Budget implementer makes significant changes

Early this morning the House passed HB-1502– the 686-page bill that describes how the state FY 2016-2018 budget passed four weeks ago is to be implemented. But the bill also makes numerous substantive changes to the original budget. In addition to tax reductions for large businesses, the bill includes the implementer language to cut coverage…

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Early numbers show CT uninsured rate dropped only 2.1% last year

A new CDC survey of early uninsured numbers by state, finds that CT’s uninsured rate fell from 9.1% in 2013to 7.0% last year, the first year of coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act. The US rate dropped to 11.5% from 14.4% in 2013. For some reason, CT’s drop was more consistent with states that…

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Webinar online – Caring for high-need patients – Lessons for CT

Evidence is growing that we cannot fix our health care system without addressing the needs of the small number of patients with very complex and costly health problems. Connecticut can learn from other programs across the US as we build reforms for our state and our Medicaid program.  On this week’s webinar we heard from…

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Where We Live – Hospital CEO pay: How much is too much?

Last year, CT’s hospital CEOs averaged over $1million in compensation. Yesterday’s Where We Live focused on those salaries and the disconnect with quality of care. The lowest paid CEO in CT – at New Milford Hospital – runs the only CT hospital not penalized this year by Medicare for having too many patients return within…

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Webinar: Caring for High-Need, High-Cost Patients – Lessons for Connecticut

Join us Monday, June 22nd at 2pm for a webinar on best practices in complex care management for the most fragile and costly patients. Evidence is growing that we cannot fix our health care system without addressing the needs of the small number of patients with very complex and costly health problems. Luckily CT can…

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CT News Junkie reports on SIM ethics debate

Today’s CTNJ is reporting on the SIM ethics debate. The article points out that the weak conflict of interest policy proposed by SIM staff and adopted by the steering committee admits “Members of the advisory bodies may participate in program design and development decisions, even if they or their organizations may potentially reap a benefit.”…

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SIM punts on ethics

In response to the recent state Ethics Board Declaratory Ruling the SIM steering committee took up ethics at their meeting last week. The Ethics Board found that because SIM committee members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, SIM was not covered by the state Code of Ethics for Public Officials that applies to similar policymaking…

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Sign the petition for access to your own health data

Secure access to your personal health information is important  — for accuracy, to save filling out forms with the same information over and over, because things get lost, to be sure the people treating you all have the same information, and so you know as much as they do about your care. A group of…

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Best practices guide on integrating behavioral health into primary care

Up to 70% of physician visits involve a mental health issue and health care costs for people with mental health issues are often up to three times higher than other patients with similar conditions. CEPAC, New England’s comparative effectiveness council, has published their latest guide featuring best practices for integrating behavioral health services into primary…

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