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Equity section updated in CT Healthcare Explained
We’ve updated the Health Equity section of CT Healthcare Explained, our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, Equity includes a Basics summary and a much longer Deeper Dive into the issue. In the left hand box, you can skip to your specific question. There…
Read MoreCT Mirror Opinion: Keep MCOs out of HUSKY health care
“In the past, managed care organizations were a disaster for Connecticut’s Medicaid program“ Former legislator, Medicaid provider, member of Medicaid’s state oversight council, and champion for member access to care who lived through the MCO years, Vickie Nardello says, “ I strongly disagree with Gov. Ned Lamont’s plan to bring managed care organizations (MCOs) back…
Read MoreAnalysis: Overheard in CT healthcare reform
Healthcare in Connecticut is expensive, and the quality doesn’t match the prices. We’ve had several mis-starts trying to reform our healthcare system. Perspectives vary, but lately I’ve heard some interesting statements that shed light on the problems. Read more
Read MoreRecommended Reading – Books
Download the list Building on occasional Book Club Blog entries, I’ve been asked for a health policy reading list. These are books that changed how I think as a health policy analyst. They inspired me, opened my mind, connected dots for me, taught me hard and soft skills, and told stories I didn’t know, even…
Read MoreCT Medicaid primary care redesign evidence: Part 1 Connecting with community services to improve health
Download the full report with sources Connecticut Medicaid is considering reforms to primary care delivery and payment. The CT Health Policy Project is collecting evidence from other states and programs to help inform that planning. A recurring theme of supporting non-medical, community services has emerged in feedback across planning groups. That feedback reflects the evidence…
Read MoreCTNJ Analysis: Good News on Healthcare Costs, But It Won’t Last
Tuesday’s eagerly anticipated inflation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics had good news for our battered economy – inflation is down for the fifth month in a row. But the counter-intuitive part is that prices for medical care helped lower inflation. I rarely get to report good news on healthcare costs. Of course, there…
Read MoreNew affordable coverage toolkit to help people enroll
There were 184,000 uninsured Connecticut residents last year. To help people find affordable, even no-cost, coverage, the CT Health Foundation has developed a user-friendly toolkit to help people enroll. Enhanced federal subsidies and the state Covered CT program are making good insurance coverage more affordable than ever, including no-cost options for many. Open enrollment in…
Read MoreCost Cap outside input very different depending on perspectives
OHS got very different feedback on their Cost Cap project from two outside committees last week. The Healthcare Cabinet, chaired by OHS, was very supportive with one exception. In contrast, members of the Medicaid Oversight Council shared concerns only. In some respects, this reflects the differing experiences with past reforms between Medicaid and commercial plans.…
Read MoreLessons from SIM: Advice from Independent Advocates
Download the full responses here Connecticut’s latest attempt to reform our health system, SIM, ended last month. Despite $45 million in federal dollars, SIM didn’t accomplish much. It was mired in controversy and criticism from across the state’s healthcare landscape. SIM followed several past failed attempts to reform Connecticut’s health system. We asked independent consumer…
Read MoreConnecticut’s uninsured rate stabilizes, retaining ACA gains
Download the report New numbers from the US Census Bureau report that 187,000 or 5.3% of Connecticut residents were uninsured last year. That number is down slightly from the year before when the uninsured rate was 5.5%, but above 2016’s rate at 4.9%. The new data continues the trend of fewer uninsured that began with…
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