Healthcare Cabinet gets an earful on reform proposals

At today’s public hearing, the Cabinet got a lot of thanks for the hard work, but not a lot of support for the proposals. Unfortunately the meeting was poorly attended, especially by some of the strongest proponents of downside risk. Speakers included providers, advocates, a SIM official, a foundation, and business representatives. Many spoke against…

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Poor choice of monitor in YNHH-L+M deal undermines accountability

Yale-New Haven Health has chosen Deloitte & Touche to monitor compliance with conditions of their acquisition of Lawrence + Memorial Healthcare. The conditions on the unusual acquisition were set in place by the state to protect prices in the new monopoly market, protect health services for southeastern CT, oversee promised investments in the region, and…

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Advocates’ webinar on better alternatives to Health Care Cabinet proposal online

CT’s Health Care Cabinet has voted on a controversial set of recommendations for reforming our state’s health system. The Cabinet will take public comment on their plan at a public hearing on Nov. 15that 9 am in the LOB. In a webinar yesterday, advocates and others heard about the plan, better alternatives to downside risk,…

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DSS plans for high-cost, high-need members focuses on behavioral health

At yesterday’s online MAPOC Complex Care Committee meeting, DSS described their innovation plan to address the needs of high-cost, high-need Medicaid members. (meeting video and slides) The project was made possible by a technical assistance grant from the National Governor’s Association. Five agencies and the Medicaid Administrative Service Organizations, CHNCT and Beacon Health, have worked…

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FDA panel barely approves new antibiotic for pneumonia

Friday, the FDA’s Antimicrobial Drug Advisory Committee split 7 to 6, to approve Solithromycin, a new drug for community-acquired pneumonia. Pneumonia is responsible for 4.5 million ambulatory visits. About half of bacteria causing pneumonia in the US are now resistant to the best current treatment option. The committee agreed that the drug was proven effective,…

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Troubling Cabinet vote for downside risk on Medicaid and state employees, but there will be a public hearing

  In a 13 to 4 vote Tuesday, the Health Care Cabinet voted to impose the controversial downside risk payment model on CT’s Medicaid and state employee plans. DSS, OPM, DPH and the only consumer advocate at the meeting all voted against the option (votes are listed below). Deep concerns have been raised about downside…

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Nominations open for New England comparative effectiveness council

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is seeking new members for the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, in addition to two other councils in California and the Midwest. Many health policy experts blame new technologies for drugs, devices and other innovations with driving health costs up without necessarily improving the quality of…

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