Malloy signs bills allowing for-profit hospital conversions and not allowing e-cigarettes for minors

Among the 23 bills signed by Gov. Malloy yesterday was SB-35which eases CT hospitals’ conversion to for-profit status, however with more restrictions and protections for patients and workers. The Governor also signed SB-24making the sale of e-cigarettes to minors illegal.

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News: Independent CT hospitals discussing tiered networks, Pre-ACA CID routinely approved very high rates for Aetna

The Hartford Business Journal is reporting that some smaller, independent CT hospitals are in discussions with each other and with insurers about options that improve their efficiency and make coverage more affordable. The hospitals are talking with insurers about value-based insurance designs or tiered networks where consumers who choose to access care at lower priced…

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CT hospitals safety rankings lower than surrounding states

New rankings of hospital safety by the Leapfrog Group outline sharp differences between CT’s hospitals. St. Francis and Backus earned an A grade. However Charlotte Hungerford received a D and Windham received an F. CT hospitals underperformed compared to surrounding states. MA and RI have no hospitals with D or F grades. 70% of MA…

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Legislative update: SIM funding may draw lawsuit, nursing home profit sunlight bill passes House

The proposed state budget includes $3.5 million in funds for the new SIM state agency. CT Mirror reports that the funding is planned to come from a tax on insurers. The inclusion of self-insured plans in the new tax may draw a federal lawsuit. The state hopes it won’t and points to a vaccine program…

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Safety net hospitals expect to see more uninsured undocumented immigrants

CT hospitals are expecting a growing burden of uncompensated care for undocumented immigrants next year, according to C-HIT. Undocumented immigrants cannot benefit from expansions of coverage under the ACA. They are not eligible for Medicaid regardless of income level and cannot purchase coverage on the insurance exchange, even without a subsidy.  The ACA also decreases…

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Waterbury Hospital for-profit takeover community forum tonight

  A community forum on Vanguard/Tenet’s planned takeover of Waterbury Hospital will be tonight at 7pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 16 Church St. in Waterbury. Community and labor organizations are concerned about the for-profit, out of state company buying the nonprofit hospital.

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CT community health centers awarded $1.6 million for outreach and enrollment

  ThirteenCT community health centers will share almost $1.6 million in federal grants to hire 28 workers across the state to help an estimated 23,167 uninsured state residents enroll in affordable health coverage. Awards varied from $68,284 to the CT Institute for Communities in Danbury to $ 238,366 to Community Health Center Inc. in Middletown.…

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Time cover article focuses on health care prices, including two CT hospitals

Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us?, Time magazine’s latest cover story, is a fascinating look into medical prices – why they are so expensive and so unequal. The article includes a deep dive into several cases including Janice S at Stamford Hospital, and Emilia Gilbert from Bridgeport, part of the Yale New Haven…

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