healthcare markets
Cost cap update – possible easing on growth cap but primary care target proves difficult
In response to concerns from many sources about potential harm to people, the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) is considering easing the proposed caps on the growth of all healthcare spending. In the latest Technical Team meeting, OHS and Bailit, the consultants running the project, said they would consider starting the cap next year higher…
Read MoreFact Check: Are primary care doctors underpaid?
Download the Fact Check A statement was made in a recent Connecticut state public meeting that primary care physicians are paid less than specialists. The statement was made a recent Technical Team meeting for the Office of Health Strategy’s cost cap project considering a substantial increase in spending on primary care. The facts, however, are…
Read MoreCost cap project sets limits on healthcare spending without public input, ignoring pandemic impact
In meetings of the committee setting limits on healthcare spending for all Connecticut residents, it appears the advocates’ sign on letter and detailed concerns about the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS’s) Cost Cap project were not heard. The plan is being developed by a Technical Advisory Team, with members chosen only by OHS, including some…
Read MoreOHS committee chooses unrealistic cap for CT healthcare costs
The Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) Technical Team choosing the cap for future Connecticut healthcare costs has decided on a 3.1% allowed increase for next year, dropping over time to 2.7% by 2025. To illustrate the impact of the cost cap, consider the significant variability in Connecticut’s per capita all-payer total healthcare cost increases from…
Read MoreFact Check: Do lower Medicaid provider payment rates cause higher commercial payment rates?
Download this Fact Check There’s a pervasive myth that lower Medicaid provider payment rates force providers to charge private insurers more to cover costs, but there is no evidence of that. On a simple level it makes some sense, but the truth is that providers, like most businesses, charge what they can, regardless of what…
Read MoreCost Cap project could reduce access to care, stifle efficiency and innovation, and increase disparities
Download the Summary or Full Report Healthcare costs a lot in Connecticut, especially for middle and lower income residents. Primary care is the foundation of a healthy health system. Lowering costs and supporting primary care are important goals, however the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) new plan to limit costs is ill-conceived and likely to…
Read MoreAdvocates, providers send Governor, legislators letter about cost cap impact and unintended consequences
Yesterday, twenty advocates and providers sent letters to the Governor and legislative leaders objecting to the rush to develop a cap on healthcare cost increases during a pandemic, and to use the time to incorporate input from diverse stakeholders and for thoughtful design with a broad group chosen democratically. “This controversial proposal, if rushed ahead…
Read MoreProtecting affordability in a pandemic — Experts find fair prices for remdesivir between $10 and $4,500
In a nation hungry for good news in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, remdesivir has emerged as a first ray of hope. The FDA has quickly approved the drug for emergency use with seriously ill patients. However there are concerns that the data supporting remdesivir’s effectiveness has not been published or peer reviewed by independent scientists…
Read MoreCTNJ: Forecast Estimates More Than 100,000 New CT Medicaid Members
According to modeling by Health Management Associates, the COVID-19 pandemic could raise Connecticut’s Medicaid rolls 15% to 32% by mid-2020, depending on how much unemployment grows. Connecticut residents with employer-sponsored coverage could drop by 130,000 to 382,000 and Access Health CT coverage could grow by 8,000 to 33,000. Uninsured could rise by 77,000. Read more
Read MoreCTNJ: Analysis — Will COVID-19 Make Health Insurance Premiums Skyrocket?
Not necessarily. COVID-19 could cost the US between $34 billion and $251 billion for testing, treatment and care. Some analysts have predicted that premiums will rise between 4% and 40% next year because of the pandemic. Because consumers, taxpayers and workers ultimately pay the bills, from our taxes, our lost wages, our premiums, and directly…
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