Medicaid - CT Health Policy

HUSKY, Charter Oak and other session updates

By Ellen Andrews | May 9, 2008 |

The General Assembly acted on very few health proposals this year. Some things that did pass: HB 5536 — Rep. Donovan’s bill to allow municipalities and small business to buy directly into the state employee plan pool – the Courant says “Rell’s signature is iffy”. Even if she does approve it, the plan may not…

New report details questions and answers on implementing medical interpretation for CT Medicaid consumers

By Ellen Andrews | April 23, 2008 |

A new report, Medicaid Payments for Medical Interpreters: Implementation Questions and Recommended Action, commissioned by the CT Health Foundation lays out details the state needs to consider in implementing legislation passed last year providing medical interpretation services to Medicaid consumers. Questions addressed include how much should DSS pay and to whom, in what situations will…

Eligibility income levels increase tomorrow

By Ellen Andrews | March 31, 2008 |

Many programs, including HUSKY and Medicaid, base eligibility determinations on the Federal Poverty Level – an antiquated mechanism, that shortchanges CT, of determining what the basics of life cost. Anyway, those dysfunctional standards are updated every year and the new levels become effective tomorrow. Here are the new numbers, with calculations for HUSKY program eligibility…

Anthem not bidding on Charter Oak or HUSKY

By Ellen Andrews | March 26, 2008 |

Last week, Anthem sent a letter notifying DSS that they will not be submitting a bid for the joint HUSKY/Charter Oak Plan RFP. Initial responses are due to the state on Friday. Anthem’s concerns include inadequate funding for full-risk HUSKY and Charter Oak; advocates and other state officials have also been concerned about the programs’…

Charter Oak update

By Ellen Andrews | March 19, 2008 |

HB-5617 – the “Charter Oak fix bill – passed the Human Services Committee yesterday with substitute language along party lines. The bill that passed includes mental health parity for the program, eliminates the requirement that enrollees be uninsured for six months to be eligible, reports on services delivered and the costs of care, Charter Oak…

Human Services Committee passes bill delaying HUSKY HMO contracting and delinking from Charter Oak

By Ellen Andrews | March 13, 2008 |

Today the Human Services Committee passed a stripped down version of HB-5618, An Act Concerning Revisions to the HUSKY Plan. The new language would delay HUSKY contracting with HMOs until July 1, 2009, delink procurement of HUSKY from the Charter Oak Plan, and provide for a study of recent changes to HUSKY including implementation of…

Administration opposition to HB-5617, Charter Oak fix bill

By Ellen Andrews | February 29, 2008 |

Testimony from Governor Rell, DSS Commissioner Starkowski, OHCA Commissioner Vogel, OPM Secretary Genuario, and DPH Commissioner Galvin in the Human Services Committee’s public hearing Tuesday strongly opposed any changes to their plans for Charter Oak. Attorney General Blumenthal, State Health Care Advocate Lembo and fourteen consumers and advocates, including this one, testified in favor of…

Primary Care Access Authority Update

By Ellen Andrews | February 28, 2008 |

Adequate behavioral health services are vital to ensuring that Connecticut’s primary care infrastructure will work well for all our residents. This was the focus of yesterday’s Primary Care Access Authority meeting in Hartford. The session outlined some of the behavioral health services currently available in our state and showed the impact of healthcare staffing recruitment…

Charter Oak/HUSKY update and notes from the bidder’s conference

By Ellen Andrews | February 26, 2008 |

DSS has posted an advocacy-style fact sheet about Charter Oak and opposing HB-5617 which would delay implementation to allow more thoughtful planning. HB-5617 will be heard in the Human Services Committee later this morning. The flyer includes several positive quotes about Charter Oak from letters and emails to the Governor’s office. But it leaves out…

PCCM Update

By Ellen Andrews | February 22, 2008 |

At yesterday’s Appropriations’ Human Services Subcommittee meeting, DSS reported on progress toward implementing a pilot Primary Care Case Management program for HUSKY. DSS has been busy researching other states’ PCCM programs, including a January trip to MA to hear from several states’ about best practices and collecting PCCM provider contracts. DSS generously invited this advocate…