HUSKY
Surprisingly, Medicaid applications are down sharply with the pandemic
At Friday’s MAPOC meeting, DSS reported that HUSKY applications were down 40% in May from a year before. This was unexpected given massive increases in unemployment and predictions of over 100,000 new Connecticut Medicaid members because of the pandemic. In January, February and March, applications ran 15% to 20% higher than last year. But a…
Read MoreHelp for CT’s uninsured
With the recent spike in unemployment, many more Connecticut residents will be joining the thousands that were uninsured pre-COVID looking for healthcare coverage. The state has some new options to help. Check AccessHealthCT. You may be surprised to find that you qualify for HUSKY which is comprehensive, free, and includes most Connecticut providers. You may…
Read MoreCost Cap project could reduce access to care, stifle efficiency and innovation, and increase disparities
Download the Summary or Full Report Healthcare costs a lot in Connecticut, especially for middle and lower income residents. Primary care is the foundation of a healthy health system. Lowering costs and supporting primary care are important goals, however the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) new plan to limit costs is ill-conceived and likely to…
Read MoreAdvocates, providers send Governor, legislators letter about cost cap impact and unintended consequences
Yesterday, twenty advocates and providers sent letters to the Governor and legislative leaders objecting to the rush to develop a cap on healthcare cost increases during a pandemic, and to use the time to incorporate input from diverse stakeholders and for thoughtful design with a broad group chosen democratically. “This controversial proposal, if rushed ahead…
Read MoreCT hospitals would fare better than most if all payers used Medicare payment rates
A new study published in Health Affairs finds that if commercial payment rates were set at fee-for-service Medicare levels in 2017, US hospital revenue (inpatient and outpatient) would drop by 35%. Interestingly, also raising Medicaid rates to Medicare levels does little to mitigate that, changing the revenue loss to 30%. However, the authors note that…
Read MoreProtecting affordability in a pandemic — Experts find fair prices for remdesivir between $10 and $4,500
In a nation hungry for good news in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, remdesivir has emerged as a first ray of hope. The FDA has quickly approved the drug for emergency use with seriously ill patients. However there are concerns that the data supporting remdesivir’s effectiveness has not been published or peer reviewed by independent scientists…
Read MoreCTNJ: Forecast Estimates More Than 100,000 New CT Medicaid Members
According to modeling by Health Management Associates, the COVID-19 pandemic could raise Connecticut’s Medicaid rolls 15% to 32% by mid-2020, depending on how much unemployment grows. Connecticut residents with employer-sponsored coverage could drop by 130,000 to 382,000 and Access Health CT coverage could grow by 8,000 to 33,000. Uninsured could rise by 77,000. Read more
Read MoreCTNJ: Analysis — Will COVID-19 Make Health Insurance Premiums Skyrocket?
Not necessarily. COVID-19 could cost the US between $34 billion and $251 billion for testing, treatment and care. Some analysts have predicted that premiums will rise between 4% and 40% next year because of the pandemic. Because consumers, taxpayers and workers ultimately pay the bills, from our taxes, our lost wages, our premiums, and directly…
Read MoreLetter urges state to go farther to protect Connecticut’s health and affordability
Building on previous letters from legal services, the CT Health Policy Project sent a letter today thanking the state for important protections adopted to protect Connecticut’s health during the pandemic. We also urged the state to adopt new policies and expand some already adopted. Require insurers to automatically continue providing commercial insurance during the crisis…
Read MoreCTNJ: The recession is here, and healthcare is in the center of it
After the longest economic recovery in US history, we’ve been expecting a recession for a long time. We knew when it came, Connecticut healthcare would be hit hard. But no one expected this. Connecticut didn’t fare well in the last recession and we took longer than other states to build back the jobs we lost.…
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