health disparities
Employer health benefit costs hit lowest wage workers hardest
The latest Kaiser Employer Health Benefits Survey found that nationally last year premiums for employer-sponsored health benefits rose by 3% for single coverage and 5% for family coverage. In comparison, wages rose 2.6% and inflation was 2.5%. As in previous surveys, premiums were highest in the Northeast. But in a really unfair twist (which also…
Read MoreCTNJ op-ed: Health disparities are real and new payment schemes are probably making them worse
Connecticut is a very healthy place; we rank fifth healthiest among states. But not all state residents share in that good fortune; too many suffer from health inequities. Very good people across the state are doing important work promoting better health for everyone. However some emerging policies, both government and private sector, are working at…
Read MoreBirths to very young girls declining, CT rate low but towns vary
A new CDC analysis finds that births to girls ages 10 to 14 reached a record low in 2015 and 2016 at 0.2 per 1,000 population. CT was among 8 states with the lowest rate; Mississippi was highest at 0.7 per 1,000. DPH’s vital statistics reported 15 births to CT girls under age 15 in…
Read MoreCT life expectancy rising, but risks vary
A comprehensive, new analysis of public health outcomes, risks, and causes by state published in JAMA finds that life expectancy for CT residents rose from 77 years in 1990 to 80.8 year in 2016. Healthy life expectancy (maybe more important) also rose from 66.5 years to 69 years. States varied widely in the burden of…
Read MoreAlmost one in six CT adults smokes cigarettes, rate steady and disparities persist
According to new numbers for 2014 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US. Tobacco use is blamed for 480,000 premature deaths and over $300 billion in direct healthcare costs each year. Unfortunately CT is not immune; 15.4% of adults in…
Read MoreApril web quiz: Medicare disparities in CT
Test your knowledge of Medicare disparities in CT. Take the April CT Health Policy Webquiz.
Read MoreConnecticut scores well in health care quality, but near the middle in disparities
The latest National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report from HHS finds significant improvement in access to health care across groups in 2014, likely due to the Affordable Care Act. Released earlier this month, the annual report tracks over 250 measures of quality and disparities in health care. Along with other northeastern states, Connecticut performed well…
Read MoreSIM update, equity planning questions
At Thursday’s SIM steering committee meeting in public comments, SB Chaterjee raised concerns about DPH’s planning to address health equity. Important planning meetings occur in closed meetings, without public notice or minutes. (Sound familiar?) Questions were also raised about how federal funds have been spent and the required conflict of interest policy is not available.…
Read MoreNational health disparities summit coming to CT
June 12th and 13th the UConn Health Center will host the National Health Disparities Elimination Summit. Dr. Louis Sullivan, former HHS Secretary, CEO& Chairman of the Sullivan Alliance and President Emeritus of Morehouse School of Medicine, will be the keynote speaker. The conference is sponsored by UConn, the CT Institute for Clinical and Translational Science,…
Read MoreDecember CT Health Policy Webquiz: health disparities in CT
Test your knowledge about health disparities in CT. Take the December CT Health Policy Webquiz.
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