Medicaid
DSS medication clients’ information released in error
In supporting information regarding a bill, DSS sent OPM information on up to 8,500 clients who receive medications from DSS. The information, with client numbers but no names or Social Security numbers, was then sent to legislators, legislative staff, and organizations involved in administering medications to DSS clients. The client numbers should not have been…
Read MoreMedicaid Council update
Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting featured DSS Commissioner Bremby’s comprehensive, long overdue client services system overhaul. To say the current systems are outdated is a massive understatement – fragmented, ancient, paper-based, and under-resourced. DSS’ plans for the future are as good as the current system is bad. Phone and online systems will be integrated, information for…
Read MoreGovernor’s proposed budget adjustments – one major health change
The Governor’s proposals to adjust the current biennial budget include changes to LIA (the former SAGA program). When SAGA was merged into Medicaid in 2010, creating LIA, the asset limit of $1,000 was removed. Since that time enrollment has grown significantly due in part to removing the asset limit (the economy doubtless had something to…
Read MoreMedicaid Council meeting
The news from Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting was that there was no news. Unlike previous HUSKY transitions, the shift from three capitated HMOs to only one entity, Community Health Network (CHN), running the program was uneventful. There had been concerns that many providers previously participating in the HMO networks were not enrolled in regular Medicaid,…
Read MoreDual eligible care and payment model development committee update
Last week the Medicaid Council sub, sub-committee developing a payment and delivery model for a new Medicaid program serving dual eligible met. The committee is considering shared savings payment options in which savings from coordinating care, reducing duplication and emphasizing quality would be captured and shared with providers. The project grew from a CMS planning…
Read MoreLegal aid suing over Medicaid delays
Yesterday New Haven Legal Assistance Association filed a federal class action lawsuit against DSS over extreme delays in processing Medicaid applications. The application for one plaintiff, a 27-year old man with a seizure disorder, has been in process for almost six months. He has provided all the information requested and was told by the Department…
Read MoreMedicaid PCMH update
Today’s Care Management Committee meeting (formerly the PCCM Committee) in Hartford was frustrating. DSS and their consultants outlined their final plan for CT Medicaid’s person-centered medical home (PCMH) transformation. Unfortunately the final plan is not substantially different than the original proposal which raised concerns among advocates. Most contentious was DSS’ refusal to match consumers and…
Read MoreCourant OP-ED raises concerns about Medicaid PCMH proposal
An Opinion piece in today’s Hartford Courant by Sheldon Toubman of New Haven legal aid outlines many problems with DSS’ proposal for person-centered medical homes. PCMHs have been used by payers, including many other state Medicaid programs and CT’s state employee plan, to improve the effectiveness of health care, reduce duplications and errors and rein…
Read MoreState chooses CHN to run Medicaid
The administration announced that they will be negotiating with Community Health Network to administer the entire state Medicaid program as of January 1st. Based on the state’s community health centers, CHN has been a participating managed care provider for HUSKY since its inception sixteen years ago. The managed care program will expand beyond the current…
Read MoreCT Health Policy Project comments on DSS proposal for Medicaid person-centered medical homes
To implement the administration’s directive to develop person/patient-centered medical homes for every Medicaid consumer, DSS has proposed a payment model very different from other successful state programs. CTHPP has submitted comments on the proposal including concerns about reliance on retrospective enhanced fee-for-service and P4P payments, the lack of risk adjustment, opaque incentives, and a weak…
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