Analysis: Newest Hartford Healthcare lawsuit adds a critical twist

Yet another lawsuit against Hartford Healthcare (HHC) may seem obscure and limited to healthcare, but it goes much further. There is overwhelming evidence that prices for care at huge health systems like HHC are driving up healthcare prices for private health plans in Connecticut and it’s getting worse. The third anti-trust lawsuit against HHC outlines…

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43 sign letter urging Governor not to return MCOs to HUSKY

A letter signed by 27 organizations and 16 individuals was sent to Governor Lamont urging him not to return Connecticut’s successful Medicaid/HUSKY program to the failed managed care (MCO) model. The signers cited HUSKY’s progress leading the nation in cost control, quality, innovation, and access to care since MCOs left our program in 2012. Read…

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noHuskyMCOs webinar for advocates online

A recording and slides from yesterdays’ noHuskyMCOs webinar for advocates is online. The webinar covered – Questions included — If your group would like a presentation on noHuskyMCOs, email andrews@cthealthpolicy.org.

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Analysis: Why most other states use Medicaid MCOs and why CT doesn’t

A question has been posed to opponents of MCOs in Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Under the Rowland administration, Connecticut started using Medicaid MCOs, but we removed them in 2012 because they weren’t performing. Advocates are strongly opposed to using MCOs in HUSKY. But if they’re so terrible, why do 40 other states use MCOs to run…

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Book Club: Risky Business—Why Insurance Markets Fail And What to Do About It

I thought I knew a lot about how insurance markets work (and don’t), but I learned more than I expected from Risky Business—Why Insurance Markets Fail And What to Do About It by Liran Einav, Amy Finkelstein, and Ray Fishman. Adverse selection (commonly called cherry picking) is a double-edged problem. I knew about insurers’ schemes…

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CT gets a D- for maternal mental health

Connecticut is failing mothers in protecting their mental health, according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. We aren’t alone – 28 other states received a D or F on maternal mental health (MMH).  The US overall received a D+ grade. We got an F on providers and programs – including seven metrics such…

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Study finds CT private healthcare payment rates more than double Medicare’s, close to US average

A new study by RAND analyzing provider payments rates for commercial plans finds Connecticut’s 2022 rates averaged two and half times (258%) what Medicare would’ve paid for the same services at the same hospital (Relative Price). There was little variation by overall type of services. However, individual Connecticut hospitals varied considerably in Relative Price. There…

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CTNJ: Key Lawmaker Pledges To Fight Potential Lamont Plan On Managed Care For Medicaid Patients

CT News Junkie reports: Key state lawmaker said Thursday she opposes the idea of reverting back to a controversial managed care plan for nearly one million Medicaid recipients, setting up a potential showdown between Gov. Ned Lamont and a legislature controlled by his party. Read more

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