Health equity
One 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 MoreHelp Medicaid members keep healthcare benefits under threat
As federal Medicaid cuts loom, DSS is urging HUSKY and SNAP recipients to update their contact information. The federal budget bill, HR-1, passed in July, included significant cuts to both HUSKY and SNAP. It is expected that thousands of Connecticut residents will lose benefits. The bill also added complex administrative burdens for over 300,000 HUSKY…
Read MoreStudy finds federal Medicaid cuts will drop 114,300 people and cost $8.3 billion in CT
A new study by RAND researchers details the likely Medicaid impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill (HR-1) by state. Connecticut stands to lose $8.3 billion in Medicaid funding, and 114,300 state residents will lose coverage. The report parses the impact by each provision of HR-1 over the next ten years. Nationally, 7.6 million Americans…
Read MoreUpdated: HUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work
Download the update with revisions highlighted Download a clean version We’ve updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Medicaid that becomes effective January 1st of next year. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years as a…
Read MoreNew resource on CT health equity
Making data actionable, the Connecticut Health Equity Dashboards offer a single source of detailed information on important health and social determinants at the town and neighborhood levels. Created by the state Office of Health Strategy, the site compares dozens of metrics across chronic care management, burden of disease, complications and poor outcomes, access to prevention,…
Read MoreAnalysis: Why is quality always TBD?
The quality of healthcare in Connecticut is average at best. Poor quality care compromises our health. But too often, improving quality is an afterthought. Paying less for poor quality is no bargain. We need both quality improvement and cost control. Thankfully, improving quality saves money. Read more
Read MoreWorkforce chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve updated the Workforce chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including more information on shortages. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, workforce includes a Basics summary and a much longer…
Read MoreAnalysis: The real goal of Medicaid work requirements
An old saying goes, there’s no right way to do the wrong thing. I hope that’s not true. Connecticut has to implement a requirement in HR-1, the new federal budget act, that 340,000 adults on Medicaid must work to keep their healthcare coverage. This wasn’t our idea; our policymakers didn’t vote for it. But we…
Read MoreHUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work
Download the full report The largest cut in the new federal budget bill is Medicaid work requirements. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years. If history repeats, most will lose coverage in error – they will be working or exempt Only…
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