CT ranks 7th healthiest among states

America’s Health Rankings again finds CT’s overall health better than 43 other states. The good news is that we do well with a low rate of smoking (16%), obesity (21%), and uninsured (10%). The bad news is that we have high rates of infectious diseases and low rates of immunizing children. Authors of the rankings…

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Governor’s mitigation plan slashes health programs; 13 better alternatives offered

Yesterday the Governor released her plan to address the $470 million deficit for this fiscal year. This is on top of the cuts made in the budget that passed into law a few months ago. Her proposal includes cuts to the diaper bank, autism pilot, drugs in public coverage programs, new premiums and increases in…

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Insurance Dept. hearing on United Healthcare buying HealthNet

Monday’s CT Insurance Dept. (CID) hearing on the acquisition of Health Net’s license by United Healthcare was fascinating. If you didn’t hear anything about it, you’re not alone. It was not well publicized, there was little time to respond, and the hearing was not held at the Legislative Office Building, but in a windowless room,…

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Congressman Larson to hold forum on Women’s Health

Women’s Health Care: A Call to Action, sponsored by Congressman John Larson, will be this Tuesday from 8:00 to 9:30am at the Hartford Hilton, 315 Trumbull St. Speakers include Judith Stein of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Teresa Younger of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and Ellen Andrews from the CT Health…

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New in the Book Club: Super Freakomonics

Who knew that economics, microeconomics at that, could be entertaining? Super Freakonomics, our newest Book Club addtion, includes more examples of why everything, even things that don’t seem it, involves competing incentives and how to find simple, cheap solutions by thinking about things differently including information technology and ER overcrowding, measuring the skill of doctors,…

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Medical home and PCCM meetings

Yesterday’s organizational meeting of the SustiNet Patient-Centered Medical Home Advisory Committee was very encouraging. There is a lot of energy across stakeholder groups, especially among providers and payers. We are soliciting input on who/what groups to consult for input and what issues to consider. Suggestions include business coalitions, NCQA, medical homes from other states, consumer…

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Governor’s health reform council meeting

In Governor Rell’s message when she vetoed HB-6600, the SustiNet bill, she created a CT Health Care Reform Advisory Board. Her board mirrors the SustiNet Board in many ways, but largely includes people appointed by or who work for her. While the legislature over-rode her veto and the SustiNet Board has been up and running…

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CT’s hospital safety system questioned

Media reports have raised concerns about patient safety in CT hospitals and the system that is meant to protect us. A Hartford Courant article on Sunday uncovered thousands of “adverse events” or dangerous mistakes at CT hospitals that were never reported to DPH. A 2002 law mandated public reporting of serious errors, but a 2004…

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Medicaid Managed Care Council meeting

Friday’s Medicaid Managed Care Council meeting was very frustrating. Upon questioning, DSS made clear that they will not be recovering the $50 million in overpayments to the HUSKY HMOs that were identified by independent auditors commissioned by the Comptroller, proposed by the Governor to cut for the current state budget and agreed to by the…

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