Fact Check – CT Health Policy

OP-ED | Controversial New Alzheimer’s Drug Could Break the Bank

By Ellen Andrews | June 17, 2021 |

Alzheimer’s disease affects six million Americans, stealing memories years before it takes lives. Aduhelm, the first drug intended to treat the Alzheimer’s disease process rather than symptoms, was highly anticipated by patients and families. But it has disappointed on many levels. It isn’t clear that it actually helps patients and troubling side effects are common.…

BOOK CLUB — The Right Price: A Value-Based Prescription for Drug Costs

By Ellen Andrews | June 9, 2021 |

For your summer reading. The Right Price: A Value-Based Prescription for Drug Costs offers the best explanation I’ve found of how drug costs are set, and how they should be. Using real-life patient stories, the authors give a balanced and comprehensive look at fair and reasonable pricing for a product that epitomizes market failure. The…

ANALYSIS | Who In Health Care Made Money on COVID?

By Ellen Andrews | June 4, 2021 |

Many COVID heroes who put their lives at risk or died caring for others. We all owe healthcare providers, scientists, public health professionals, and other frontline workers a huge debt of gratitude. But the healthcare industries did just fine. Four of the ten companies that profited most during the pandemic are in healthcare. Read more

Governor’s consultant report recommendations for Medicaid savings are baseless

By Ellen Andrews | April 14, 2021 |

It’s not in the headlines but the biggest source of potential savings, $200 million, proposed by the Governor’s controversial report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to save money in state government to is to go back to failed Medicaid financial risk models. There are two problems with the proposal. First, the financial risk models don’t…

CTNJ: If The COVID Vaccine Is Free For Patients, Who Is Paying For It?

By Ellen Andrews | February 17, 2021 |

Federal law ensures the COVID vaccine will be provided to every American at no cost. So who is paying for it? Because it’s healthcare, the answer is complicated and we are all paying for it – mostly through taxes and a bit through our insurance premiums. Read more

What does the public really think about a public option? Two polls, and we still don’t know

By Ellen Andrews | February 3, 2021 |

Dueling polls released this week find Connecticut residents either love the idea of a public health insurance option or they are not big fans. Not surprisingly, the polls are sponsored by groups with dueling agendas and they don’t give details or survey question wording. According to a poll released Monday by Comptroller Kevin Lembo, 71%…

Cost Cap underservice monitoring plan is very weak, puts people at risk

By Ellen Andrews | November 19, 2020 |

Download the report This week, the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) unveiled their plan to monitor for unintended consequences of their plan to cap healthcare cost increases. OHS acknowledged in the plan that the Cap “may cause providers to reduce provision of necessary healthcare services so as not to exceed the benchmark.” Only a very…

CT Medicaid eligibility and service decisions benefit members but also the state budget

By Ellen Andrews | November 10, 2020 |

It may be counter-intuitive but, despite our high incomes, Connecticut’s generosity in eligibility and provider rates means the federal government provides more support to our program than other states. Medicaid is jointly funded, and administered, by both federal and state governments. Federal funding is highest to states with the lowest per capita incomes. As a…

CTNJ Op-Ed: Labels matter in healthcare, especially the misleading ones

By Ellen Andrews | October 27, 2020 |

The President was right – healthcare is complicated. There are lots of reasons, but a big one is language. What something is called can add to or lessen understanding. Sometimes it can be deceptive, giving the impression of a more acceptable definition than the truth. It rarely works for long, but a lot of harm…