research
New report estimates 28,100 new uninsured in CT this year
Based on rising unemployment rates, a new study by Families USA estimates that 28,100 more CT residents are uninsured this year than last. Unemployment in CT as of Aug. 1st was 8.1%, up from 6.1% last August. This places CT 40th in the nation in rates of uninsured; in 2008 we were 45th according to…
Read MoreUninsured up 17,000 in CT last year
The new Census figures on health insurance released today show that CT’s uninsured rate was up to 10% last year. 343,000 state residents were without insurance, including 44,000 children. The really stunning finding is that private employer-based coverage was down by 107,000. Thankfully government coverage picked up more people, about evenly split between Medicaid and…
Read MoreDoes expanding health insurance improve health?
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal addresses a question that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Health reform debates too often miss the real point – we want to improve the health of people. A plastic health insurance card does not guarantee access to care, much less improved health – ask anyone on Medicaid/HUSKY/Charter…
Read MoreHow scientists think
Kary Mullis won a Nobel prize for figuring out how to make multiple copies of short pieces of DNA. While that doesn’t sound revolutionary, his polymerase chain reaction (PCR) forms the cornerstone of current and future genetic innovations including genetic testing and sequencing the human genome. His latest great idea came to him after watching…
Read MoreCT Health Facts updated
21% of CT residents are enrolled in a managed care plan. CT’s per person health care spending is 20% higher than the US average. One in six CT high school students smokes. Find these and more in our updated CT Health Facts. The list was updated by Selina Tirtajana, a CTHPP 2009 Summer intern.
Read MoreDonaghue Foundation conference notes
The Donaghue Foundation held their annual conference titled “Innovation in the quest for better health: Patient driven transformations in research, technology, and treatments.” The conference was well-attended by people from a wide variety of organizations, from hospitals to banks and non-profits. The first speaker was Alejandro Jadad, MD, Chief Innovator & Founder, Center for Global…
Read MoreHealth Policy Basics
We are fortunate at the CT Health Policy Project to have over a dozen work study students, interns, and volunteers working with us at any given time. All staff receive training on taking consumer calls and working cases, details of public and private health care assistance programs, research, advocacy and the basics of health policy.…
Read MoreHealth First and Primary Care Authority Updates
Last Thursday both Authorities met in separate meetings. The Health First Authority is collecting information on CT’s spending on health care and Medicaid rates. Urban Institute researchers shared info from a 2003 Health Affairs article showing that CT’s Medicaid rates averaged 83% of Medicare, compared to 69% nationally. MA pays 80%, NY 45% and RI…
Read MoreMassachusetts uninsured cut in half
The results are in. Massachusetts’ comprehensive health care reforms passed in 2006 have led the state’s rate of uninsurance to drop by almost half – from 13% in fall 2006 to 7% a year later. 355,000 more adults in Massachusetts now have affordable coverage– more than the entire uninsured population of Connecticut. The reform law,…
Read MoreNew Kaiser Blog Watch
Every Tuesday and Friday, the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report will feature “Blog Watch”. Recognizing that blogs have become an integral part of health policy coverage, kaisernetwork.org will now summarize the best of the blogosphere. To sign up for Kaiser’s Daily Updates, click here.
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