CTNJ Op-Ed: Health Neighborhood cuts misguided

An Op-Ed in today’s CT News Junkie focuses on the Governor’s proposal to cut funding for innovative health neighborhood pilots to serve state residents eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. This program will improve the quality of care for Medicaid’s most costly aged and disabled members, providing significant savings to the state’s budget. The program…

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Deficit grows, Medicaid revenues below expectations – Let’s hope for good news from April tax receipts

Legislative and administrative deficit estimates for this year vary by $52.8 million, about 0.3% of the total General Fund. However that small difference may be enough to trigger another deficit mitigation plan of cuts by the Governor. However any plan for cuts wouldn’t come until May, and the legislative session ends June 3rd – it…

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Guest blog: It’s Not Patients’ Fault!

No, really, it’s not our fault. According to a study published last month by JAMA Oncol, it is a myth that escalating health costs are driven by patients “demanding” tests and treatments. It simply is not happening. Rather, it would appear that responsibility for factors ranging from poor communication, to “defensive medicine”, to deliberate overpricing…

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Integrating behavioral health into primary care focus of next CEPAC meeting

The next CEPAC meeting will review the latest research on best practices to effectively integrate behavioral health into primary care practice. Up to 70% of physician visits include a behavioral health component. Patients with chronic conditions are more likely to experience mental illness as well and costs for these patients can be two to three…

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Medicaid MCOs not working in Missouri, inhibiting expansion, MO could learn from CT’s experience

Legislators are reluctant to expand Missouri’s Medicaid program because the managed care organization (MCO)-led program not as efficient as the traditional fee-for-service (FFS) program, according to a Kaiser Health News article. In a January presentation to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, agency representatives noted that while hospital admissions are lower in the population cared for…

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CTNJ Op-Ed: McDonald’s rejects chicken fed antibiotics

An Op-Ed today in CT News Junkie celebrates McDonald’s for refusing to sell food from chickens fed antibiotics. 23,000 Americans die each year from antibiotic-resistant superbug infections. Over use and inappropriate use of antibiotics has led many bacteria to become resistant (superbugs), rendering critical antibiotics useless. Experts are concerned that development of new antibiotics is…

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Cutting HUSKY parents increases the total cost of care by $500 per person

The Governor’s budget proposal to cut 34,000 working parents from the HUSKY program into AccessHealthCT will increase the total cost of care for those parents by $500/year according to a new analysis by the CT Health Foundation. While the state will save $2,400 per person annually, two thirds of the cost shift will fall on…

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CT exchange premiums still fourth highest in US, negotiating premiums could help

 A new analysis by the Urban Institute comparing health insurance exchange premiums across the US finds that CT’s 2015 premiums are the fourth highest in the US, as they were last year. The study compares average monthly premiums for 40-year old, non-smoking state residents — $348 in CT. Like last year, our premiums are higher…

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Free dental clinic next weekend

The annual CT Mission of Mercy annual free dental clinic will be this Friday and Saturday at Western CT State University in Danbury. The clinic provides cleanings, fluoride treatments, extractions, fillings, limited dentures and root canals and X rays to people who can’t afford dental care. Interpreters are available. The CT Foundation for Dental Outreach…

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Health reform update – the power of price transparency, more SIM concerns

At an important Public Health Committee hearing Wednesday, Senate leaders from both parties testified together on a slate of seven bills that would make a great start to reforming health care in our state. Among other things the bills address facility fees, price variation that has no relation to quality, hospital consolidation oversight, EMR assistance…

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