New faces at the CT Health Policy Project

We are pleased to announce two additions to the CT Health Policy Project community. Jen Ramirez, MSW has joined us as Director of Programs. Jen will be in charge of the Consumer Health Action Network, including newsletters, surveys and advocacy, as well as several policy areas. Jen has worked at the Latino Policy Institute of…

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PCCM could save HUSKY more than $100 million over HMOs

An analysis by the CT Health Policy Project estimates that it will cost the state $113 million more annually to moving HUSKY families to HMOs than to Primary Care Case Management (PCCM). PCCM is a way of running HUSKY without HMOs, by creating “medical homes” to coordinate care. PCCM has been successful in thirty other states…

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Second PCCM provider forum also successful

Last night, DSS held their second forum for providers on PCCM at DSS’ offices in Hartford. Again the event was very well attended and most providers were enthusiastic about the program. As in Tuesday’s forum, concerns about adequate adult medicine resources were raised, but in at least one case community adult and pediatric providers linked…

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Governor agrees to delay HUSKY defaults until February

Yesterday legislators and the Attorney General held a press conference urging Governor Rell to delay forcing 250,000 HUSKY families into HMOs with inadequate provider networks. Families were scheduled to be defaulted into three HUSKY HMOs December 1st including two new health plans, Aetna Better Health and AmeriChoice, which have had difficulty enrolling providers. Just after…

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Possible legal action to stop HUSKY families default into HMOs

Kevin Lembo, CT’s Health Care Advocate, plans to sue the state to stop the planned December 1st mandatory transition of over 200,000 HUSKY consumers into managed care plans that do not have adequate provider networks. Lembo and a growing group of advocates and officials have been concerned that the planned transition will lead to many…

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Successful PCCM provider forum last night

Over 30 providers attended the PCCM forum held with DSS at our offices in New Haven last night. We had to get more chairs and make extra copies of the materials. There was a great deal of enthusiasm for the program and most providers suggested that they will be filling out an application. Most providers…

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Photography exhibit highlighting racial and ethnic disparities

Friday afternoon 2pm at New Haven City Hall there will be a reception to feature an exhibit of photographs taken by ten African American women highlighting issues that make it difficult to live healthy lifestyles to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities. Senator Toni Harp, our Board President, joined the project as a photographer-for-a-day. The exhibit…

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Governor’s deficit mitigation plan includes cuts to medical interpreters

Today the Governor announced her plan to address CT’s looming $268 million state budget deficit. Her plan cuts $1.175 million in previously approved funding for medical interpretation services in the Medicaid program. The CT Health Foundation reports that 22,000 people with limited English proficiency were enrolled in CT’s Medicaid program in 2003 and that communication…

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Windham PCCM forum cancelled

The provider forum on PCCM planned for October 22nd at Windham Hospital has been cancelled.To learn more about the program, come to either the October 21st forum in New Haven (at our offices at 703 Whitney Avenue in New Haven) or the October 23rd forum in Hartford (at DSS’ offices, 25 Sigourney Street in Hartford).…

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HUSKY/Charter Oak update

At today’s Medicaid Managed Care Council, the HUSKY HMOs’ provider panel reports showed that progress continues to be very slow. Sen. Harris pointed out that at this pace, the two new HMOs will take over a year to reach capacity similar to CHN’s panels. In the counties already transitioning to the HMOs, 94% of HUSKY…

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