drugs
Prices for two thirds of new drugs are above fair prices for their value
The average new US drug launch price in 2025 was $257,000 and almost a quarter launched above $500,000, according to the latest Launch Price and Access Report by ICER and the West Health. This is a 35% increase from 2022. Two thirds of the 26 new drugs reviewed exceeded the price range that reflects the…
Read MoreObesity in Connecticut is stabilizing, but it’s a serious problem. Federal cuts and high drug prices aren’t helping.
Just over 30% of Connecticut adults were obese last year, according to the latest report by the Trust for America’s Health. In good news, that rate has leveled off since 2021. Nationally, obesity rates are also stable at 40%. Unfortunately, that is too high. Obesity is associated with higher mortality and higher healthcare costs. Obese…
Read MorePrescription Drugs chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve updated the Prescription Drugs chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new state law, the experience of Medicare price negotiation, changes to federal expert committees that advise regulation, and Trump administration efforts to lower prices. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system.…
Read MoreBook Club — Pre-Existing Conditions: How Lobbying Makes American Health Care More Expensive
If you’re still looking for a summer read, Pre-Existing Conditions, by Alex Garlick, is a good choice. This is the first deep dive I’ve found into the impact of state-based lobbying on healthcare costs. Most descriptions of healthcare policy, including the influence of lobbying, only looks at the federal level. Most important health policy happens…
Read MoreCT Medicaid Home & Community Services spending up, but that’s what we want
Read the report Recently, Connecticut Medicaid per member costs have grown significantly while enrollment is easing, according to the latest state financial report. Since switching from managed care organizations in 2012 to focus on care management, Connecticut Medicaid spending had stabilized while enrollment expanded significantly. With COVID, enrollment grew and per member costs dropped. Post-COVID…
Read MoreOne in ten CT adults forgo needed medical care due to cost, HR-1 likely to increase that rate
In 2024, 9.9% of adults in Connecticut missed needed care because of cost in 2024, according to an analysis of SHADAC data. That’s better than the US average at 12.4%. Both had been dropping as the number of uninsured fell but began rising again after COVID. Medical inflation has grown faster than general inflation since…
Read MoreNebraska starts Medicaid work requirements tomorrow — Lessons for CT
Download this article Advocates, providers, and Medicaid agencies are watching Nebraska this week as they launch work requirements in their Medicaid program. States have been working to implement the complex, federally mandated requirements passed last summer in HR-1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Previous efforts in Arkansas and Georgia failed badly. Unfortunately, while the…
Read MoreCTNJ: To make healthcare affordable, break up OHS
Candidates are hearing a lot about affordability, in Connecticut and across the country. Rising healthcare costs are a big part of the problem, erasing any wage increases. Connecticut is among the most expensive states for health insurance premiums, and they’re rising fast. Our state Office of Health Strategy is tasked with finding solutions that lower…
Read MorePrivate Insurance chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve updated the Private Insurance chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including level-funded plans, Connecticut private insurance prices compared to Medicare, and wide hospital price variation. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17…
Read MoreMedicare chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve made another massive update to CT Healthcare Explained – this time to the Medicare chapter. The update was prompted by new numbers and new research, especially about Medicare Advantage plans. We also included the changes to the program required by the budget bill passed by Congress and the Trump administration this month. CT Healthcare…
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