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Report estimates public coverage not available for 56,000 CT noncitizen residents next year
A new report by the Urban Institute estimates that 67% of Connecticut’s uninsured noncitizen residents won’t be eligible for Medicaid, CHIP, or health insurance exchange tax credits (AccessHealthCT) coverage next year, although they pay taxes. Most noncitizens with insurance coverage are covered through employment. Without expansions of eligibility, 56,000 Connecticut residents will remain uninsured next…
Read MoreOHS seeks community input on YNHH purchase of three more hospitals
The Yale-New Haven health system has applied for permission from the state to buy Waterbury, Manchester Memorial, and Rockville General hospitals. The state Office of Health Strategy is seeking community input through a short survey about how this deal could impact healthcare services and costs. These three hospitals are currently owned by Prospect Medical Holdings,…
Read MoreReport finds Hartford Hospital got $78 million more in tax breaks than they invested in communities, 2020
In 2020, Hartford Hospital received $78 million more in tax breaks than they paid out in charity care and community investment, their “fair share” deficit, according to a new Lown Institute report. Hartford has the 19th largest deficit among the 1,773 US hospitals included in the study. According to the report, that $78 million could…
Read MoreStudy finds only two thirds of CT patients getting primary care, 11th worst in US
Download the report A new study by Fair Health found that of Connecticut patients who had a medical visit from 2016 through 2022, one third (33.1%) had no claim for a primary care visit. Connecticut was 11th highest among states in patients missing primary care visits. At half of Connecticut’s rate, Massachusetts was the best…
Read MoreCT low wage workers pay more but get less health benefits
Download the data Download the brief Connecticut workers with the least resources are charged more for less, when they are offered health benefits, according to a new analysis of 2021 federal Medical Expenditure Panel data. The lowest wage workers in Connecticut are less likely to be offered health benefits, are offered less generous plans, and…
Read MoreInsurance Committee passes bills prohibiting anti-competitive health system practices
This morning, the Insurance and Real Estate Committee approved two bills that prohibit huge healthcare systems from using their monopoly power to jack up prices and insurance premiums. The Committee’s bill passed unanimously; the Governor’s bill that also includes an out-of-network price cap passed overwhelmingly. The Committee passed a similar bill last year. It passed…
Read MoreHealthcare breaches reach new high — affecting Members of Congress and over 70,000 in CT
Over 385 million US patient records were breached between 2010 and last year, including 70,340 Connecticut patient records. Those are only the breaches that affect over 500 people and are reported to HHS’s Office of Civil Rights. As more medical records are digital and we use add more digital healthcare services, opportunities for hackers have…
Read MoreLegislators hear voices calling for consolidation protections to lower healthcare costs
Download our testimony Yesterday’s public hearing testimony was largely supportive of two bills to prohibit anti-competitive clauses in hospital system contracts with payers. Seventeen testimonies favored the bills, while eight opposed, mainly calling for more transparency and consistency in contracts. Several testimonies (here, here, here, here, and here) favoring the bills came from state residents…
Read MoreInsurance committee to hear bills that mitigate consolidation and lower healthcare costs
Download our testimony One of the main drivers of Connecticut’s rising healthcare costs is consolidation in the healthcare market, making health coverage increasingly unaffordable for consumers, employers, and businesses. The consolidation of hospitals and providers into large health systems in Connecticut has stifled competition, allowing prices to rise unchecked. Large health systems use anti-competitive contract…
Read MoreOp-Ed: HUSKY coverage for immigrants is the right, and the smart, thing to do
Immigrants, in Connecticut and across the US, are the most likely population to be uninsured. These are our workers, neighbors, and taxpayers. We’re all safer, healthier, and richer when everyone is covered. It the right thing to do for them, but if that’s not enough, it’s also the right thing to do for all of…
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