HUSKY
Charter Oak after one year – mixed returns
One year after the implementation of the Governor’s Charter Oak Health Plan, the program is still struggling to make a difference for CT’s 326,000 uninsured as outlined in a Stamford Advocate article yesterday, updated today. Currently there are just under 9,000 members accessing care who may not have any other option. However, a year ago…
Read MoreSenate passes a budget, Governor expected to veto
Yesterday the Senate passed a Democratic budget spending $35.5 billion over the next two years. The fiscal year ends next Tuesday. The Democratic budget saves health coverage for legal immigrants, the current definition of medical necessity for Medicaid, and increases cigarette taxes by 75 cents per pack to $2.75. The budget also takes $50 million…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council update
At yesterday’s Council meeting DSS announced that PCCM finally has a name – HUSKY Primary Care – and a brochure for marketing. The program will be available to more consumers and providers in Willimantic and Waterbury soon. SAGA spending is up 13.5% this year over last, however enrollment grew by 16.3% from May 2008 to…
Read MoreNew OLR reports on PCCM, HUSKY employers
According to OLR, in 2004 when Oklahoma switched from HMOs to PCCM to run their Medicaid managed care program, the state saved money and access to primary care improved. An evaluation of OK’s program by Mathematica found that under PCCM the number of participating primary care providers rose 44%, patients’ office visits nearly doubled, avoidable…
Read MorePatient-centered medical home briefing
Medical homes have been featured prominently in federal and state health reform plans. Join us for a policymaker briefing on what the patient-centered medical home concept is and how it might work in CT on Friday June 19th at 12:30 pm in the Old Judiciary Room at the State Capitol in Hartford. Speakers include Suneel…
Read MoreHUSKY rate audit released
The audit of large rate increases granted to the HUSKY HMOs last year has been released. Accounting firm Milliman found that the state overpaid the HMOs between $41 and 39 million. The Governor has already incorporated over $50 million in savings from re-negotiating HMO rates based on this report in her latest budget proposal. The…
Read MoreGovernor’s latest budget proposal includes cuts to health care
Governor Rell’s latest budget proposal includes cuts to health care programs including $50 million in FY 2010 and $52m in FY 2011 (6%) cuts to HMO capitation rates in HUSKY resulting from an audit of those rates by the Office of State Comptroller ($19m and $23m net savings to the state after accounting for the…
Read MoreMedicaid Managed Care Council/Charter Oak update
The news from today’s Council meeting is that while Charter Oak’s enrollment continues to increase – 8,210 as of May 1st — the number of people denied coverage under the program is far higher — 18,635 so far. While 705 of those were denied because they have coverage or have had it in the last…
Read MoreNew briefs on impact of HUSKY cuts
Two new briefs were presented yesterday at a legislative briefing by the CT Health Foundation. Speakers included Jack Hoadley from Georgetown University to describe his research on cost sharing for HUSKY families and cutting coverage for immigrants, and Evelyn Richardson, a mother from Hartford, to discuss the impact of HUSKY cuts on her family. Adults…
Read MoreApril 30th briefing on proposed elimination of legal immigrant coverage
Next Thursday, April 30th at 10:30am in Room 1E of the LOB, the CT Health Foundation will hold a briefing on budget proposals to eliminate health coverage for legal immigrants and proposals to increase copays and other costs on all HUSKY families. Two policy briefs will be released at the briefing. Speakers include Pat Baker…
Read More