insurance
New state health data updates – over one in six CT residents have high medical cost burden
According to State Health Compare’s updated data, 18.1% of Connecticut residents had out-of-pocket health costs that were more than 10% of their family income in 2018. That is up from 17.8% the year before while the burden on the rest of the US went down. While Connecticut’s rate is bad, it’s better than the US…
Read MoreCT Free Dental Clinic postponed
Updated 3/9/2020 This year’s CT Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic, originally scheduled for Saturday March 20 and Sunday March 21st in Danbury has been postponed due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. Click here for more information on when it will be rescheduled.
Read MorePublic comment to OHS opposing selling/monetizing personal medical records
Download the comments PUBLIC COMMENT to the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, HITO@ct.gov March 4, 2020 Re: Public comment on Draft Consent Design Guiding Principles Ellen Andrews, PhD, Board Chair Thank you for this opportunity to provide comment on the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) proposed guiding principles on the Final Report and Recommendations of the…
Read MoreAnalysis: Right Thing But Wrong Way: State Shouldn’t Sell Our Medical Data To Insurers And ACOs
After many tries, Connecticut is getting a state-sponsored Health Information Exchange (HIE). At their best, HIEs allow providers who are treating the same person to share information, reduce duplicated tests, and keep us safer. I’ve been a strong supporter of a Connecticut HIE that allows providers treating us to see our records. But not this…
Read MoreCTNJ – Op-Ed: The Individual Mandate Was Never Necessary, But Connecticut Knew That
Arguably the most contentious part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the individual mandate, requiring every American to secure healthcare coverage, appears to have made little difference since Congress removed the penalty last year. Connecticut considered passing a state-level individual mandate both before the ACA and more recently as the ACA has been in peril.…
Read MoreEvidence that children with private or Medicaid coverage both at risk of low-value care
A new study finds that both Medicaid and privately insured children frequently receive healthcare services that do not improve health. There has been an assumption that because providers are paid less by Medicaid, they have no incentive to provide unnecessary services. The study, published in Pediatrics, analyzed records from almost 7 million American children in…
Read MoreFive healthcare issues to follow in 2020
What Connecticut can do in an election year, with a tight budget, in an unsettled economy, and Washington in gridlock Download the details ACOs and provider financial risk Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are large and growing systems that touch every aspect of healthcare. They make money by reducing their patients’ care costs. Unlike insurers, ACOs…
Read MoreCT employee insurance costs up, but total picture is more complicated
Worker costs for health insurance are growing in all states, including Connecticut, both in total dollars and as a proportion of median incomes, according to a new analysis by the Commonwealth Fund. Connecticut has not been hit as hard as other states, because in the past growth in median income here was strong. But that…
Read MoreSurvey finds CT ACOs planning services for high need members
Similar to national results, a new survey of Connecticut Accountable Care Organizations for MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee by the CT Health Policy Project finds that most are using multiple methods to identify high need members. But they are still working on implementing effective programs to address the needs. Many of their plans follow best practices…
Read MoreICER seeks input on non-drug topics for 2020
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is seeking input on non-drug topics they should study for 2020. An independent nonprofit research institute, ICER is the US leader in assessing the evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other medical services. ICER’s reports and pricing benchmarks that represent a good value for consumers…
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