CT Health Reform
CT providers won’t benefit as much from Medicaid rate increase as other states
Effective January 1st, the Affordable Care Act includes a payment increase for Medicaid primary care providers bringing rates up to Medicare levels. The federal government is reimbursing states 100% of the cost of the rate increase for two years. While nationally that averages a 73% rate increase, CT providers will see only 41% increases in…
Read MoreExchange staff back off eroding essential health benefits
At yesterday’s CT Health Insurance Exchange meeting we learned about an attempt by Exchange staff and the Insurance Dept. to reduce the Essential Health Benefit Package that had been agreed to earlier this year in a contentious but inclusive and public process. Like the last process that rejected active purchasing, this process happened in evening…
Read MoreHHS approves CT insurance exchange plan
Along with six other states, CT’s health insurance exchange received approval yesterday from the federal agency providing funding. CT was among the first six states to apply to HHS for approval – 14 states have applied to date. No state’s application has been denied. CT’s exchange has been criticized for their plan to accept any…
Read MoreMedicaid outreach recommendations
Small grants, engaging an army of trusted community messengers, ubiquitous marketing, and robust monitoring will be critical to enrolling the estimated 130,000 newly eligible CT Medicaid members in January 2014, according to a report by the CT Health Policy Project. Best opportunities for outreach include providers, current HUSKY members, faith-based communities, connecting with employers and…
Read MoreExchange Board and staff water down already watered-down affordability and access provisions
In a surprise to advisory committee co-chairs, CT Health Insurance Exchange staff submitted four alternative policy proposals at today’s Board meeting – they were adopted virtually intact by the Board. The staff alternatives were contrary to the recommendations adopted Tuesday by the Consumer and Qualified Health Plan Advisory Committees, with Exchange staff at every meeting.…
Read MoreJoint exchange committees voting down active purchasing, cost control
While the votes are reportedly still coming in, it appears that the Consumer and QHP Insurance Exchange committees have voted against active purchasing. With active purchasing, other state exchanges are using the power of numbers, as large employers do, to negotiate better premiums, lower costs and better coverage for their members. MA has saved millions…
Read MoreExchange advisory committees reject “any-willing insurer”
Today in a joint meeting of the Health Plan Benefits/Qualifications and Consumer Experience/Outreach committees of the CT Health Insurance Exchange voted against the staff recommendation “that the Exchange not deny any carrier QHP certification on the basis of its approved rates”. The only votes for the staff’s any willing insurer proposal were from Aetna and…
Read MoreCT Insurance Exchange holding public events
In response to concerns about the lack of public input, CT’s Health Insurance Exchange will be holding seven “Healthy Chat” events in the next month. Similar to Consumer Conversations last month but sponsored by the exchange this time, they will be reporting on their activities but will also be taking questions. We will be asking…
Read MoreWhy CT’s health insurance exchange needs to negotiate
CT’s health insurance exchange is not planning to negotiate with insurers to improve value and control costs for consumers. As of January 2014, consumers will be mandated to secure coverage. Consumers eligible for affordability assistance must purchase in the still developing exchange to get the subsidies. Massachusetts’s exchange (the Connector) negotiates, termed active purchasing, with…
Read MoreConsumer questions to CT insurance exchange
Some initial questions from consumers for the exchange were collected for last Friday’s Consumer Conversations. Among the 43 early questions — Will you standardize benefit limits, exclusions, and substitutions to the Essential Health Benefit package? and How will you monitor that there are enough of the right kinds of doctors, and other providers taking new…
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