healthcare costs
CT 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 MoreUpdated again: HUSKY and work requirements – Incorporating the new federal rule
Updated June 30, 2026 to include states’ lawsuit Download the update corrected version with revisions highlighted Download a clean version of the update To incorporate new federal regulations, we’ve again updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Connecticut’s Medicaid program that become effective January 1st of next year. This version…
Read MoreSeven CT hospitals warned about price transparency
Over 500 US hospitals, including seven in Connecticut, received warnings regarding compliance with 2019 price transparency requirements, according to the Associated Press. The requirements were designed to make care more affordable. The President is reportedly planning to ramp up enforcement of the federal transparency rule and more hospitals may receive warnings. Since 2019, many hospitals…
Read MoreHospital chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve updated the Hospitals chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including potential impact of federal Medicaid cuts, payment rates, Medicaid rates, and private equity . CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic…
Read MoreAnalysis: Public health is the bedrock of our health system, we should treat it better
These are strange, hard times for public health.The country, including government, is focused on improving our health. But we get confusing, contradictory information on how to care for ourselves and our families. They’ve literally tipped the food pyramid upside down. Not surprisingly, most Americans report that they get conflicting information and it’s difficult to know…
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 MoreCT hospital ED wait times are 4th highest among states, Patient “boarding” to blame
At 191 minutes, the average (median) wait time at Connecticut’s hospital emergency departments (EDs) was tied with New York for 4th worst among states. Maryland was the highest at 247 minutes. The data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) covers April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025. According to CT Public…
Read MoreNew tool to compare CT healthcare prices
Medcompare collects publicly available hospital price transparency data and converts it into a searchable format. The site compares US cash/self-pay hospital prices for 8,967 procedures in 31 categories across 29 hospitals in Connecticut. Prices for the same service vary significantly between Connecticut hospitals. Uninsured and self-pay patients can save hundreds to thousands of dollars by…
Read MoreFact Check: No correlation between CT hospital Medicaid share and profits
Download the data Connecticut hospitals have asserted that state Medicaid payment rates undermine hospital margins and force higher private plan rates. But the evidence doesn’t support the first assertion and is mixed on the second. As in most states, Connecticut Medicaid hospital payment rates are lower than rates that commercial plans pay. It’s important to…
Read MoreNew tool finds CT employer health insurance costs 8th highest in US
A new Health Cost Landscape data tool finds that Connecticut residents spend 15% more than the national average on employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. Only seven states cost more. But because of higher average incomes, the burden of healthcare costs is lower here than for most Americans. High prices are the main force driving up Connecticut…
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