healthcare markets
31 Ways to Save Money in CT’s Health Care Budget
The state budget is facing a billion deficit next fiscal year. We have 31 ways to both save money and improve quality and access to care. The options focus on payment reform, re-engineering care delivery, engaging consumers, quality reforms and prevention, learning from experience, removing waste and excessive administration. In 2010 we only had fifteen…
Read MoreJoint exchange committees voting down active purchasing, cost control
While the votes are reportedly still coming in, it appears that the Consumer and QHP Insurance Exchange committees have voted against active purchasing. With active purchasing, other state exchanges are using the power of numbers, as large employers do, to negotiate better premiums, lower costs and better coverage for their members. MA has saved millions…
Read MoreState Employee wellness program working
Preliminary results from the new Health Enhancement Program (HEP) for state employees show decreasing use of specialists and increasing use of primary care. HEP is a wellness program that gives state employees incentives to manage chronic conditions and prevent new problems. HEP grew out of last year’s labor negotiations designed to both reduce costs and…
Read MoreRFI for state employee Health Enhancement Program support
The Office of State Comptroller has released a Request for Information for data, support, chronic care coordination and monitoring services to support the new Health Enhancement Program. The RFI includes questions about medical management, care management, call center, physician support, data exchange, quality management, privacy & security, information technology, outcomes, and wellness support. Please share…
Read MoreLHP takeover of Waterbury hospitals may be off
News outlets are reporting that LHP Hospital Group, the for-profit Texas company planning to purchase both Waterbury and St. Mary’s Hospitals, has sent a letter threatening to pull out of the deal unless the three sides came to agreement by last Friday. The plan was to merge the two hospitals in a new facility. One…
Read MoreAwaiting the Supreme Court: What Could it Mean for CT?
Policymakers and politicians, in CT and across the country, are eagerly awaiting/dreading tomorrow’s Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act. We’ve outlined a few possible scenarios and the potential impact on CT. All scenarios have an upside, and there is a way through for every possibility. No matter the decision, we are much farther…
Read MoreHHS awards HealthyCT $75.8 million loan to develop new statewide nonprofit insurer
Today HHS announced approval of HealthyCT’s CO-OP application to develop a new non-profit insurance company for CT consumers. The federal $75.8 million loan is meant to cover start up costs and reserve funds for the new insurer. The CO-OP opportunity (Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan)was created in the national health reform Affordable Care Act, to…
Read MoreAG will not block YNHH-St. Raph’s purchase
The CT Attorney General’s office has concluded their analysis of anti-trust implications of Yale-New Haven Hospital’s proposal to purchase The Hospital of St. Raphael and will not seek to block the sale. The sale would leave New Haven with only one hospital raising concerns about higher prices for services, less care and higher medical debt…
Read MoreHealth care spending growth last year matched growth in the economy – almost
Today CMS published health spending growth numbers for last year; US health care spending grew only 3.9% while the overall economy grew by 3.8%. Consequently health care as a share of GDP stayed at 17.6%. This is a significant slowing of health care costs which had increased by double digits in past years. Unfortunately the…
Read MoreHealth insurance exchange bill passes Senate
Yesterday the Senate passed SB 921 creating the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange. The Exchange, authorized under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will create a standardized, understandable marketplace for consumers and small businesses to purchase health insurance. The Exchange must be operational by 2014 when the ACA’s individual mandate becomes effective. Individuals eligible for premium subsidies…
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