insurance
Despite concerns, Medicaid buy-in study bill is voted out of committee
While testimony supporting the concept has fallen since last year’s version, on a party-line vote the Human Services Committee voted out bill 7339, which creates a study of public health coverage options, specifically mentioning a Medicaid buy-in. While strongly affirming the need for affordable options, in public and written testimony advocates and others raised concerns…
Read MoreCTNJ: Medicaid Buy-In Sounds Good But A Closer Look Finds Plenty of Risk, Little Potential
Insurance in Connecticut is expensive. Policymakers are desperately seeking options to provide relief for struggling families and employers. There are several good ideas floating around that could help, but the public option based on Medicaid is not one of them. Read more
Read MoreInsurance Committee to hear prescription cost control bill tomorrow – it’s a good start
Raised bill No. 7174 includes some important provisions that would help moderate drug prices and limit increases. The CT Health Policy Project supports them all but urges the Committee to go farther. Drug costs in Connecticut are out of control. We can’t wait for federal action. An array of substantial, bold measures at the state…
Read MoreCTNJ: Public Option Discussion Moves Forward
Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Yesterday, CT News Junkie’s second public policy forum at the Capitol explored the issue with policymakers and experts. Hear the discussion
Read MorePublic Option Forum – high expectations, big challenges
Legislators were warned that ideas that sound simple are rarely that easy at last week’s forum on building a public option to bring down CT’s high health insurance premiums. The forum by the Insurance and Human Services Committees brought in national experts to explore the concept. The idea is to create a non-profit, publicly-accountable insurance…
Read MoreCTNJ Public Policy Forum: Would a Public Option Help Connecticut?
The second CT News Junkie Public Policy Forum will be next Thursday, Feb. 21st at 10 am in Capitol Room 310. Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Important questions…
Read MoreAccessHealthCT enrollment down in early numbers but 23% of CT uninsured could get bronze-level coverage with no premiums
There are affordable coverage options available for many CT uninsured but they need to apply soon. An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 22,888, or 23% of uninsured CT residents qualify for $0 premiums with tax credits for 2019 bronze-level plans on our state’s exchange, AccessHealthCT. Many likely also qualify for significant relief…
Read MoreDisability advocates register serious concerns with SIM primary care capitation plan
On Friday, thirty consumers and advocates for people with disabilities sent a letter to Vicki Veltri and Mark Schaefer, CT’s SIM officials, expressing their concerns with SIM’s proposal to capitate primary care for everyone in CT. The signers are concerned about the potential to deny needed care, especially for people with complex medical conditions. Capitation…
Read MoreAnthem keeps lion’s share of CT insurance market
The best-kept secret in CT healthcare – the Insurance Department’s Consumer Report Card on Managed Care Plans – is out again this year covering 2017. Once again, Anthem has the lion’s share of the market at 46%. ConnectiCare lost almost 55,000 members between 2016 and 2017. About two out of three insured people in Connecticut…
Read MoreEmployer health benefit costs hit lowest wage workers hardest
The latest Kaiser Employer Health Benefits Survey found that nationally last year premiums for employer-sponsored health benefits rose by 3% for single coverage and 5% for family coverage. In comparison, wages rose 2.6% and inflation was 2.5%. As in previous surveys, premiums were highest in the Northeast. But in a really unfair twist (which also…
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