quality
Good and bad news on childhood obesity in CT; What we can do about it
According to a new report, 11.5% of children ages 10 to 17 in our state are obese. That is far too high and rising, but that ranks us 44th among states. At 27.4% we are also 44th among states for adult obesity. The obesity rate of Connecticut 2 to 4 year-olds enrolled in WIC (yes,…
Read MoreCommunity health centers still struggle with ED visits
As in the past, Medicaid patients of Connecticut’s community health centers are far more likely to visit an ED than other Medicaid patients, according to a presentation by CHNCT at Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting. While rates have decreased a bit, the very large gap in ED use rate between clinic patients and other Patient-Centered Medical…
Read MoreCT now fourth healthiest state
Connecticut residents are healthier than all but three other states. According to the latest America’s Health Rankings by the United Health Foundation. That is down from third last year, and below 2006 and 2008 when we were the healthiest in the nation. Despite the wobbling, we consistently rank well. Unfortunately, our health isn’t reflected in…
Read MoreICER seeks nominations for New England Comparative Effectiveness voting panel
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review has opened nominations for membership on their New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council. New England CEPAC meets three times each year in public forums across the region to assess the evidence for treatments for specific conditions with input from stakeholders including patients affected by the condition. In…
Read MoreSurvey finds CT ACOs planning services for high need members
Similar to national results, a new survey of Connecticut Accountable Care Organizations for MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee by the CT Health Policy Project finds that most are using multiple methods to identify high need members. But they are still working on implementing effective programs to address the needs. Many of their plans follow best practices…
Read MoreCTNJ Analysis: When Making Things Better Makes Things Worse: Algorithms, Data and Racial Bias
Unintended consequences are old news; so why are we surprised every time it happens? Computer programs developed to target care management services to people with serious complex conditions were meant to make important health decisions based on data but instead favored White patients over sicker Black patients. Read more
Read MoreHealthcare workforce growing faster than rest of employment
In good news for healthcare workers, from September 2018 to 2019, Connecticut healthcare employment grew by 1.75%, or 3.8 times faster than total non-farm employment. One in eight Connecticut workers is employed in healthcare. Healthcare grew even faster nationally, by 2.66% vs. 1.50% for all workers. One in six US workers is employed in healthcare.…
Read MoreICER seeks input on non-drug topics for 2020
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is seeking input on non-drug topics they should study for 2020. An independent nonprofit research institute, ICER is the US leader in assessing the evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other medical services. ICER’s reports and pricing benchmarks that represent a good value for consumers…
Read MoreBipartisan Insurance Committee forum finds a lot of consensus on potential reforms
Download the CTHPP presentation Yesterday the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Insurance Committee convened a forum on potential reforms to lower healthcare costs. Legislators invited David Seltz from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Connecticut speakers included representatives from the insurance industry, providers, state officials, a foundation and advocates. A recurring theme was the need…
Read MorePublic comment open for CT health planning data
The state Department of Public Health is in the midst of planning for improving the health of every Connecticut resident in 2025. DPH regularly refreshes their plan through a very thoughtful process that is a model of inclusiveness and data-driven policymaking, especially for Connecticut. Other agencies should take note. Right now, the draft State Health…
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