HUSKY
What can Charter Oak teach the CT health insurance exchange?
A comparison finds lower consumer costs in the current Charter Oak plan than the Access Health CT (the CT Health Insurance Exchange) standard silver plan. Governor Rell created Charter Oak almost five years ago for the same purpose as the exchange – offering affordable, decent coverage options for CT’s uninsured. While Charter Oak premiums started out…
Read MoreHUSKY parents cut – costs outlined, rally planned
The Governor’s budget proposed cutting 37,500 working parents from Medicaid in 2014. Families affected have incomes between 133 and 185% of the federal poverty level — $25,975 to $36,131 for a family of three this year. The administration argues that those parents will be able to purchase federally subsidized coverage in the new insurance exchange.…
Read MoreExchange update: HUSKY parents at risk, out of network standard plan costs alarming
Public testimony before yesterday’s CT Health Insurance Exchange Board centered on the administration’s proposal to cut eligibility for HUSKY parents over 133% of the federal poverty level (currently $25,975 for family of three) saving the state $3 million in FY 14 and $30 million (net) the next year. The proposal assumes those families will purchase…
Read MoreGovernor proposes to cut 40,000 working parents from HUSKY
The Governor’s budget proposal released today would move an estimated 20,000 working parents with incomes from 133% to 185% of the federal poverty level (currently $25,975 to $36,130/year for a family of three) from HUSKY to the CT Health Insurance Exchange. Right now those working parents pay no premiums or copays for comprehensive coverage. In…
Read MoreMedicaid Council new site and meeting update
The Medicaid Oversight Council has a new, comprehensive website. It is now easy to find the calendar for the Council and its many committees, presentations, quarterly reports, agendas, minutes, legislation, and program information. A huge step forward in transparency and sharing information that can improve health. Many many thanks to Council staff. Last week’s Council…
Read MoreMedicaid Council meeting clears up misinformation on HUSKY parents fate under ACA
The CT Health Insurance Exchange staff’s presentation to the Medicaid Council Friday described the “opportunity” under the Affordable Care Act for significant state savings by shifting HUSKY parents into the exchange. They described subsidized premiums ($45 to $243/month), some caps on out of pocket costs, and a list of covered services. However, with questioning from…
Read MoreHUSKY B saves $4 million in switch from HMOs
As advocates predicted, it appears the shift from capitated managed care to self-insurance saved the HUSKY Part B program $4 million in lower medical costs in the first six months. (The numbers are still tentative, as there may be some outstanding claims from the first half of the year, but they are not expected to…
Read MoreMedicaid outreach recommendations
Small grants, engaging an army of trusted community messengers, ubiquitous marketing, and robust monitoring will be critical to enrolling the estimated 130,000 newly eligible CT Medicaid members in January 2014, according to a report by the CT Health Policy Project. Best opportunities for outreach include providers, current HUSKY members, faith-based communities, connecting with employers and…
Read MoreWho is coming into LIA?
Today’s CT Mirror asks the question – who are the 37,000 new enrollees in the Low Income Adult Program? LIA was created just over a year ago as an option under the Affordable Care Act. CT shifted our fully-state-funded SAGA program into Medicaid, getting a 50% federal match, and re-named it LIA. When the program…
Read MoreMedicaid Council update
Lots of good news at Friday’s MAPOC meeting. DSS has significantly improved their redetermination process in response to huge backlogs that prompted a legal aid lawsuit. The dual eligible Health Neighborhood proposal’s behavioral health component has been improved by shifting from the controversial, administratively complex and fragmented co-lead proposal to a partnership. This is what…
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