public health
Medicaid MCOs and cost savings – What the evidence says
Go to the full report Governor Lamont is reportedly considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Do MCOs save states money in state Medicaid programs? We looked into the evidence. In a word, No. From the literature: The evidence does not support Medicaid managed care saving money…
Read MoreCTNJ: Lamont Considering Return To Managed Care For Medicaid Despite Costly History
CT News Junkie reports: Ned Lamont is considering a plan to revert the state back to a managed care strategy that patient advocates say will leave the state’s most vulnerable residents with less access to quality healthcare. Read more
Read MoreBristol Health Cares explores advocacy in CT healthcare
A recent episode of Bristol Health Cares features a conversation with Kurt Barwis, President and CEO of Bristol Health and Ellen Andrews, of the CT Health Policy Project. Bristol Health Cares is a wide-ranging program with guests ranging from providers, community leaders, to innovators about navigating healthcare and answering questions. The conversation touched on the…
Read MoreWebinar offers tools to improve prescribing
Download the slides and watch the webinar recording Connecticut, like other states, are struggling to improve appropriate prescribing while lowering costs. In Friday’s webinar, Greg Low, RPh, PhD, offered Mass General’s experience of what works to improve physician prescribing at their ACO. Greg is the Manager for Pharmacy Operations at Mass General Brigham Health Plan.…
Read MoreCT ranks ninth worst in ED wait times
A new analysis by Becker’s Hospital Review of CMS data finds that patients wait an average of 186 minutes to be seen in a Connecticut emergency room. The national median was 162 minutes. The study covered April 2022 through March 2023. Connecticut hospitals varied considerably in average wait times from 98 minutes at Lawrence &…
Read MoreMaking it work: Connecting medical and social care in Waterbury
As healthcare costs skyrocket, policymakers are searching for ways to improve the social drivers of poor health with little success. The problem is that the medical system has all the money, while community services manage on shoestrings, and they don’t connect with each other. Some innovators in Connecticut are doing the work to connect the…
Read MoreCT smoking costs total $4.9 million over a lifetime
A new analysis by Nerd Wallet finds that smokers in Connecticut cost an extra $4.9 million over a lifetime or $102,883 per year on average, the 4th highest rate in the US. Only smokers in New York, the District of Columbia, and Maryland have higher costs. Costs include not only out-of-pocket costs for cigarettes, but…
Read MoreComments on Medicaid maternity bundle plans
DSS is planning to move Medicaid payments for maternity services to a per-person bundle from the current fee-for-service arrangement. They will also expand services to include doula and lactation supports. However, advocates have asked questions and raised concerns about unintended consequences when providers make more money by reducing the costs of their patients’ care. While…
Read MoreCT again among healthiest states overall, but with big areas of concern
Connecticut ranked 4th healthiest among states in this year’s America’s Health Ranking, from the United Health Foundation. We were the best state in climate policies, childhood immunizations, and adult dental visits. But we were in the bottom on other indicators. Connecticut is in a very healthy region of the US, with New Hampshire (#1), Massachusetts…
Read MoreAnalysis: Healthcare defies softening labor market
The post-COVID hot labor market is cooling in Connecticut and across the US. While some industries are still seeking qualified workers, others are fully employed or even laying people off. But healthcare hiring is still scorching hot, with no end in sight. It’s increased demand for care but also the stresses of the job. Read…
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