healthcare costs
Still the best kept secret in CT healthcare – CID insurer report card
The 2025 annual CT health insurance plan comparison report from the CT Insurance Department (CID) is an underappreciated gold mine of information – for people and employers choosing plans and for researchers looking for trends and high performers. CID has been publishing the report since at least 2011. The Consumer Report Card on Health Insurance…
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
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 two states have implemented…
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 MoreAnalysis: State agencies need partners to avoid the havoc that’s coming
Lately, I’ve been reminded of both the importance and the difficulty in working with state agencies. But collaboration between state agencies and outside stakeholders who share the same goals has never been more important. Read more
Read MoreAdvocates call on state leaders to fix DSS call center and other problems in response to federal budget bill
Twenty-four consumer groups signed a letter to Governor Lamont and legislative leaders urging them to call a special session to address imminent harms from passage of HR-1 in Washington. While the federal budget bill passed July 4th is expected to cause significant long-term harms to Connecticut, some impacts need to be addressed before the next…
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…
Read MoreMedicaid chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve made a massive update to the Medicaid chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and updated performance. We also included the significant changes to the program required by the budget bill passed by Congress and the Trump administration this month. We also included a description of Connecticut’s decision not…
Read MoreAnalysis: CT is a National Leader in Fight to Control Drug Costs
This year, Connecticut passed meaningful laws to control stubbornly-high prescription drug prices. According to the Office of Health Strategy, prescription drugs are among the top three drivers of Connecticut’s unaffordable healthcare costs, across Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. States don’t have the powerful levers that federal policymakers could access, and federal law can be a…
Read MoreCT health policy learning opportunity
To help build health policy capacity in our state, the CT Health Policy Project is launching a guided study/class that builds on CT Healthcare Explained. There is no cost for the course. There is a webpage for the course (learncthealth.org) that starts in September and runs through December. We’ll use a hybrid format – video…
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