reform in Connecticut. To help in understanding how downside risk might work, and whether it works, in the context of other options, we’ve developed a fairly short downside_risk_explainer. To address points offered…
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard – Troubling Cabinet reform proposal would move CT backward
October’s CT Health Reform Dashboardupdate reflects the controversy surrounding the Health Care Cabinet’s controversial proposal for state health reform. The current proposal would move CT back into failed payment models and would break the administration’s promise to Medicaid members. Other concerns include a vague hospital consolidation deal that leaves a lot of accountability to administrative…
Read MoreKaiser Medicaid and state marketplace implementation brief highlights CT
Three years into ACA expansions, the Kaiser Foundation has highlighted how four states, including CT, are streamlining eligibility and enrollment. Researchers used focus groups and case studies to find that eligibility and enrollment systems worked well through the expansion and while Medicaid enrollment grew quickly in the beginning, it has now stabilized. While marketplace enrollment…
Read MoreCTNJ highlights concerns with Cabinet reform proposal
“It’s not everyday that healthcare advocates and the Department of Social Services agree, but that’s what’s happening in a debate on how to save money and make sure residents, especially those on Medicaid, get the care they need”, according to today’s CT News Junkie. The article gives a very understandable description of the Health Care…
Read MoreComments and alternatives to the Health Care Cabinet’s draft proposal for reform
As directed in a law passed last year, the Health Care Cabinet is considering a draft Strawman proposal drafted by consultants for comprehensive, statewide health care reform in Connecticut. Many concerns have been raised about the very ambitious proposal which includes merging all state agencies that touch health care, ACOs with downside risk, an 1115…
Read MoreLetter urges public input into Cabinet reform plan
Serous concerns have been raised by diverse stakeholders about the Health Care Cabinet’s Strawman proposal for health reform. Among the proposal’s very ambitious plans are merging a dozen state agencies that touch on health under one person, close “alignment” of Medicaid and the state employee plan, creation of a new agency to oversee and regulate…
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