CT Health Reform
Healthcare Cabinet sets state agency context for recommendations
At yesterday’s meeting, the Healthcare Cabinet heard from ten state agencies that all touch on health. They were asked to report on how they were saving money, improving the quality of care, and innovating to improve the health of state residents. DSS got twice as much time as everyone else, with good reason. Among the…
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard – lots of uncertainty, hard work ahead
Summer used to come with down time, but June’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update is anything but quiet. 17,688 HUSKY parents are scheduled to lose coverage at the end of next month. Serious concerns have been raised about the notices to members that miss critical information to help them plan for their health. Based on…
Read MoreCT Health Care Cabinet considers WA reform strategies, CT stakeholder input
At last week’s meeting, the Health Care Cabinet heard about lessons from Washington state’s successful reforms. Washington has consolidated health care planning across both the public and private sectors. The structure isn’t the key – what’s surprising is that they can get to a thoughtful consensus through power-sharing. Like many states, they are working on…
Read MoreCT Reform Dashboard update – opportunities for progress, but some concerns linger
Lots of changes this month in CT’s Health Reform Dashboard. The inability to finalize the state budget leaves coverage for 8,700 HUSKY parents in limbo. This is in addition to the 17,688 working parents who are already scheduled to lose HUSKY this summer. Despite this, the Health Care Cabinet continues its collaborative work to study best…
Read MoreConnecticut’s Medicaid redesign update– Pros and Cons
Connecticut’s Medicaid program has earned national recognition for combining improved access to high quality care with an impressive record of cost control. Shifting the program from a financial risk payment model to care coordination through person-centered medical homes (PCMHs) four years ago is widely credited with that success. Last year the administration began developing…
Read MoreHealth Care Cabinet considers Oregon and Maryland’s reforms
At this month’s Health Care Cabinet meeting, we heard about health reforms in Oregon and Maryland with a focus on how/if their successful strategies could be applied in Connecticut. Oregon consolidated state health purchasing under one new state agency, implemented an ambitious Medicaid waiver with a total annual cap on cost increases, assistance for PCMH…
Read MoreCT Health Reform Dashboard update: mixed Medicaid progress, a few good signs elsewhere
Both good and bad news for consumers in planned Medicaid reforms influenced CT Health Reform Dashboard this month. In good news, DSS and SIM agreed to make the well-intentioned but poorly-designed CCIP program optional for Medicaid networks applying to participate in shared savings. A Wall Street Journal article reported on the success of CT’s Medicaid…
Read MoreHealth Care Cabinet – RI, MA reforms reviewed, hospitals’ response to price presentation
Today’s Health Care Cabinet meeting was as fascinating as last month’s. We heard again from the consultants working with the Cabinet to develop a plan to reform CT’s health care system. This time they focused on reforms in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Rhode Island is also facing hospital consolidation, but with more geographic overlap than…
Read MoreSurvey of CT ACOs – early yet, good intentions but uncertain future
Together with the Hartford Business Journal, the CT Health Policy Project conducted the first survey of CT ACOs finding some unexpected findings. ACOs are networks of providers across the continuum that coordinate high-quality care for people and receive a share of the savings they generate. ACOs are a foundation for efforts to reform health care…
Read MoreThoughtleaders give CT a C+ on health reform this year
In the latest survey, CT health care thought leaders give our state a C+ grade on health reform, down from last year’s survey. CT’s grade for effort also dropped to a B-/C+ in this survey. Higher marks go to the health insurance exchange, Medicaid, and patient-centered medical homes, as for last year. Payment reform/quality improvement…
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