July, 2014 - CT Health Policy

Medicaid Council voices concerns about new SIM proposal

By Ellen Andrews | July 9, 2014 |

In a special meeting yesterday, the majority of Medicaid Council members voiced concerns about the rushed, new SIM proposal for Medicaid. Legislators compared the new proposal to the failed HUSKY HMO proposal 20 years ago and made it clear that they are concerned about “going back down that road”. Concerns included the application’s aggressive pace of…

Questions for SIM about radical new Medicaid proposal

By Ellen Andrews | July 8, 2014 |

Questions sent yesterday for today’s meeting about SIM’s risky, new Medicaid proposal have been posted. One asks why a dangerous 1115 waiver is necessary? Did SIM planners explore other, less dangerous options? 1115 waivers necessarily include a cap on federal reimbursement (to meet the federal budget neutrality requirement) endangering the state budget and potential future…

Special Medicaid Council meeting on new SIM Medicaid plan

By Ellen Andrews | July 7, 2014 |

The very new SIM plan for Medicaid will be the subject of a special MAPOC meeting tomorrow July 8th at 9:30 in Room 2C of the LOB. Concerns have been raised about both the content and the process for this radical departure from the original SIM plan for CT’s largest health plan. We expect more…

CT Health reform dashboard down – change in SIM/Medicaid plan largely responsible

By Ellen Andrews | July 2, 2014 |

CT’s Health Reform Progress Meter is down this month to 28.5%, mainly because of a new, rushed reversal on the original SIM plan to put Medicaid members’ care under financial risk, pursue a waiver that caps federal reimbursements putting the state budget and benefits in the state’s largest health plan at substantial risk, and a…

CT News Junkie Op-Ed: SIM shouldn’t just chase a federal grant

By Ellen Andrews | July 1, 2014 |

A new Op-Ed in CT News Junkie outlines consumer advocate concerns that SIM planners are putting their pursuit of a federal grant ahead of what’s best for CT. Contrary to the original plan, SIM leaders are now planning to move Medicaid back to an incentive scheme similar to the failed HUSKY HMOs. Since we moved…