Stats & Data
CT hospitals rank 15th among states in avoiding low value care, worst in New England
Every 80 seconds a US hospital provides a low value test or procedures to an older adult, putting hundreds of thousands of people’s health at risk, according to the latest Lown Institute Hospitals Index. Only one hospital from US News’ honor roll was in this top 100 for avoiding inappropriate tests and procedures. Hospital scores…
Read MoreCT hospital quality improves in new CMS star ratings
Download the report Connecticut hospitals improved their overall quality performance this year, according to Medicare.gov Compare’s 2021 update. Connecticut hospitals averaged 3.0 stars out of five last year, moving to 3.5 in this year’s ranking. While 3.5 stars is still too low, especially given the cost of healthcare in Connecticut, things are moving in a…
Read MoreCT ozone pollution among worst in US
Fairfield is the 19th most ozone polluted US county for 2017-2019 according to the American Lung Association’s latest report on the nation’s air quality. All but two Connecticut counties earned an F for the number of high ozone days. High ozone levels cause inflammation in the lungs, decreased lung function, and susceptibility to respiratory infections…
Read MoreOP-ED | When Data Becomes An Excuse To Prevent Change
Data is important. The drumbeat for data-driven policymaking in health care isn’t wrong. Policy decisions that aren’t informed by independent, valid analysis can cause more harm than good. But it’s important to know when we have enough data so we can get to work. Read more
Read MoreCTNJ Opinion: Remember Public Health’s Value After COVID Is Gone
The COVID-19 pandemic has focused a bright light on the weakness of the U.S. public health system. Countries with strong public health systems fared much better in controlling the virus’ spread. America used to have a strong public health system. From 1900 to 2000, life expectancy rose by 30 years. Contrary to public opinion, it…
Read MoreHUSKY COVID update – new enrollments lag, lots of money to providers, and telehealth is very popular
At Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting, we learned that while new HUSKY applications recovered last fall from its drop last spring, they fell again sharply this January and February. The reasons for the volatility during a serious recession are unclear. DSS focused on how HUSKY has responded to the COVID pandemic. Now covering over a million…
Read MoreSome long-term care costs high in CT, but not all
Download the report The latest survey of long term services and supports care costs found Connecticut prices for residential care are among the highest in the US. But in-home care is surprisingly reasonable, close to the US average. Last August, annual costs for Connecticut assisted living and semi-private rooms nursing home rooms were the 5th…
Read MoreConnecticut healthcare employment COVID recovery stalls out
Download the report Like other Connecticut workers, healthcare employment was hit hard by the pandemic in March 2020, according to data from the CT Department of Labor. While the pandemic sharply increased demand in a few healthcare sectors to care for COVID patients, other sectors declined as people and providers delayed non-COVID care. That began…
Read MoreConnecticut individual plans are profitable
Download the report here Individual coverage in Connecticut, , has been more profitable than most states. From 2011 through 2018, each month $55 of premiums went to profit in Connecticut, the 15th highest profitability among states and above the US average of $47. Individual plans in Massachusetts and New York were far less profitable, while…
Read MoreCT ranks 5th among states in Medicaid coverage, 2nd in quality
COVID has emphasized the importance of a strong, healthy Medicaid program for states. A new analysis by WalletHub ranks Connecticut fifth among states in 2021 Medicaid coverage. Rather than just using the percentage of state residents with Medicaid coverage, the ranking included quality, spending, as well as eligibility and enrollment. We ranked 2nd in quality…
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