HUSKY
Only CT and DC take early expansion option
To date only CT and the District of Columbia have submitted early option applications to expand Medicaid under the new federal health reform law. CT applied April 15th and DC submitted their application May 13th. CT plans to cover our 45,000 SAGA members under Medicaid, providing expanded coverage and eliminating the SAGA asset test, while…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council update
We ran out of time at Friday’s Council meeting, so we will devote the entire June meeting to discussing how the state plans to implement the new budget provision to self-insure the HUSKY/SAGA/Charter Oak program. Some of the decision points are whether to keep the program capitated but without financial risk (not sure how that…
Read MoreBudget agreement reached
The Governor and General Assembly have reportedly reached an agreement on changes to next year’s budget, beginning July 1st, to cover a $2 billion deficit. The agreement includes converting HUSKY to a self-insured ASO model saving $77 million and increases in copays and premiums for HUSKY Part B families, saving $576,000. The legislature is expected…
Read MoreBHP initiative reduces hospital delay days by 22% in two years
At Wednesday’s Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council meeting, Value Options, DCF, DSS and eight hospitals announced remarkable progress in reducing the number of HUSKY children in discharge delay at hospitals, ready to leave but waiting for appropriate outpatient behavioral health care. The initiative aligned performance incentives across providers and administrators. During 2007, before the initiative,…
Read MoreHouse passes budget mitigation plan
Yesterday the House approved a plan to address the $371 million deficit in this year’s state budget. The Senate will vote on the plan today and the Governor is expected to sign it. The bill includes freezing subsidized enrollments in the Charter Oak program at the end of this month; consumers paying full cost will…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council update
Friday’s Council meeting was relatively uneventful. We started with a wonderful outreach video by CT’s Healthy Start programs describing the important work they do supporting at-risk pregnant women and connecting them to the care they need to ensure healthy births. (Advocates think it would be a good idea to start every Council meeting with babies…
Read MoreNew OLR report finds PCCM succeeds, saves money in other states
A new report by the legislative Office of Legislative Research outlines enrollment, savings and impact on hospital visits in states that have implemented Primary Care Case Management (PCCM). PCCM is a different way of running Medicaid managed care plans (HUSKY in CT) used in thirty states. PCCM does not involve HMOs, but rather rests on…
Read MoreCT Medicaid wins in health reform reconciliation bill
The reconciliation bill scheduled to be considered this weekend by Congress benefits CT’s Medicaid program, and the state bottom line, in significant ways. The bill would expand Medicaid coverage to all state residents (except undocumented immigrants) up to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) — $14,620.50 for individuals and $19,669.50 for a family of…
Read MorePCCM Subcommittee update
At today’s PCCM subcommittee of the Medicaid Managed Care Council, DSS unveiled their plans for the Mercer evaluation of the program to be completed by July 1st. Advocates raised many concerns including: · The inability to get any meaningful information on health outcomes with only 200 members on average over the last year · A…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council meeting update
Friday’s Council meeting was uneventful. After a year, there are 342 people in PCCM/HUSKY Primary Care; legislation requires at least 1,000. Despite that, DSS is steaming ahead on plans to evaluate the program by July 1st. It is fascinating that they are just now deciding to comply with deadlines in this program – they have…
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