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# CT Health Policy

Improving Connecticut's Health Through Information

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [CT Medicaid Home & Community Services spending up, but that’s what we want](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-home-community-services-spending-up-but-thats-what-we-want/) - Read the report Recently, Connecticut Medicaid per member costs have grown significantly while enrollment is easing, according to the latest state financial report. Since switching from managed care organizations in 2012 to focus on care management, Connecticut Medicaid spending had stabilized while enrollment expanded significantly. With COVID, enrollment grew and per member costs dropped. Post-COVID
- [Updated again: HUSKY and work requirements – Incorporating the new federal rule](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-again-husky-and-work-requirements-incorporating-the-new-federal-rule/) - Updated June 30, 2026 to include states' lawsuit Download the update corrected version with revisions highlighted Download a clean version of the update To incorporate new federal regulations, we’ve again updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Connecticut’s Medicaid program that become effective January 1st of next year. This version
- [CT joins 24 other states suing CMS over Medicaid work requirements](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-joins-24-other-states-suing-cms-over-medicaid-work-requirements/) - Twenty five states, including Connecticut, and the District of Columbia, have filed a lawsuit againstagainst the federal Medicaid administration (CMS) for going beyond the language of the law (HR-1) that imposed work requirements on 300,000 HUSKY Part D members. Medicaid provides healthcare coverage to Connecticut’s most fragile residents, easing both health and economic frailty. That’s
- [One in ten CT adults forgo needed medical care due to cost, HR-1 likely to increase that rate](https://cthealthpolicy.org/one-in-ten-ct-adults-forgo-needed-medical-care-due-to-cost-hr-1-likely-to-increase-that-rate/) - In 2024, 9.9% of adults in Connecticut missed needed care because of cost in 2024, according to an analysis of SHADAC data. That’s better than the US average at 12.4%. Both had been dropping as the number of uninsured fell but began rising again after COVID. Medical inflation has grown faster than general inflation since
- [Nebraska starts Medicaid work requirements tomorrow -- Lessons for CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nebraska-starts-medicaid-work-requirements-tomorrow/) - Download this article Advocates, providers, and Medicaid agencies are watching Nebraska this week as they launch work requirements in their Medicaid program. States have been working to implement the complex, federally mandated requirements passed last summer in HR-1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Previous efforts in Arkansas and Georgia failed badly. Unfortunately, while the
- [Help Medicaid members keep healthcare benefits under threat](https://cthealthpolicy.org/help-medicaid-members-keep-healthcare-benefits-under-threat/) - As federal Medicaid cuts loom, DSS is urging HUSKY and SNAP recipients to update their contact information. The federal budget bill, HR-1, passed in July, included significant cuts to both HUSKY and SNAP. It is expected that thousands of Connecticut residents will lose benefits. The bill also added complex administrative burdens for over 300,000 HUSKY
- [Study finds federal Medicaid cuts will drop 114,300 people and cost $8.3 billion in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-federal-medicaid-cuts-will-drop-114300-people-and-cost-8-3-billion-in-ct/) - A new study by RAND researchers details the likely Medicaid impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill (HR-1) by state. Connecticut stands to lose $8.3 billion in Medicaid funding, and 114,300 state residents will lose coverage. The report parses the impact by each provision of HR-1 over the next ten years. Nationally, 7.6 million Americans
- [Updated: HUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-husky-and-work-requirements-how-to-make-it-work/) - Download the update with revisions highlighted Download a clean version We’ve updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Medicaid that becomes effective January 1st of next year. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years as a
- [Analysis: The real goal of Medicaid work requirements](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-the-real-goal-of-medicaid-work-requirements/) - An old saying goes, there’s no right way to do the wrong thing. I hope that’s not true. Connecticut has to implement a requirement in HR-1, the new federal budget act, that 340,000 adults on Medicaid must work to keep their healthcare coverage. This wasn’t our idea; our policymakers didn’t vote for it. But we
- [HUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-and-work-requirements-how-to-make-it-work/) - Download the full report The largest cut in the new federal budget bill is Medicaid work requirements. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years. If history repeats, most will lose coverage in error – they will be working or exempt Only
- [CTNJ: Federal Medicaid Rule Hard For Caregivers, Worse For Their Frail Patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-federal-medicaid-rule-hard-for-caregivers-worse-for-their-frail-patients/) - The 387-page regulations came out earlier this month, telling states how to implement the scary, new federal Medicaid work requirements. The regulations came with both a curious contradiction and a surprise for states that had been working with federal regulators. The new regulations on who is exempted from work requirements to keep their healthcare coverage
- [Seven CT hospitals warned about price transparency](https://cthealthpolicy.org/seven-ct-hospitals-warned-about-price-transparency/) - Over 500 US hospitals, including seven in Connecticut, received warnings regarding compliance with 2019 price transparency requirements, according to the Associated Press. The requirements were designed to make care more affordable. The President is reportedly planning to ramp up enforcement of the federal transparency rule and more hospitals may receive warnings. Since 2019, many hospitals
- [Hospital chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/hospital-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve updated the Hospitals chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including potential impact of federal Medicaid cuts, payment rates, Medicaid rates, and private equity . CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic
- [Analysis: Public health is the bedrock of our health system, we should treat it better](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-public-health-is-the-bedrock-of-our-health-system-we-should-treat-it-better/) - These are strange, hard times for public health.The country, including government, is focused on improving our health. But we get confusing, contradictory information on how to care for ourselves and our families. They’ve literally tipped the food pyramid upside down. Not surprisingly, most Americans report that they get conflicting information and it’s difficult to know
- [CT Medicaid admin costs are 5th lowest in the nation, but CT fully insured plans are the 5th highest](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-admin-costs-are-5th-lowest-in-the-nation-but-ct-fully-insured-plans-are-the-5th-highest/) - Connecticut Medicaid spent $467 less per person in 2023 on administration and corporate profit than most states, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. However, state residents in fully-insured health plans spent $412 more for administration and profit than most Americans, according to the authors from Brown University. In fully insured plans, the
- [CT hospital ED wait times are 4th highest among states, Patient “boarding” to blame](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-ed-wait-times-are-4th-highest-among-states-patient-boarding-to-blame/) - At 191 minutes, the average (median) wait time at Connecticut’s hospital emergency departments (EDs) was tied with New York for 4th worst among states. Maryland was the highest at 247 minutes. The data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) covers April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025. According to CT Public
- [New tool to compare CT healthcare prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-tool-to-compare-ct-healthcare-prices/) - Medcompare collects publicly available hospital price transparency data and converts it into a searchable format. The site compares US cash/self-pay hospital prices for 8,967 procedures in 31 categories across 29 hospitals in Connecticut. Prices for the same service vary significantly between Connecticut hospitals. Uninsured and self-pay patients can save hundreds to thousands of dollars by
- [Fact Check: No correlation between CT hospital Medicaid share and profits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fact-check-no-correlation-between-ct-hospital-medicaid-share-and-profits/) - Download the data Connecticut hospitals have asserted that state Medicaid payment rates undermine hospital margins and force higher private plan rates. But the evidence doesn’t support the first assertion and is mixed on the second. As in most states, Connecticut Medicaid hospital payment rates are lower than rates that commercial plans pay. It’s important to
- [New tool finds CT employer health insurance costs 8th highest in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-tool-finds-ct-employer-health-insurance-costs-8th-highest-in-us/) - A new Health Cost Landscape data tool finds that Connecticut residents spend 15% more than the national average on employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. Only seven states cost more. But because of higher average incomes, the burden of healthcare costs is lower here than for most Americans. High prices are the main force driving up Connecticut
- [Analysis finds CT hospitals more efficient than most in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-finds-ct-hospitals-more-efficient-than-most-in-us/) - A new study from the Lown Institute finds all but two Connecticut hospitals are more efficient than the median US hospital within 30 or 90 days after admission. However, no Connecticut hospitals are in the top 10 most efficient in the nation and there is significant variation between Connecticut hospitals. Greenwich and Bridgeport Hospitals are
- [Analysis: A Bad Deal for Connecticut Just Got Worse](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-a-bad-deal-for-connecticut-just-got-worse/) - In 2024 Connecticut signed up for AHEAD, a problematic health reform plan promoted by the Biden administration to start in January 2028. Very few people in Connecticut have heard of it, including many people who work in healthcare, but it will have a massive impact on our state’s health. Read more
- [CTNJ: Advice to CT’s next Medicaid Director](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-advice-to-cts-next-medicaid-director/) - Welcome. You’re taking on a big job at a difficult time. Your program covers healthcare for one in five state residents and is about a quarter of the state budget. But we’re in a very good place and you’ll have lots of help. The good news first. Read more
- [Reference pricing lowers healthcare prices, could save CT millions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/reference-pricing-lowers-healthcare-prices-could-save-ct-millions-2/) - Download the backgrounder Hospital prices are driving up healthcare costs making coverage unaffordable, in Connecticut and across the US. It’s hard to reduce hospital prices, especially in consolidated markets like Connecticut’s, where huge health systems have monopoly power to demand steep prices. But Oregon and Montana have been saving millions annually on just their state
- [Governor proposes breaking up OHS](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governor-proposes-breaking-up-ohs/) - In his budget proposal today, Governor Lamont wisely proposed delegating the many functions under the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) to other state agencies. His goal is “to ensure a comprehensive and cohesive vision for healthcare.” Setting a statewide strategy to improve value in Connecticut’s complex and costly healthcare landscape takes focus and deep data
- [Advocacy Toolbox resources for legislative session](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocacy-toolbox-resources-for-legislative-session/) - Connecticut’s 2026 legislative session starts this Wednesday, February 4th and healthcare will be a hot topic this year. Just a few of the issues that will be debated include affordable private insurance, federal Medicaid cuts, private equity protections, and supporting public health through the federal cuts. For anyone advocating this session, we have tons of
- [CT  first state to publicly report ED wait times](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-first-state-to-publicly-report-ed-wait-times/) - Like most states, Connecticut ‘s Emergency Departments (Eds) are overcrowded, causing staff burnout, crowding, and worse patient outcomes. To highlight the scope of the crisis, the CT College of Emergency Physicians has published a dashboard of ED boarding (waits in the ED for admission) and other performance measures. Connecticut is the first state to publicly
- [CTNJ: To make healthcare affordable, break up OHS](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-to-make-healthcare-affordable-break-up-ohs/) - Candidates are hearing a lot about affordability, in Connecticut and across the country. Rising healthcare costs are a big part of the problem, erasing any wage increases. Connecticut is among the most expensive states for health insurance premiums, and they’re rising fast. Our state Office of Health Strategy is tasked with finding solutions that lower
- [ACA chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aca-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve updated the Affordable Care Act chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including what we know about COVID insurance subsidies lapsing. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, the ACA chapter
- [New resource on CT health equity](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-resource-on-ct-health-equity/) - Making data actionable, the Connecticut Health Equity Dashboards offer a single source of detailed information on important health and social determinants at the town and neighborhood levels. Created by the state Office of Health Strategy, the site compares dozens of metrics across chronic care management, burden of disease, complications and poor outcomes, access to prevention,
- [Analysis: Why is quality always TBD?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-why-is-quality-always-tbd/) - The quality of healthcare in Connecticut is average at best. Poor quality care compromises our health. But too often, improving quality is an afterthought. Paying less for poor quality is no bargain. We need both quality improvement and cost control. Thankfully, improving quality saves money. Read more
- [Reference pricing lowers healthcare prices, could save CT millions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/reference-pricing-lowers-healthcare-prices-could-save-ct-millions/) - Hospital prices are driving up healthcare costs making coverage unaffordable, in Connecticut and across the US. It’s hard to reduce hospital prices, especially in consolidated markets like Connecticut’s, where huge health systems have monopoly power to demand steep prices. But since 2019, Oregon has been saving $50 million annually on just their state employee plan,
- [Book Club: The Seven Rules of Trust](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-seven-rules-of-trust/) - There’s been a lot of hand wringing about trust lately. The loss of trust in science, government, institutions, and organizations has serious consequences. When it’s lost, it’s hard to repair. The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things that Last is an excellent place to start exploring how to fix the mess we’ve
- [Still the best kept secret in CT healthcare – CID insurer report card](https://cthealthpolicy.org/still-the-best-kept-secret-in-ct-healthcare-cid-insurer-report-card/) - The 2025 annual CT health insurance plan comparison report from the CT Insurance Department (CID) is an underappreciated gold mine of information – for people and employers choosing plans and for researchers looking for trends and high performers. CID has been publishing the report since at least 2011. The Consumer Report Card on Health Insurance
- [Workforce chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/workforce-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve updated the Workforce chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including more information on shortages. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, workforce includes a Basics summary and a much longer
- [Quality chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/quality-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve updated the Quality chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including hospital and Medicaid quality of care. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, Private Insurance includes a Basics summary and
- [Private Insurance chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/private-insurance-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve updated the Private Insurance chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including level-funded plans, Connecticut private insurance prices compared to Medicare, and wide hospital price variation. CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17
- [Analysis: State agencies need partners to avoid the havoc that’s coming](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-state-agencies-need-partners-to-avoid-the-havoc-thats-coming/) - Lately, I’ve been reminded of both the importance and the difficulty in working with state agencies. But collaboration between state agencies and outside stakeholders who share the same goals has never been more important. Read more
- [Advocates call on state leaders to fix DSS call center and other problems in response to federal budget bill](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-call-on-state-leaders-to-fix-dss-call-center-and-other-problems-in-response-to-federal-budget-bill/) - Twenty-four consumer groups signed a letter to Governor Lamont and legislative leaders urging them to call a special session to address imminent harms from passage of HR-1 in Washington. While the federal budget bill passed July 4th is expected to cause significant long-term harms to Connecticut, some impacts need to be addressed before the next
- [Medicare chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicare-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve made another massive update to CT Healthcare Explained – this time to the Medicare chapter. The update was prompted by new numbers and new research, especially about Medicare Advantage plans. We also included the changes to the program required by the budget bill passed by Congress and the Trump administration this month. CT Healthcare
- [Medicaid chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve made a massive update to the Medicaid chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and updated performance. We also included the significant changes to the program required by the budget bill passed by Congress and the Trump administration this month. We also included a description of Connecticut’s decision not
- [CT healthcare costs grew faster than ever in 2023, but Medicaid bucked the trend](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-costs-grew-faster-than-ever-in-2023-but-medicaid-bucked-the-trend/) - Download the analysis updated 7/22/2025 This month, the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) released their three annual Healthcare Benchmark reports. The main event, the Cost Growth Benchmark report finds that healthcare costs rose by 7.8% in 2023, well above the 2.9% benchmark set by an old OHS committee based on economic indicators. This is the
- [CT drops five notches in health system performance ranking](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-drops-five-notches-in-our-states-health-system-performance-ranking/) - Connecticut ranks 11th among states according to the Commonwealth Fund’s 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance report. While we’re still ahead of 39 states, we fell from 6th place in the 2023 report. The problems touch the cost of care, no surprise, but also utilization/access and quality. The cost of care gets a lot
- [Analysis: CT is a National Leader in Fight to Control Drug Costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-ct-is-a-national-leader-in-fight-to-control-drug-costs/) - This year, Connecticut passed meaningful laws to control stubbornly-high prescription drug prices. According to the Office of Health Strategy, prescription drugs are among the top three drivers of Connecticut’s unaffordable healthcare costs, across Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. States don’t have the powerful levers that federal policymakers could access, and federal law can be a
- [CT health policy learning opportunity](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-policy-learning-opportunity/) - To help build health policy capacity in our state, the CT Health Policy Project is launching a guided study/class that builds on CT Healthcare Explained. There is no cost for the course. There is a webpage for the course (learncthealth.org) that starts in September and runs through December. We’ll use a hybrid format – video
- [Federal changes are coming into view – it’s not good, but there is hope](https://cthealthpolicy.org/federal-changes-are-coming-into-view-its-not-good-but-there-is-hope/) - It’s hard to keep up with the updates about the potential impact of Congressional healthcare proposals. Just when there is a glimmer of light, it gets worse. I won’t blame anyone for not reading any further. For those of us who can’t look away, here are two new analyses of note and two glimmers of
- [Coverage chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/coverage-chapter-in-ct-healthcare-explained-updated/) - We’ve refreshed the numbers, links, and trends in the Coverage chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers but also by significant potential changes being considered by Congress and the Trump administration now. We have a lot to lose in Connecticut, where our uninsured rates are low compared to other states.
- [Three years after 988 mental health line launch, impact is mixed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/three-years-after-988-mental-health-line-launch-impact-is-mixed/) - Studies considering the impact of national 988 system finds significant variation between states, but access to emergency services after the call is deficient nationwide. The 988 phone system for mental health crises launched nationwide in July 2022, providing a single easily-remembered number for mental health crises anywhere in the country. Call rates increased significantly after
- [Updated data tool finds CT life expectancy 8 years better than US, but large disparities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-data-tool-finds-ct-life-expectancy-8-years-better-than-us-but-large-disparities/) - County Health Rankings has updated their massive dataset for 2025, and Connecticut is doing well overall. We live longer than residents of other states, but our quality of life is just average. There are also significant health differences between communities in our state. The site has a wealth of data, and an AI-powered tool to
- [Analysis: If it passes, Congressional bill would make 140,000 more people uninsured in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-if-it-passes-congressional-bill-would-make-140000-more-people-uninsured-in-connecticut/) - If the current US House budget proposal passes into law, experts estimate that 140,000 more Connecticut residents will lose health coverage. They will join the 195,000 currently uninsured state residents and Connecticut’s uninsured numbers will rise to the highest level in twenty years. Losing coverage is not good for the uninsured, both their physical and
- [CT is underfunding public health despite growing risks, Updated CT Public Health resource](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-is-underfunding-public-health-despite-growing-risks-updated-ct-public-health-resource/) - Public health focuses on preventing health problems rather than the more costly treatment of patients when they are ill. Experts estimate that only 20% of our health outcomes are connected to clinical care services. Over the 20th Century, Americans’ life expectancy rose 62%. Those gains were largely due to effective public health initiatives. More recently
- [Opinion: Advice From An Advocate For Connecticut’s Next OHS Commissioner](https://cthealthpolicy.org/opinion-advice-from-an-advocate-for-connecticuts-next-ohs-commissioner-ct-news-junkie/) - Last week, the Governor announced that Diedre Gifford will be leaving the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) next month. The agency has an ambitious mission -- access to high quality, affordable healthcare for every state resident. It’s a heavy lift. Healthcare prices keep rising, the quality of care is just average, and everyone has
- [New analysis finds CT Medicaid payment rates compare well to other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-analysis-finds-ct-medicaid-payment-rates-compare-well-to-other-states/) - A new analysis finds that Connecticut Medicaid payment rates averaged 71% of Medicare rates for the same 33 codes for common healthcare services in 2024, slowly narrowing the gap since 2019. The national average was the same at 71%. Comparison state averages were below Connecticut’s. Comparison states’ Medicaid rates were not as generous as Connecticut’s
- [US News: CT is third best state for healthcare](https://cthealthpolicy.org/us-news-ct-is-third-best-state-for-healthcare/) - New US News rankings find Connecticut’s healthcare system is behind only Hawaii and Massachusetts. The rankings are based on surveys across all 50 states and primarily government data. We are fortunate to be # 2 in the US in Healthcare Access and # 5 in Public Health Outcomes. We are a bit lower, at #
- [More than you wanted to know about CT healthcare wages and employment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-than-you-wanted-to-know-about-ct-healthcare-wages-and-employment/) - Download the data It’s time to check in again on healthcare wages and employment in Connecticut. The analysis focused on selected highly trained and well-paid categories as of May 2024. The data is from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics database. The highlights: Registered nurses are by far the largest employment category at 39,020/year; more
- [In avoidable deaths, CT excels among states, but behind globally despite higher spending](https://cthealthpolicy.org/in-avoidable-deaths-ct-excels-among-states-but-behind-globally-despite-higher-spending/) - Download the analysis Connecticut is second best among US states in avoidable mortality, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine. In 2021, we were 71% less likely than other Americans to die of avoidable causes such as lacking vaccines or sepsis. We do very well in access to care-related mortality, but worse in
- [Nutrition initiative could save $908 million per year in CT healthcare spending – Potential Medicaid LTC spending relief option](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nutrition-initiative-could-save-908-million-per-year-in-ct-healthcare-spending-potential-medicaid-ltc-spending-relief-option/) - Medically tailored meals (MTMs) could save Connecticut $6,299 net per year per person, by far the highest savings among states, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. This research offers an important option to address Connecticut Medicaid long-term care costs that not only saves money, but also improves health. MTMs are nutritious, prepared
- [Just a sample of Trump healthcare news](https://cthealthpolicy.org/just-a-sample-of-trump-healthcare-news/) - I’ve been avoiding writing about the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on healthcare. It’s overwhelming and it changes daily. But waiting for it to settle out isn’t working. It’s time to dig in. Reporters, in Connecticut and nationally, are doing an exceptional job of documenting this as it happens. Here are a small sample
- [Reform section updated in CT Healthcare Explained](https://cthealthpolicy.org/reform-section-updated-in-ct-healthcare-explained/) - We’ve updated the Reform chapter of CT Healthcare Explained, our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, Reform includes a Basics summary and a much longer Deeper Dive into the issue. In the left hand box, you can skip to your specific question. There is
- [CTNJ Analysis: It’s Time To End HUSKY’s 'Value-Based' Medicaid Program](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-its-time-to-end-huskys-value-based-medicaid-program/) - Connecticut's Person-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Plus program has been troubled from its start in 2017, and it's time to go in a new direction. Read more
- [HUSKY still very efficient but drugs are driving up costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-still-very-efficient-but-drugs-are-driving-up-costs/) - Read the full report Like other states, Connecticut Medicaid per member costs are beginning to increase after dropping during COVID. However, Connecticut’s rate trend remains better than other states. Since switching from managed care organizations in 2012 to focus on care management, Connecticut Medicaid spending stabilized while enrollment expanded significantly, according to the state’s latest
- [Survey finds mental health needs among LGBTQ+ young people in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/survey-finds-mental-health-needs-among-lgbtq-young-people-in-connecticut/) - One in four (26%) LGBTQ+ young people in Connecticut considered suicide in the last year and 6% attempted it, according to a survey from The Trevor Project. The organization is dedicated to ending suicide among LGBTQ+ young people. They surveyed LGBTQ+ young people in each state. One in seven LGBTQ+ young people in Connecticut report
- [Equity section updated in CT Healthcare Explained](https://cthealthpolicy.org/equity-section-updated-in-ct-healthcare-explained/) - We’ve updated the Health Equity section of CT Healthcare Explained, our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic sections, Equity includes a Basics summary and a much longer Deeper Dive into the issue. In the left hand box, you can skip to your specific question. There
- [DSS’s comprehensive HUSKY report finds a very strong program, with plans to improve](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dsss-comprehensive-husky-report-finds-a-very-strong-program-with-plans-to-improve/) - In response to 2023 legislation, on Tuesday DSS provided a 72-page comprehensive description and analysis of Connecticut’s Medicaid program to MAPOC, the program’s oversight council. The report also includes DSS’s strategy to improve the program and members’ health. The report finds that the program’s performance is very strong. “Overall, the Medicaid program achieves good quality
- [Analysis: Trump order jeopardizes cost effective, life-changing cure for sickle cell](https://cthealthpolicy.org/trump-order-jeopardizes-cost-effective-life-changing-cure-for-sickle-cell/) - We are lucky to live in a time when creative scientists are developing life-changing new cures for debilitating genetic diseases. These breakthrough treatments are as important as penicillin or insulin were in their time. Unfortunately, they are also very expensive. To help pay for them, federal Medicaid officials created an opportunity to help states afford
- [Join Medicaid EPSDT Grand Rounds](https://cthealthpolicy.org/join-medicaid-epsdt-grand-rounds/) - CT 359 will host a panel of experts and commentators on EPSDT: Medicaid Federal Impacts, Developmental Screening, and Practice Insights on Tuesday, February 11th from 9:30 to 11am via Zoom. CT 359 is a coalition of twenty nonprofits, government agencies, and universities dedicated to ensuring that all children in Connecticut are thriving by ages three,
- [CT is the 6th most expensive state for smokers costing more than $5 million over a lifetime](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-is-the-6th-most-expensive-state-for-smokers-costing-more-than-5-million-over-a-lifetime/) - Smoking is terrible for your health -- tobacco kills 4,900 Connecticut residents each year. However, it’s also a very expensive bad habit. A new analysis by WalletHub estimates lifetime costs for Connecticut smokers at $5,035,722 or $104,911 annually. This is the sixth highest smoking burden among states. The researchers modeled the costs for a pack-a-day
- [Analysis: Hartford HealthCare Settlement with St. Francis Still Leaves Two Important Class Action Suits Active](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-hartford-healthcare-settlement-with-st-francis-still-leaves-two-important-class-action-suits-active/) - CT News Junkie reports that St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center has reached a settlement with Hartford HealthCare in their lawsuit alleging unfair business practices. It’s good that St. Francis’s complaints as a competitor have been addressed, but the concerns of consumers and payers are still outstanding in two class action lawsuits against Hartford HealthCare.
- [Analysis: Despite the name, value is not the solution for raging healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-despite-the-name-value-is-not-the-solution-for-raging-healthcare-costs/) - The murder of a United health executive has intensified very strong reactions to America’s broken healthcare system. Unfortunately, too many opportunists are using this tragedy to push a tired, failed agenda – value-based care and its corollary, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Read more
- [Wandering around in OHS’s databases – lots to learn and a surprise](https://cthealthpolicy.org/wandering-around-in-ohss-databases-lots-to-learn-and-a-surpriseand-a-surprise/) - Our state Office of Health Strategy has several impressive portals and dashboards to explore their trove of data and other information. They include healthcare affordability, ED visits, quality ratings, facility plans, self-sufficiency tools, hospital finances, prescription drug costs, and Race, ethnicity and language data. Visitors can sort the data by service, payer, age, gender, and
- [ICER’s 4th annual report finds progress in fair access to prescription drugs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icers-4th-annual-report-finds-progress-in-fair-access-to-prescription-drugs/) - Over the last four years, barriers facing patients getting access to cost effective drugs in commercial plans and the Veteran’s Administration have gotten better, according to ICER’s fourth annual Barriers to Fair Access report. The authors compare plan policies, including cost sharing, clinical eligibility, step therapy and provider restrictions, to independent standards for fair access
- [Report finds growing number of drug prices rising without merit](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-finds-growing-number-of-drug-prices-rising-without-merit/) - Half of the ten fastest-rising drug prices without any evidence of improved value last year, according to the latest report from ICER. This is the highest percentage of unsupported prescription drug prices since ICER began this report in 2019. The increased prices rose far faster than inflation for the rest of the economy. Just the
- [Materials from webinar on improved HUSKY cancer survival in CT without MCOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/materials-from-webinar-on-improved-husky-cancer-survival-in-ct-without-mcos/) - Yesterday, Dr. John Cramer described his study published earlier this year describing a significant increase in cancer survival and early detection in Connecticut’s Medicaid program when the Managed Care Organizations left in 2012. Click here for slides and here for a recording of the webinar. The study -- Association of Medicaid Privatization With Patient Cancer
- [More questions and answers on DSS’s plan for HUSKY maternity bundles](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-questions-and-answers-on-dsss-plan-for-husky-maternity-bundles/) - Read the new questions and answers DSS is planning to move Medicaid payments for maternity services from the current fee-for-service arrangement to a per-person bundled payment. They will also expand services to include doula and lactation supports. However, advocates have asked questions and raised concerns about unintended consequences when providers make more money by reducing
- [Analysis: DSS Study Suggests MCOs don’t Make Sense for HUSKY](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-dss-study-suggests-mcos-dont-make-sense-for-husky/) - Last Friday, the state released a consultants’ report exploring the Governor’s controversial plan to bring private insurers back to run Medicaid in Connecticut. The report’s authors agree with advocates that there is no evidence that MCOs control costs or improve quality or access to care. They also agree that HUSKY, our state Medicaid program, is
- [Webinar: Study finds improved early cancer diagnosis and survival after MCOs left HUSKY](https://cthealthpolicy.org/webinar-study-finds-improved-early-cancer-diagnosis-and-survival-after-mcos-left-husky/) - Join Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and Sen. Saud Anwar, Co-Chairs of MAPOC, for a webinar December 10th at 2pm with Dr. John Cramer on his study published in JCO Oncology Practice in January. His study found that cancer early detection have increased 4% and survival rates have increased 8% since MCOs left Connecticut Medicaid. There was
- [Former Medicaid Official shares troubled MCO history](https://cthealthpolicy.org/former-medicaid-official-shares-troubled-mco-history/) - Download the comments In comments to DSS for their landscape study, former Medicaid official Steve Colangelo warns against returning the program to MCOs. He worked in the program before and after the MCOs left in 2012. He outlines the problems that plagued the program and DSS staff under the MCO model. He details how the
- [Analysis: How Trump’s Election Could Impact Healthcare in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-how-trumps-election-could-impact-healthcare-in-connecticut/) - Health policy circles are buzzing with potential policy changes under the second Trump administration. Last time, Trump proposed significant cuts and administrative burdens for Medicaid, which covers 934,043 low-income Connecticut residents. That makes this a very bad time to be considering bringing the failed private Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) back into the program. Other significant
- [CTNJ: Council Takes Input About State’s Medicaid Program; Advocates Say Leave It Alone](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-council-takes-input-about-states-medicaid-program-advocates-say-leave-it-alone/) - In light of the results of last week’s election, the last thing Connecticut should do is make any adjustments to the way the state provides Medicaid to eligible residents, advocates said last week. Read more
- [Book Club: Revenge of the Tipping Point](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-revenge-of-the-tipping-point/) - Malcolm Gladwell revisits his 2006 classic in the new Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering. He expands and updates the original premise – that ideas and trends grow slowly, like a pandemic, until they hit a point where they go viral and radically change the context around the
- [Sign on letter critical of biased consultants for HUSKY MCO study](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sign-on-letter-critical-of-biased-consultants-for-husky-mco-study/) - On Friday, thirty-five organizations, advocates, and HUSKY members sent a letter to Governor Lamont raising concerns about the choice of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as consultants to conduct the Medicaid survey and make recommendations. Concerns center on Manatt’s record of support for toward returning Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in Medicaid programs. That’s a record number
- [Former Medicaid official offers options to improve the program and a warning](https://cthealthpolicy.org/former-medicaid-official-offers-options-to-improve-the-program-and-a-warning/) - Recently retired from DSS, Steven Colangelo answered the state’s invitation for recommendations to improve HUSKY. He worked at DSS more than 31 years, 10 in Medicaid, focused on the quality of care. His tenure crossed numerous state administrations and seismic shifts in Medicaid policy at the federal level. Steven opposes current state plans to return
- [Advocates’ comments to improve Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-comments-to-improve-medicaid/) - In response to DSS’s invitation for comments, last week four consumer advocate members of CT’s Medical Assistance Program Oversight Council (MAPOC) offered constructive recommendations to improve the program. The authors acknowledge the success of Connecticut’s Medicaid program as a national leader in cost control, access and quality of care. The authors strongly recommend against returning
- [Opinion: MCOs still a bad idea, New Haven Register](https://cthealthpolicy.org/opinion-mcos-still-a-bad-idea-new-haven-register/) - On behalf of Rep. Peter Villano, his wife urges Governor Lamont not to reverse 12 years of progress in HUSKY in a Letter to the Editor of the New Haven Register last week. Peter was the legislative champion who fought for over a decade to move private insurers/MCOs out of HUSKY, and since then the
- [HUSKY maternal health bundle questions 2.0](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-maternal-health-bundle-questions-2-0/) - Based on DSS’s MAPOC presentation Friday on plans for maternity bundled payments, the CT Health Policy Project submitted some questions about the plan. The commendable goals of the plan are to improve health outcomes, equity, quality, and access to care while controlling costs through care management and greater efficiency. DSS plans to pay obstetrics practices
- [Good and bad Medicaid PCMH, PCMH Plus updates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-and-bad-medicaid-pcmh-pcmh-plus-updates/) - At today’s MAPOC Care Management Committee, we learned that Medicaid’s successful Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program is growing and keeping up with higher enrollment due to COVID. In disappointing news, we also learned that the controversial PCMH Plus program has fewer care managers than expected and only 36% of ACO member advisory committees have any
- [New report quantifies CT nurse training – Growing, but we still need more](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-report-quantifies-ct-nurse-training-growing-but-we-still-need-more/) - In 2022, Connecticut schools of nursing were at or near enrollment capacity, according to the latest analysis by the CT Center for Nursing Workforce and the CT Data Collaborative. This is a good thing, because we need more nurses. At 79,822 RNs in Connecticut, nurses are by far the largest class of healthcare workers in
- [Analysis: The uninsured are still with us](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-the-uninsured-are-still-with-us/) - September used to be a key month for policy wonks. We all eagerly awaited new Census numbers of the uninsured. But since passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is less attention to the uninsured. There is a sense that we are past the problem of people without coverage. But the latest Census numbers
- [How CT can support the professionals who support patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/how-ct-can-support-the-professionals-who-support-patients/) - How CT can support the professionals who support patients A new brief by the CT Health Foundation highlights the value of trained health support professions and recommendations for sustainable funding. The brief outlines evidence that including support professionals in care teams improve health outcomes and patient experience of care, especially for underserved populations. Engaging them
- [More updates to CT Healthcare Explained](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-updates-to-ct-healthcare-explained/) - We are continuing to update chapters in CT Healthcare Explained. This month we finished a complete overhaul of the Hospitals chapter. Last month we finished Consolidation and big health systems. Next is Quality. Connecticut’s healthcare system is deeply confusing. Too often people motivated to advocate for change find themselves frustrated and give up. To help
- [Happy Birthday to us](https://cthealthpolicy.org/happy-birthday-to-us/) - The CT Health Policy Project turns 25 on September 1st. No party, but there will be cake. Anniversaries evoke memories -- how far we’ve come and how much remains to be done. It’s striking how much of our 20th anniversary advice from friends, still stands. Nothing happens alone. Remembering the dozens of staff and hundreds
- [Six common myths about healthcare and three reasons why people believe them](https://cthealthpolicy.org/six-common-myths-about-healthcare-and-three-reasons-why-people-believe-them/) - Healthcare is complicated, people are easily confused, and there are powerful motivations to believe the many misconceptions. I was reminded of this at the last meeting of the industry-led group that is steering the state’s efforts to control healthcare costs. But the problem isn’t limited to industry representatives. Read more
- [CT Mirror Opinion: Keep MCOs out of HUSKY health care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-mirror-opinion-keep-mcos-out-of-husky-health-care/) - "In the past, managed care organizations were a disaster for Connecticut’s Medicaid program" Former legislator, Medicaid provider, member of Medicaid’s state oversight council, and champion for member access to care who lived through the MCO years, Vickie Nardello says, “ I strongly disagree with Gov. Ned Lamont’s plan to bring managed care organizations (MCOs) back
- [CT ranks best in the nation for the lowest prevalence of mental illness, but worse in access to care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-best-in-the-nation-for-the-lowest-prevalence-of-mental-illness-but-worse-in-access-to-care/) - Overall, Connecticut ranks second in the nation in mental health wellbeing, behind only Massachusetts, according to Mental Health America’s 2024 rankings. We benefit from having the lowest prevalence of mental illness in the nation. But still one in nine (11%) Connecticut youth and 4% of adults have serious thoughts of suicide. Connecticut has lots of
- [Report estimates CT will be short 5,700 healthcare providers by 2028, but far better than other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-estimates-ct-will-be-short-5700-healthcare-providers-by-2028-but-far-better-than-other-states/) - Download the analysis A new report from Mercer estimates shortages, and surpluses, in critical health care provider categories in 2028 by state. There is wide variation between states in demand. In good news – Connecticut’s projected shortages are limited and fairly modest. New York, however, is in serious trouble. Across five critical categories, the researchers
- [Analysis: Medicare’s drug price negotiation – Why it’s a big deal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-medicares-drug-price-negotiation-why-its-a-big-deal/) - For the first time, Medicare has negotiated prices with pharmaceutical companies. Prescription drug costs are a significant driver of rising healthcare costs in Connecticut, rising 7.7% from 2021 to 2022, more than any other category. Medicare covers one in five Connecticut residents, mainly seniors and people with disabilities, and is the biggest purchaser of drugs
- [HUSKY evaluation call is broad; Includes MCOs but is not biased](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-evaluation-call-is-broad-includes-mcos-but-is-not-biased/) - Updated August 15, 2024 with Questions and Answers to DSS Last month, DSS released their promised request for quotes (RFQ) from current contractors to evaluate Connecticut’s Medicaid program. (Questions from potential RFQ applicants and DSS’s answers are here.) The RFQ includes important broad priorities that are shared by advocates and other stakeholders, including an evidence basis
- [HUSKY parents’ cut expected to impact 15,300 starting in October](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-parents-cut-expected-to-impact-15300-starting-in-october/) - In this year’s budget, Connecticut policymakers cut Medicaid/HUSKY coverage for 15,300 low-income parents and caretakers of children. The timing of the cuts and options for other state coverage vary depending on each families’ circumstances. It’s all very confusing, both for HUSKY members and the rest of us. Thankfully, the CT Health Foundation has a new
- [Book Club: Random Acts of Medicine](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-random-acts-of-medicine/) - Deliberately randomized experiments in medicine and health policy are usually not possible, or even moral. But with increasingly available data and random changes in circumstances, natural experiments can teach us a great deal about what works and what doesn’t. Random events have a huge impact on our health, more than we’d like to acknowledge. Random
- [CT Mirror: Lamont exploring Medicaid managed care, but many push back](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-mirror-lamont-exploring-medicaid-managed-care-but-many-push-back/) - Today, CT Mirror published an overview of the Governor’s project to review Connecticut Medicaid, looking for potential improvements to improve care and reduce costs. The piece also outlines the resistance from legislators, advocates, and other stakeholders to re-introducing MCOs into the program. Read more
- [DSS gets input for Medicaid landscape survey](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dss-gets-input-for-medicaid-landscape-survey/) - At last week’s MAPOC meeting, DSS announced they will be hiring a consultant to survey the Medicaid landscape assessing options for improvement, including MCOs. Advocates, legislators, and other stakeholders have publicly registered their opposition to returning the failed MCO model to our successful HUSKY program. At the meeting DSS requested input on the criteria consultants
- [CT Healthcare Explained is updating](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-explained-is-updating/) - We are taking on the massive project of updating CT Healthcare Explained. We just finished the Workforce chapter, including updated numbers and wages for the broad range of people who provide healthcare. We’ve included trends, shortages, disparities, and changes happening and recommendations for improvement. We updated Healthcare Costs last month. Hospitals are next. Connecticut’s healthcare
- [CT medical debt levels declining, new state law will help even more](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medical-debt-levels-declining-new-state-law-will-help-even-more/) - The percent of Connecticut residents with medical debt is coming down, but it still affects one in 28 of us, according to a fascinating new tool from the Urban Institute. In a survey last year, 3.5% of Connecticut residents (blue line) reported they have medical debt that has been referred to collections, down from 8.6%
- [Analysis: Newest Hartford Healthcare lawsuit adds a critical twist](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-newest-hartford-healthcare-lawsuit-adds-a-critical-twist/) - Yet another lawsuit against Hartford Healthcare (HHC) may seem obscure and limited to healthcare, but it goes much further. There is overwhelming evidence that prices for care at huge health systems like HHC are driving up healthcare prices for private health plans in Connecticut and it’s getting worse. The third anti-trust lawsuit against HHC outlines
- [43 sign letter urging Governor not to return MCOs to HUSKY](https://cthealthpolicy.org/43-sign-letter-urging-governor-not-to-return-mcos-to-husky/) - A letter signed by 27 organizations and 16 individuals was sent to Governor Lamont urging him not to return Connecticut’s successful Medicaid/HUSKY program to the failed managed care (MCO) model. The signers cited HUSKY’s progress leading the nation in cost control, quality, innovation, and access to care since MCOs left our program in 2012. Read
- [noHuskyMCOs webinar for advocates online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nohuskymcos-webinar-for-advocates-online/) - A recording and slides from yesterdays’ noHuskyMCOs webinar for advocates is online. The webinar covered – What happened before when HUSKY had MCOs and why they ended, What the evidence since then says How to have your voice heard. Questions included -- How did we find out about this? Why is the Governor looking at
- [Analysis: Why most other states use Medicaid MCOs and why CT doesn’t](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-why-most-other-states-use-medicaid-mcos-and-why-ct-doesnt/) - A question has been posed to opponents of MCOs in Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Under the Rowland administration, Connecticut started using Medicaid MCOs, but we removed them in 2012 because they weren’t performing. Advocates are strongly opposed to using MCOs in HUSKY. But if they’re so terrible, why do 40 other states use MCOs to run
- [CT inflation adjusted RN and NP pay](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-inflation-adjusted-rn-and-np-pay/) - Becker’s Hospital Review has calculated 2023/2024 hourly pay levels for Registered Nurses (RNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) by state. Adjusted by the Cost of Living Index, Connecticut ranks 16th highest for RNs but only 33rd for NPs among states. Adjusted Connecticut rates are similar to comparable Northeastern states. Without adjustment for the cost of living,
- [Good and bad news in CT hospital fair share spending](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-and-bad-news-in-ct-hospital-fair-share-spending/) - US non-profit hospitals receive federal, state, and local tax breaks totaling tens of billions of dollars. Taxpayers must pay more to cover those losses. In exchange, hospitals are expected to devote resources to improving their community’s health. Nonprofit hospitals must report their community benefit spending to the IRS. The Lown Institute has published their 2024
- [CT Mirror Viewpoint: Husky MCOs would harm access to mental health care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-mirror-viewpoint-husky-mcos-would-harm-access-to-mental-health-care/) - A new CT Mirror Viewpoint from a HUSKY mental health provider describes why the Governor’s idea to bring managed care back would drive more providers from the program. Demand for mental health care has never been higher and is a serious concern for HUSKY. Donna Nicolino is a trauma specialist participating in both Connecticut’s non-MCO
- [Book Club: Risky Business—Why Insurance Markets Fail And What to Do About It](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-risky-business-why-insurance-markets-fail-and-what-to-do-about-it/) - I thought I knew a lot about how insurance markets work (and don’t), but I learned more than I expected from Risky Business—Why Insurance Markets Fail And What to Do About It by Liran Einav, Amy Finkelstein, and Ray Fishman. Adverse selection (commonly called cherry picking) is a double-edged problem. I knew about insurers’ schemes
- [CT Medicaid compared to other states –  What the evidence says](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-compared-to-other-states-what-the-evidence-says/) - Download the report Governor Lamont is reportedly considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut’s Medicaid program. From 1996 through 2011, Connecticut Medicaid was run by MCOs, and it was deeply troubled. The program ended under pressure from advocates, providers, and legislators. Since the MCOs left Connecticut Medicaid, access and
- [CT gets a D- for maternal mental health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-gets-a-d-for-maternal-mental-health/) - Connecticut is failing mothers in protecting their mental health, according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. We aren’t alone – 28 other states received a D or F on maternal mental health (MMH). The US overall received a D+ grade. We got an F on providers and programs – including seven metrics such
- [Study finds CT private healthcare payment rates more than double Medicare’s, close to US average](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-ct-private-healthcare-payment-rates-more-than-double-medicares-close-to-us-average/) - A new study by RAND analyzing provider payments rates for commercial plans finds Connecticut’s 2022 rates averaged two and half times (258%) what Medicare would’ve paid for the same services at the same hospital (Relative Price). There was little variation by overall type of services. However, individual Connecticut hospitals varied considerably in Relative Price. There
- [Medicaid MCOs and quality, access – What the evidence says](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-mcos-and-quality-access-what-the-evidence-says/) - Go to the full report Governor Lamont is reportedly considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Do MCOs improve quality or access to care in state Medicaid programs? We looked into the evidence. In a word, No. From the literature: The evidence does not support Medicaid MCOs
- [Medicaid MCOs and cost savings – What the evidence says](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-mcos-and-cost-savings-what-the-evidence-says/) - Go to the full report Governor Lamont is reportedly considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Do MCOs save states money in state Medicaid programs? We looked into the evidence. In a word, No. From the literature: The evidence does not support Medicaid managed care saving money
- [NoHuskyMCOs – New resource to preserve Medicaid success](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nohuskymcos-new-resource-to-preserve-medicaid-success/) - Go to NoHuskyMCOs.org for up to date information on plans to return control of Connecticut’s Medicaid program to private insurance company managed care plans (MCOs). From 1996 through 2011, Connecticut Medicaid was run by MCOs, and it was deeply troubled. The program ended under pressure from advocates, providers, and legislators. Since the MCOs left Connecticut
- [US News: CT is 3rd best in US for healthcare](https://cthealthpolicy.org/us-news-ct-is-3rd-best-in-us-for-healthcare/) - Based on surveys of state residents on their priorities for state government and health data, Connecticut is third best among states for healthcare, our highest ranking among categories. Healthcare was equally weighted between access (#3 among states), quality (#21), and public health (#6). The subtopics for each health category are: We are 20th among states
- [Book Club - Super Forecasting: The Art and Science of Predicting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-super-forecasting-the-art-and-science-of-predicting/) - The title makes a big promise, but this book delivers. The book starts with examples through history of “experts” who were followed, even when evidence they were wrong was obvious. Healthcare is full of these examples, and the authors cite a few. In 2005, Phillip Tetlock published a very large 20-year study measuring the accuracy
- [CTNJ: Top Lawmakers Respond To Idea Of Managed Care For Medicaid Patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-top-lawmakers-respond-to-idea-of-managed-care-for-medicaid-patients/) - Top state lawmakers from both parties say they’re anxious to learn more about the drawbacks and benefits of the state reverting back to a managed care system for Medicaid recipients that advocates fear will reduce access to quality healthcare. Read more
- [Analysis: The Governor Could Be Making a Big Mistake](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-the-governor-could-be-making-a-big-mistake/) - When I first heard the rumor from various sources that Gov. Ned Lamont was exploring returning control of the HUSKY insurance program to a managed care company, I didn’t take it seriously and neither did they. But apparently it’s true. Read more
- [CTNJ: Lamont Considering Return To Managed Care For Medicaid Despite Costly History](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-lamont-considering-return-to-managed-care-for-medicaid-despite-costly-history/) - CT News Junkie reports: Ned Lamont is considering a plan to revert the state back to a managed care strategy that patient advocates say will leave the state’s most vulnerable residents with less access to quality healthcare. Read more
- [CTNJ: Key Lawmaker Pledges To Fight Potential Lamont Plan On Managed Care For Medicaid Patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-key-lawmaker-pledges-to-fight-potential-lamont-plan-on-managed-care-for-medicaid-patients/) - CT News Junkie reports: Key state lawmaker said Thursday she opposes the idea of reverting back to a controversial managed care plan for nearly one million Medicaid recipients, setting up a potential showdown between Gov. Ned Lamont and a legislature controlled by his party. Read more
- [From 2011 to 2022, CT hospital budgets devoted 12% to administration labor and 30% to direct patient care labor](https://cthealthpolicy.org/from-2011-to-2022-ct-hospital-budgets-devoted-12-to-administration-labor-and-30-to-direct-patient-care-labor/) - Download the brief Download the data Parsing the latest data from NASHP’s Hospital Cost Tool finds that in 2022, Connecticut’s acute care hospitals averaged almost 32% of their budgets on direct patient care labor and just under 12% on labor costs for administration, which includes management, administration, and payments to their larger health system (called
- [CT middle of the pack for doctors](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-middle-of-the-pack-for-doctors/) - Connecticut ranks 29th in a new analysis on the Best and Worst States for Doctors by Wallet Hub. Physicians are seventeen of the twenty highest paid US workers. Connecticut tied for 45th worst for the highest malpractice award payouts. We rank 15th in our Medical Environment, which includes the quality and safety of hospital care,
- [Commercial plans pay Connecticut hospitals 215% of Medicare prices, but that’s better than most states; No evidence of Medicaid or Medicare cost shifting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/commercial-plans-pay-connecticut-hospitals-215-of-medicare-prices/) - A new data set and report from RAND finds that Connecticut hospital prices paid by commercial plan were 215% of Medicare in 2018, varying from 144% for UConn Health to 282% for Stamford Health. If commercial plans had paid the same rates as Medicare that year, consumers would have saved $510 million. While high, Connecticut
- [Book Club: Recoding America – Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-recoding-america-why-government-is-failing-in-the-digital-age-and-how-we-can-do-better/) - If you’ve ever muttered under your breath about the inefficiency/waste/frustration/etc of government at all levels, you have to read Recoding America – Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better, by Jennifer Pahlka. I don’t think I’ve ever dogeared as many pages in a book. While the author explores
- [Analysis: What to do about private equity in healthcare?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-what-to-do-about-private-equity-in-healthcare/) - The news is full of Prospect Medical Holdings, a private-equity fund, laying waste to three Connecticut hospitals. State policymakers are looking to create guardrails so that this doesn’t happen again. But we were warned two years ago and policymakers didn’t act. Read more
- [Bristol Health Cares explores advocacy in CT healthcare](https://cthealthpolicy.org/bristol-health-cares-explores-advocacy-in-ct-healthcare/) - A recent episode of Bristol Health Cares features a conversation with Kurt Barwis, President and CEO of Bristol Health and Ellen Andrews, of the CT Health Policy Project. Bristol Health Cares is a wide-ranging program with guests ranging from providers, community leaders, to innovators about navigating healthcare and answering questions. The conversation touched on the
- [Webinar offers tools to improve prescribing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/webinar-offers-tools-to-improve-prescribing/) - Download the slides and watch the webinar recording Connecticut, like other states, are struggling to improve appropriate prescribing while lowering costs. In Friday’s webinar, Greg Low, RPh, PhD, offered Mass General’s experience of what works to improve physician prescribing at their ACO. Greg is the Manager for Pharmacy Operations at Mass General Brigham Health Plan.
- [Connecticut health care coverage continues slow shift from private to public coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-health-care-coverage-continues-slow-shift-from-private-to-public-coverage/) - Download the report The latest numbers from the US Census on US health coverage in 2022 found that, as in the past, most Connecticut residents are covered through an employer-sponsored plan. Publicly-funded Medicare and Medicaid each cover about one in five Connecticut residents. While employer-sponsored coverage has slowly declined since 2008, public programs have grown,
- [Analysis: Governor’s healthcare budget is a mixed bag](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-governors-healthcare-budget-is-a-mixed-bag/) - In his new budget proposal, Gov. Ned Lamont and his administration have continued their commitment to making healthcare in Connecticut more affordable. They understand healthcare’s large and growing burden on state residents, employers, and taxpayers. They also understand the challenges, given Connecticut’s historically poor record on reforms. Some proposals make sense, and some are more
- [CT ranks ninth worst in ED wait times](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-ninth-worst-in-ed-wait-times/) - A new analysis by Becker’s Hospital Review of CMS data finds that patients wait an average of 186 minutes to be seen in a Connecticut emergency room. The national median was 162 minutes. The study covered April 2022 through March 2023. Connecticut hospitals varied considerably in average wait times from 98 minutes at Lawrence &
- [Webinar: Improved prescribing through education and reporting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/webinar-improved-prescribing-through-education-and-reporting/) - Connecticut providers and payers are struggling to find ways to address prescription costs and the quality of prescribing. Hear how Mass General Hospital & Physicians Organization’s program improved prescribing quality and efficiency. The webinar is Friday, February 16th at 1pm. Register here. Greg Low, RPh, PhD recently transitioned to a new position as the Manager
- [Making it work: Connecting medical and social care in Waterbury](https://cthealthpolicy.org/making-it-work-connecting-medical-and-social-care-in-waterbury/) - As healthcare costs skyrocket, policymakers are searching for ways to improve the social drivers of poor health with little success. The problem is that the medical system has all the money, while community services manage on shoestrings, and they don’t connect with each other. Some innovators in Connecticut are doing the work to connect the
- [CT smoking costs total $4.9 million over a lifetime](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-smoking-costs-total-4-9-million-over-a-lifetime/) - A new analysis by Nerd Wallet finds that smokers in Connecticut cost an extra $4.9 million over a lifetime or $102,883 per year on average, the 4th highest rate in the US. Only smokers in New York, the District of Columbia, and Maryland have higher costs. Costs include not only out-of-pocket costs for cigarettes, but
- [Comments on Medicaid maternity bundle plans](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comments-on-medicaid-maternity-bundle-plans/) - DSS is planning to move Medicaid payments for maternity services to a per-person bundle from the current fee-for-service arrangement. They will also expand services to include doula and lactation supports. However, advocates have asked questions and raised concerns about unintended consequences when providers make more money by reducing the costs of their patients’ care. While
- [Analysis: Overheard in CT healthcare reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-overheard-in-ct-healthcare-reform/) - Healthcare in Connecticut is expensive, and the quality doesn’t match the prices. We’ve had several mis-starts trying to reform our healthcare system. Perspectives vary, but lately I’ve heard some interesting statements that shed light on the problems. Read more
- [Recommended Reading – Books](https://cthealthpolicy.org/recommended-reading-books/) - Download the list Building on occasional Book Club Blog entries, I’ve been asked for a health policy reading list. These are books that changed how I think as a health policy analyst. They inspired me, opened my mind, connected dots for me, taught me hard and soft skills, and told stories I didn’t know, even
- [CT again among healthiest states overall, but with big areas of concern](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-again-among-healthiest-states-overall-but-with-big-areas-of-concern/) - Connecticut ranked 4th healthiest among states in this year’s America’s Health Ranking, from the United Health Foundation. We were the best state in climate policies, childhood immunizations, and adult dental visits. But we were in the bottom on other indicators. Connecticut is in a very healthy region of the US, with New Hampshire (#1), Massachusetts
- [No evidence to justify price increases for eight of top 10 most costly drugs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-evidence-to-justify-price-increases-for-eight-of-top-10-most-costly-drugs/) - ICER’s latest Unsupported Price Increase report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review finds that, last year, eight of the ten most costly drugs in the US that raised net prices well over the rate of general inflation, had no new clinical evidence of effectiveness to justify the increases. The increases on just these
- [Analysis: Healthcare defies softening labor market](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-healthcare-defies-softening-labor-market/) - The post-COVID hot labor market is cooling in Connecticut and across the US. While some industries are still seeking qualified workers, others are fully employed or even laying people off. But healthcare hiring is still scorching hot, with no end in sight. It’s increased demand for care but also the stresses of the job. Read
- [CT primary care redesign: What the evidence says](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-primary-care-redesign-what-the-evidence-says/) - Early in 2023, Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) embarked on an ambitious planning process to make significant changes to primary care delivery and payment in our state’s Medicaid program. DSS’s planning committee meeting materials and recordings are available here. In Connecticut, there have been differing perspectives about the status of primary care, Medicaid and
- [CT Medicaid Primary Care Redesign: What the Evidence Says   Part 4: Better, Safer Options](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-primary-care-redesign-what-the-evidence-says-part-4-better-safer-options/) - Download the full report with sources Connecticut Medicaid is considering reforms to primary care delivery and payment. The CT Health Policy Project is collecting evidence from other states and programs to help inform that planning. Part 1 focused on Connecting with community services to improve health. Part 2 explored primary care payment reform, especially value-based
- [Analysis: Medicare is Negotiating Drug Prices -- Why it Matters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-medicare-is-negotiating-drug-prices-why-it-matters/) - This is historic. Pharma has been fighting Medicare drug price negotiation for decades because it’s the start of reining in their extreme prices. But it’s just a start. Don’t start spending your savings yet. Read more
- [Book Club: Healthy Voices, Unhealthy Silence: Advocacy and Health Policy for the Poor](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-healthy-voices-unhealthy-silence-advocacy-and-health-policy-for-the-poor/) - It was difficult to read Healthy Voices, Unhealthy Silence by Colleen Grogan and Michael Gusmano; thankfully it is short. It explores Connecticut’s adoption of managed care for Medicaid in 1996. The picture it paints is not flattering. Published in 2007, I’m embarrassed that I hadn’t seen this book before now. The authors track the implementation
- [ICER seeking nominations for New England evidence review council](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-seeking-nominations-for-new-england-evidence-review-council/) - The Institute for Economic and Clinical Review (ICER) is seeking nominations for new members to the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (New England CEPAC). In my time on the New England CEPAC, it was an exciting dive into learning new things with a team of exceptional experts and colleagues from across the region.
- [CT health systems ranked poorly by their nurses](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-systems-ranked-poorly-by-their-nurses/) - Connecticut health systems underperform in an analysis of nurses’ satisfaction with their employers by MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Only four health systems covering Connecticut had enough data to be included in the study – Hartford Healthcare, Yale-New Haven Health, Trinity, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Nurses working at Yale-New Haven and
- [ICER fair access report finds improvements but problems with transparency](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-fair-access-report-finds-improvements-but-problems-with-transparency/) - ICER’s third annual Barriers to Fair Access report found that most prescription drug coverage policies met fair rules for patient access. This is an improvement over previous years suggesting that transparency and public sunlight works. But the report also found that policies needed more transparency and are too complex. Policies on which patients are eligible
- [Book Club: We've Got You Covered](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-weve-got-you-covered/) - I wasn’t looking forward to reading yet another book promoting yet another idea to solve America’s broken healthcare system. But it’s my job, so I dove into We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care by Liran Einav and Amy Finkelstin. I’m a convert now – mostly. The first half of the book is the
- [Op-Ed: The Charts That Scare Health Insurance Watchdogs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-the-charts-that-scare-health-insurance-watchdogs/) - Self-insured small group plans sound innocuous but they’re not – and they are growing quickly. The plans save money for some small businesses, but they have serious risks. It’s kind of complicated but stay with me. I’ll walk you through it; there will be no numbers. Read more
- [Speaker Series #4 -- Healthcare for people with developmental disabilities -- Reports from other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/speaker-series-4-healthcare-for-people-with-developmental-disabilities-reports-from-other-states/) - Following up on the first webinars on healthcare access for people with developmental disabilities, the fourth webinar in the Fall Series will focus on Reports From Other States including Colorado, Maine, and Rhode Island. It will be Tuesday, October 31st. The Fall speaker series is sponsored by the CT Council on Developmental Disabilities and UCEDD.
- [CT commercial insurance enrollment down 5%; several possible explanations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-commercial-insurance-enrollment-down-5-several-possible-explanations/) - Download the report Last year, total enrollment in Connecticut’s commercial managed care plans was 1,666,972. That was down by 85,019 from 2021 at 1,750,904, according to the this year’s Consumer Report Card from the CT Insurance Department. The drop in enrollment was almost entirely from large group plans with over 50 members and spread across
- [Healthcare for CT residents with developmental disabilities -- Webinar #3](https://cthealthpolicy.org/heathcare-for-ct-residents-with-developmental-disabilities-webinar-3/) - Following up on the first webinars on healthcare access for people with developmental disabilities, the third webinar in the Fall Series will focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access to Healthcare. It will be Tuesday, October 17th. The Fall speaker series is sponsored by the CT Council on Developmental Disabilities and UCEDD. Register here for
- [CT Medicaid primary care redesign: Payment reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-primary-care-redesign-payment-reform/) - Download the full report with sources Connecticut Medicaid is considering reforms to primary care delivery and payment. The CT Health Policy Project is collecting evidence from other states and programs to help inform that planning. Part 1 focused on Connecting with community services to improve health. A major part of DSS’s planning for reform is
- [New data finds CT obesity rates grew by 25% from 2011 to 2022](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-data-finds-ct-obesity-rates-grew-by-25-from-2011-to-2022/) - Download the brief New data from the CDC finds that three in ten Connecticut adults (30.6%) were obese last year, up from one in four (24.5%) in 2011. While too high, Connecticut’s rate was 10th lowest among the states. The US average last year was 33.6%, up 21% from 2011. Connecticut’s rate was typical of
- [Analysis: Private Equity's CT Hospital Mess Comes As No Surprise](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-private-equitys-ct-hospital-mess-comes-as-no-surprise/) - Yale-New Haven’s plan to buy three hospitals owned by Prospect Medical Holdings, a troubled private equity group, is reportedly on the rocks. Read more from CT News Junkie
- [Healthcare for CT residents with developmental disabilities speaker series – Webinar #2](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-for-ct-residents-with-developmental-disabilities-speaker-series-webinar-2/) - Following up on the first webinar with national experts on healthcare access for people with developmental disabilities, the second webinar in the Fall Series will focus on Connecticut. It will be Tuesday, October 3rd at 1:00pm and include results of a survey of state residents with lived experience and their experience of accessing healthcare and
- [CT Medicaid primary care redesign evidence: Part 1 Connecting with community services to improve health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-primary-care-redesign-evidence-part-1-connecting-with-community-services-to-improve-health/) - Download the full report with sources Connecticut Medicaid is considering reforms to primary care delivery and payment. The CT Health Policy Project is collecting evidence from other states and programs to help inform that planning. A recurring theme of supporting non-medical, community services has emerged in feedback across planning groups. That feedback reflects the evidence
- [Healthcare access for CT residents with developmental disabilities Speaker Series](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-access-for-ct-residents-with-developmental-disabilities-speaker-series/) - About 45,000 Connecticut residents have a developmental disability. Compared to Americans without disabilities, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are five times more likely to be in poor health, half as likely to get a check-up, have lower rates of blood pressure checks, flu shots, oral health care, and screens for cancer, cholesterol, vision, or
- [CT Healthcare Explained -- what's next?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-explained-whats-next-2/) - Hopefully, you’ve found our short Sunday Health Policy Minute emails informative and helpful. This is just the beginning of CT Healthcare Explained’s efforts to help make sense of our state’s unreasonably complex system. Hopefully, you’ve accessed the site resources including explainer videos, Basics, and Deeper Dives on the current seventeen topics. Consumers, policymakers, clinicians, students,
- [Analysis: Bristol Hospital VP Says Unfair Practices Are Leading to a Nurse Shortage For Independent Hospitals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-bristol-hospital-vp-says-unfair-practices-are-leading-to-a-nurse-shortage-for-independent-hospitals/) - Healthcare is expensive in Connecticut. The shortage of nurses is a prime driver of those rising costs. Nursing is hard and dangerous work. While the state is working to lower healthcare costs across Connecticut, another state entity is driving up private nursing costs. Read more
- [Analysis: CT State Employee Health Plan Tied for Richest in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-ct-state-employee-health-plan-tied-for-richest-in-us/) - Last year, Connecticut’s health plan for current state employees and their dependents covered 98% of the costs of that care, according to a new report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform. We are tied with Vermont for the richest state employee plan in the nation. Connecticut’s plan for state employees and dependents would qualify
- [Analysis: Limiting the Metrics We Use to Track Healthcare is Cheating](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-limiting-the-metrics-we-use-to-track-healthcare-is-cheating/) - The quality of healthcare in Connecticut is average at best. There is a strong consensus that provider payments should be contingent on performance and quality measures, called value-based payment, or VBP. But the consensus ends there. Read more
- [Plans for CT opioid settlement far better than our tobacco history](https://cthealthpolicy.org/plans-for-ct-opioid-settlement-far-better-than-our-tobacco-history/) - Connecticut is using our $300 million settlement from opioid lawsuits far better than we did with the 1998 tobacco settlement and similarly to our surrounding states, according to a cross-state analysis of opioid settlement details from Vital Strategies. The report gives details on the uses of the funds, who decides, public reporting requirements, and a
- [Summer reading -- Rough Sleepers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/summer-reading-rough-sleepers/) - I thought I understood healthcare for the homeless, but I had a lot to learn. Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People describes Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless Program by following Dr. Jim O’Connell’s career of caring for people who live, and sleep, on the streets. He ended up
- [Analysis: Connecticut is doing something about healthcare costs, finally](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-connecticut-is-doing-something-about-healthcare-costs-finally/) - I’ve long been a critic of our state’s inaction on controlling healthcare costs, but I may have to eat my words. On Wednesday, Connecticut policymakers took a big step toward controlling the two biggest drivers of rising healthcare costs – hospital and prescription drug prices. Read more
- [State Health Compare finds CT access to care is good but costly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-health-compare-finds-ct-access-to-care-is-good-but-costly/) - Connecticut residents have very good access to healthcare, but care is unaffordable for too many. 93% of CT residents have a usual source of care According to updated health metrics, in 2020-2021, Connecticut ranked third best among states in the percent of residents with a usual source of care. Having a usual source of care
- [Op-Ed: This Is Why CT Can't Lower Healthcare Costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-this-is-why-ct-cant-lower-healthcare-costs/) - After years of deliberation, Connecticut’s state plan to cap healthcare costs has finally identified the drivers of those costs in our state. But the Steering Committee, dominated by healthcare industries, still isn’t brave enough hold the overspenders accountable. They want the profitable industries to come up with ideas to lower their own costs (what could
- [Report estimates public coverage not available for 56,000 CT noncitizen residents next year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-estimates-public-coverage-not-available-for-56000-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
- [Good-ish news: CT is 13th best state for nurses to work in](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-ish-news-ct-is-13th-best-state-for-nurses-to-work-in/) - Wallet Hub finds that Connecticut is a pretty good state for nurses to work. But the researchers found a big difference between Opportunity and Competition for nurses – Connecticut was 34th – and Work Environment – Connecticut was 4th among states. Opportunity and Competition includes ten measures such as salary, demand for nurses, quality of
- [OHS seeks community input on YNHH purchase of three more hospitals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-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,
- [Analysis: How Brain Shortcuts Undermine Policymaking](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-how-brain-shortcuts-undermine-policymaking/) - Thinking is hard work. Adult brains are only 2% of our body weight, but they use 20% of our body’s energy. To handle the load, we have evolved hard-wired shortcuts called cognitive biases that sometimes backfire. Public policymaking is not immune – it’s riddled with biases that are driving poor decisions. Read more
- [Report finds Hartford Hospital got $78 million more in tax breaks than they invested in communities, 2020](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-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
- [Op-Ed: Artificial Intelligence can be the solution, when it isn't the problem](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-artificial-intelligence-can-be-the-solution-when-it-isnt-the-problem/) - Legislators want the state to evaluate the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in state agency decision making. As a tool, AI is neither good nor evil, it’s all about how it’s used. Badly done, AI can deny appropriate access to healthcare. But done well, it has the potential to improve care by removing individual
- [CT low wage workers pay more but get less health benefits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-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
- [Study finds only two thirds of CT patients getting primary care, 11th worst in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-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
- [Analysis: Are Connecticut Hospitals Losing Money? It Depends](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-are-connecticut-hospitals-losing-money-it-depends/) - Our state’s hospitals are hemorrhaging money according to the Connecticut Hospital Association. They report losses of $164 million last year. But state officials are pushing back, saying hospitals aren’t telling the full story and hospitals are the main driver of rising healthcare costs in Connecticut. It all depends on how you look at it. Read
- [New standards to include health equity lens in effectiveness, fair pricing analyses](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-standards-to-include-health-equity-lens-in-effectiveness-fair-pricing-analyses/) - There is a growing consensus that healthcare systems can, unintentionally, exacerbate health disparities for underserved communities. There is a special concern that, as more payers use health technology assessments (HTAs) to promote value in the healthcare system, that health equity be incorporated into the methods. HTAs are evidence-based evaluations of healthcare treatments for clinical effectiveness
- [Insurance Committee passes bills prohibiting anti-competitive health system practices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/insurance-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
- [Healthcare breaches reach new high -- affecting Members of Congress and over 70,000 in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-breaches-reach-new-high-affecting-members-of-congress-and-over-70000-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
- [CT Medicaid costs stable but hospital spending needs monitoring](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-costs-stable-but-hospital-spending-needs-monitoring/) - Download the report Sources below Connecticut Medicaid per member costs are stable and growing slower than other states. CT Medicaid per member costs are lower than all but 27 other states, just below the median. But hospital spending increases could erode that progress. Medicaid is not the driver of rising state budgets, growing less than
- [Legislators hear voices calling for consolidation protections to lower healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/legislators-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
- [Insurance committee to hear bills that mitigate consolidation and lower healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/insurance-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
- [Op-Ed: HUSKY coverage for immigrants is the right, and the smart, thing to do](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-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
- [Data brokers are offering sensitive mental health info for cheap](https://cthealthpolicy.org/data-brokers-are-offering-sensitive-info-for-cheap/) - As the need for mental health care grows and capacity tightens, patients are turning to telehealth and apps. Hispanics are especially likely to use healthcare apps which are not covered by privacy laws. Researchers found data brokers advertising easy access to very sensitive information for as little as $275. Brokers “advertised highly sensitive mental health
- [Op-Ed: Things to like in the Governor's budget proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-things-to-like-in-the-governors-budget-proposal/) - This is new for me and I may be alone, but I found a lot to like in the Governor’s budget. This fall the administration must have been listening to complaints about their disappointing healthcare record. Their new budget proposal starts to turn that around, tackling the drivers of soaring healthcare costs – prices for
- [CT ranks high on dental health, but lots of room for improvement](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-high-on-dental-health-but-lots-of-room-for-improvement/) - It all depends on what you measure. Wallet Hub ranked Connecticut the fifth best state for dental health. Metrics include the cost of dental care, the percent of adolescents getting dental care, and dentists per capita. Connecticut ranked well on adult dental visits, dental pain rates for adults (we were the lowest on that), and
- [CT has 13th highest cancer rate, but it's going down](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-has-13th-highest-cancer-rate-but-its-going-down/) - In 2019 Connecticut’s per person rate of new cancers was higher than all but twelve other states, according to a new analysis by USAFacts. Massachusetts ranked far better at 33rd but New York (5th), New Jersey (7th), and Rhode Island (10th) all did worse. Cancer was Connecticut’s second highest cause of death in 2019, just
- [Analysis: Life Saving Innovation at Alarming Prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-life-saving-innovation-at-alarming-prices/) - We do scientific innovation very well. New therapies — from anesthesia in 1850, antibiotics in 1928, organ transplants in 1960, to COVID vaccines now — are improving our lives and extending life expectancy. However, healthcare costs now consume 20% of our economy, and we aren’t getting our money’s worth. Complicating the issue, Pharma’s extreme drug
- [Barriers to Fair Access Report prompts insurers to improve access to 11 drugs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/barriers-to-fair-access-report-prompts-insurers-to-improve-access-to-11-drugs/) - There’s a lot of very appropriate focus on the unfairness of unwarranted drug prices. But an equally important key to patients accessing those drugs is the fairness of insurance policies. To keep premiums affordable, insurers must balance, even encourage, appropriate to access care, while deterring overtreatment and excessive prices. ICER, the nation’s leading value assessment
- [Low or no cost health insurance open enrollment ends soon](https://cthealthpolicy.org/low-or-no-cost-health-insurance-open-enrollment-ends-soon/) - Connecticut residents have until next Sunday, January 15th to sign up for health insurance through Access Health CT. About 100,000 Connecticut residents get their health insurance through Access Health CT and 70% get financial assistance to afford coverage. Two thirds of uninsured Americans qualify for free or subsidized coverage; they just haven’t signed up. Free
- [Screenings catch only 13% of Connecticut cancers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/screenings-catch-only-13-of-connecticut-cancers/) - Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Connecticut. While early detection is key to improving survival, only four cancers have effective screening tests -- breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers. These four types made up one in three cancers in Connecticut from 2015 through 2019. A new analysis finds that 13% of cancers
- [Updated Advocacy Toolbox: How to make a difference, where to start, and how to get there](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-advocacy-toolbox-how-to-make-a-difference-where-to-start-and-how-to-get-there-2/) - Just in time for the legislative session starting today, we’ve updated our CT Health Policy Advocacy Toolbox to help with your advocacy to make healthcare better in Connecticut. (Actually, we update it every month.) Healthcare policymaking in CT can be complex and frustrating. But you’re not alone and there is help. The comprehensive site covers
- [Survey finds CT hospital collections policies allow lawsuits and denial of care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/survey-finds-ct-hospital-collections-policies-allow-lawsuits-and-denial-of-care/) - A recent survey by Kaiser Health News found that many US hospitals have aggressive policies for patients who can’t pay their bills. Policies include lawsuits, reporting to credit rating agencies, selling the debt to collectors, and even denying non-emergency care. Medical debt affects one in five US households and the average debt is $21,687. The
- [Update: Policy options to support competition and control healthcare prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/update-policy-options-to-support-competition-and-control-healthcare-prices/) - Download the fact sheet Download the updated resource list Healthcare service prices are the main driver of Connecticut’s rising health insurance premiums. The consolidation of hospitals and providers into large health systems has stifled competition, allowing prices to rise unchecked. Other states have taken action to protect competition in consolidated markets and it’s working. Connecticut
- [Book Club -- The Data Detective](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-data-detective/) - The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics follows on the Book Club’s obsession with statistics and good data analysis (here, here, here, and here). Good policy rests on good evidence. There are good sources, including the books linked above, that uncover misleading information, with clues to identify them, and that’s important.
- [CTNJ Analysis: Good News on Healthcare Costs, But It Won't Last](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-good-news-on-healthcare-costs-but-it-wont-last/) - Tuesday’s eagerly anticipated inflation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics had good news for our battered economy – inflation is down for the fifth month in a row. But the counter-intuitive part is that prices for medical care helped lower inflation. I rarely get to report good news on healthcare costs. Of course, there
- [CTNJ op-ed: Health insurance affordability review is good, but it's no silver bullet](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-health-insurance-affordability-review-is-good-but-its-no-silver-bullet/) - A movement to include affordability in the Insurance Department’s review of health insurance premiums is gaining champions. That’s a good thing. The best care is useless if you can’t afford it. Holding insurers accountable for lowering costs is important, but it’s not going to solve everything. We need to do much more to get costs
- [No evidence to justify increases for 7 of top 10 most costly drugs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-evidence-to-justify-increases-for-7-of-top-10-most-costly-drugs/) - The latest Unsupported Price Increase report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review finds that, last year, seven of the ten most costly drugs in the US that raised net prices well over the rate of general inflation, had no new clinical evidence of effectiveness to justify the increases. The increases on just these
- [CT healthcare quality just average, and not improving](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-quality-just-average-and-not-improving/) - The latest federal National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is not flattering for Connecticut. Across 159 measures of quality, Connecticut was above the US average on 39, below average on 38, and average for the remaining 82. In worse news, we aren’t getting any better. Compared with
- [CT gets a C+ for maternal and child health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-gets-a-c-for-maternal-and-child-health/) - The new 2022 March of Dimes Report Card gives Connecticut just average marks on how well we care for new moms and babies. Preterm births happen before 37 weeks of gestation; 40 weeks is typical. While that’s not good, it’s better than the US grade of D+ at 10.5% preterm births. Massachusetts and New Jersey
- [CT's best healthcare secret -- CID's Consumer Report Card](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cts-best-healthcare-secret-cids-consumer-report-card/) - It may not attract the same enthusiasm as other holidays this time of year, but if you’re shopping for health insurance during this Open Enrollment season, you need this resource. As a health policy researcher, there are few better sources of information on how insurers are performing. The Consumer Report Card on Health Insurance Carriers
- [CT hospitals' charity care varied widely last year, a bit more than US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospitals-charity-care-varied-widely-last-year-a-bit-more-than-us/) - Last year, uncompensated care at Connecticut’s 27 acute care hospitals averaged 1.8% of total expenses, according to the state’s latest report. However, that rate varied from 4.2% at Norwalk Hospital to 0.5% at CT Children’s. Uncompensated care is services provided that hospitals are not paid for. It includes charity care, which hospitals forgive from the
- [New affordable coverage toolkit to help people enroll](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-affordable-coverage-toolkit-to-help-people-enroll/) - There were 184,000 uninsured Connecticut residents last year. To help people find affordable, even no-cost, coverage, the CT Health Foundation has developed a user-friendly toolkit to help people enroll. Enhanced federal subsidies and the state Covered CT program are making good insurance coverage more affordable than ever, including no-cost options for many. Open enrollment in
- [Mental health workforce swamped by need, what needs to happen](https://cthealthpolicy.org/mental-health-workforce-swamped-by-need-what-needs-to-happen/) - A few recent reports have raised alarms about whether our healthy system’s mental health capacity can meet the need, and what we can do about it. The need is great. A mid-September Household Pulse Census survey found that 361,729 Connecticut residents reported feeling anxiety nearly every day and 219,164 reported depressive thoughts nearly every day.
- [CT hospital readmission penalties higher than US, again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-readmission-penalties-higher-than-us-again/) - Even with an eased formula due to COVID, all but one acute care Connecticut hospital will be penalized by Medicare next year for higher-than-expected readmission rates. Next year, Connecticut hospitals will be docked by 0.456% on their Medicare payments, higher than the US average of 0.428%. Average Connecticut hospital readmission penalties have been higher than
- [Study finds Americans living in liberal states, like CT, live longer but we can do better](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-americans-living-in-liberal-states-like-ct-live-longer-but-we-can-do-better/) - Recently, working-age Americans’ mortality has reversed its historic declines, largely due to lack of progress on heart disease, and rising deaths due to alcohol, suicide, and drug poisoning. A new study finds that from 1999 to 2019, mortality for adults ages 25-64 was lower in states with liberal policies, like Connecticut, and worse in conservative
- [CTNJ Analysis: Yale-New Haven Health announces layoffs while planning to buy 3 hospitals, and why it matters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-yale-new-haven-health-announces-layoffs-while-planning-to-buy-3-hospitals-and-why-it-matters/) - It’s puzzling. Yale-New Haven Health System recently announced 72 layoffs and eliminated 155 positions among their managers, but they scored large profits last year and they have enough money to buy three more Connecticut hospitals. If approved by the state, the acquisitions will make Yale the largest health system in the state. We should all
- [DSS responds to advocates' questions about HUSKY maternity bundles](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dss-responds-to-advocates-questions-about-husky-maternity-bundles/) - More than one in three Connecticut births are covered by the HUSKY program, including some pregnancies at risk for poor birth outcomes. DSS has an ambitious plan to change the way providers are paid for those births. The goals are to improve equity, lower C-section rates, poor maternal outcomes, lower opioid-related pregnancy conditions, and reduce
- [Study finds CT low value care is costly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-ct-low-value-care-is-costly/) - About two percent of commercially insured Americans, including Medicare Advantage, received low value care costing $3.7 billion between 2009 and 2019, according to a new study. The researchers compared states on utilization of low value services and prices for that care. Connecticut has a lot of room for improvement compared to other states. Low value
- [Best kept secret: You now have free access to all your medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/best-kept-secret-you-now-have-free-access-to-all-your-medical-records/) - As of last Thursday, under new federal rules, healthcare organizations must give patients timely access to all their medical records in digital format without cost. This reverses the usual practice that only gave patients costly access to just some of their data, while data brokers profited by selling deidentified data and analysis to drug companies,
- [Analysis: New study finds 1 in 5 households has medical debt that averages $21,687](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-new-study-finds-1-in-5-households-has-medical-debt-that-averages-21687/) - Having health insurance is no longer the protection it used to be. A pair of new studies shine a bright light on inadequate insurance and its consequences – medical debt. Read more
- [Number of uninsured CT residents continues down despite COVID](https://cthealthpolicy.org/number-of-uninsured-ct-residents-continues-down-despite-covid/) - Download the report The latest numbers from the US Census on US health coverage last year find that there were 184,000 uninsured Connecticut residents (5.2%) in 2021, down 23,000 from 2019 (at 5.9%). Both years were far below 2013, before implementation of the Affordable Care Act, when 333,000 or 9.4% of state residents were uninsured.
- [Primary care spending boost and capitation didn't work in private plans either](https://cthealthpolicy.org/primary-care-spending-boost-and-capitation-didnt-work-in-private-plans-either/) - The big idea circulating in some CT health policy circles to control the costs of healthcare is to boost primary care with tons of money and capitate provider payments. Primary care is regular health care for prevention, like check-ups, and common health problems. A new study finds that the idea failed in private insurance, as
- [Op-Ed: Governor's Healthcare Record Misses Opportunities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-governors-healthcare-record-misses-opportunities/) - Last week, the Governor and his administration held a press conference nominally to promote their efforts to lower healthcare costs, but mostly for damage control. There’s been understandable criticism of the state insurance department’s decision to trim the unjustified insurer rate increase requests for next year from 20% to 13%. Insurers have been very profitable
- [Book Club: Making Numbers Count](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-making-numbers-count/) - If your job is to communicate policy and make sense of it, you need Making Numbers Count – The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers by Chip Health and Karla Starr. Numbers are the bedrock of policy (or they should be) but they are scary to 99.9% of people – including the people you need
- [OP-ED: Be careful in making changes when the glass is half full](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-be-careful-in-making-changes-when-the-glass-is-half-full/) - There is good news on Connecticut health spending – and we can use it. Analysis of new data has found, not surprisingly, that Connecticut residents spend a lot on healthcare. But the good news is that our average annual rate of growth, at 1.8%, was the ninth lowest among states from 2013 to 2019. We
- [Good news on CT healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-news-on-ct-healthcare-costs/) - New data from researchers at the University of Washington on state per person healthcare spending finds that between 2013 and 2019, Connecticut’s costs grew at the ninth lowest level among states. We dropped from seventh highest in the US in 2014 to eleventh in 2019. Our growth rate was lower than nearby comparator states and
- [ACA and covering the uninsured: How did CT do?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aca-and-covering-the-uninsured-how-did-ct-do/) - An analysis of new Census data finds that 88,000 more CT residents had coverage last year than the year before, largely due to expansions under the Affordable Care Act. CT’s uninsured rate dropped from 9.4% in 2013 to 6.9% last year. However that drop was less than the US average and far less than other
- [Another gift from COVID - CT life expectancy dropped 1.9 years in 2020](https://cthealthpolicy.org/another-gift-from-covid-ct-life-expectancy-dropped-1-9-years-in-2020/) - In 2020, Connecticut life expectancy at birth dropped to 78.4 years, down 1.9 years from 2019, according to a new CDC report. Life expectancy dropped in all states. Any drop is awful, but Connecticut’s metric is still tenth best in the nation, behind Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. New York had the largest drop in
- [CTNJ Analysis: Another CT healthcare story of wasted money and missed opportunities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-another-ct-healthcare-story-of-wasted-money-and-missed-opportunities/) - An excellent investigative piece by C-HIT published Tuesday found that the state Office of Health Strategy has squandered $20 million in federal funds and delayed for years a key health improvement system that could be protecting our health today. The C-HIT investigation took the better part of a year, encountered serious roadblocks from OHS, and
- [CT is 24th in public health funding](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-is-23rd-in-public-health-funding/) - Connecticut has a chronic problem with underfunding public health. We aren’t alone, but we’ve done little to fix the problem. The pandemic should’ve made crystal clear the value of a strong public health surveillance and response system. Like all prevention, we have to fund it before we need it. In 2021, Connecticut ranked 24th in
- [Again, no CT hospitals on US News Honor Roll](https://cthealthpolicy.org/again-no-ct-hospitals-on-us-news-honor-roll/) - None of Connecticut’s hospitals earned a spot on US News Best Hospitals list this year, as in 2018 and 2011. New York had three hospitals in the top 20 Honor Roll and one Massachusetts hospital made the list. This echoes the Lown Institute’s hospital rankings this year for social responsibility. US News ranked Yale-New Haven
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Insurers' explanations for extreme rate increases don't make sense](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-insurers-explanations-for-extreme-rate-increases-dont-make-sense/) - Connecticut’s health insurers are asking state regulators to let them increase premiums an average of 20.4%, far more than last year’s 8.6% request. Insurers in other states are asking for less than half as much. Connecticut insurers are blaming increased demand for services due to COVID backlogs, that deductibles aren’t keeping up with rising costs,
- [CT NJ Op-Ed: We need better, smarter solutions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-nj-op-ed-we-need-better-smarter-solutions/) - There’s a lot of news about the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion and the latest mass shootings. Efforts to preserve women’s choices and bring sanity to our gun laws are critically important. But we don’t spend as much time finding upstream solutions to prevent problems, so we won’t need a fix. This blindness is very
- [Yale BIPOC disability group seeking  members with lived experience](https://cthealthpolicy.org/yale-bipoc-disability-group-seeking-members-with-lived-experience/) - The Disability Lived Experience Action Network, D-LEAN, is seeking people who identify as BIPOC with disabilities – mental, intellectual, or developmental. D-LEAN is sponsored by the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and funded by the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities. D-LEAN is looking for leaders or emerging leaders. Members will learn about the
- [CT next to last for at-risk youth, in a good way](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-next-to-last-for-at-risk-youth-in-a-good-way/) - Nationally 12.6% of Americans ages 16 to 24 are at-risk compared to 9.7% of Connecticut youth. Connecticut does better than all states but Massachusetts in protecting our youth from harmful conditions such as poor health, neither working nor in school, or drug use. WalletHub compared youth between states on 16 measures of risk including homelessness,
- [Covered CT opens no-cost health insurance coverage to adults](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covered-ct-opens-no-cost-health-insurance-coverage-to-adults/) - Friday, the state expanded zero-cost health insurance coverage to include childless adults through the Covered Connecticut program. The program covered parents and child caregivers starting last year, but now any Connecticut adult with qualifying income can enroll in zero-cost health insurance through Access Health CT. The state expects 40,000 people to qualify for the expanded
- [Book Club -- Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-noise-a-flaw-in-human-judgement/) - Noise – A Flaw in Human Judgement by Daniel Kahneman, Oliver Sibony, and Cass Sunstein, is long, so it sat on my bookshelf for awhile. But it’s worth the time. Noise is the variation in judgements that shouldn’t vary. Judges should give similar sentences in similar cases, underwriters should find the same expected risks from
- [CT hospitals losing ground on social responsibility](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospitals-losing-ground-on-social-responsibility/) - Eight Connecticut hospitals received A grades this year for social responsibility from the Lown Institute, down from twelve last year. No Connecticut hospitals were in Lown’s or US News’ top 20 hospitals in the US. Griffin Hospital ranked #157 in Lown’s composite ranking this year among 3606 US hospitals, the best in Connecticut. Last year
- [CT ranks 3rd in health system performance, but there's lots of work to do](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-3rd-in-health-system-performance-but-theres-lots-of-work-to-do/) - Connecticut’s health system performance is the third best in the nation, according to the latest Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard. COVID strongly influenced state’s performance; Connecticut ranked tenth among states on seven measures including COVID mortality, health system stress, and vaccination rates. There is a lot of room for improvement in Connecticut’s health system. Sadly, Connecticut
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Advice from an advocate for the next OHS Director](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-advice-from-an-advocate-for-the-next-ohs-director/) - Op-Ed: Advice from an advocate for the next OHS Director This week the Lamont administration announced that Vicki Veltri will be leaving state service in a few weeks. She will be missed. Director of the Office of Health Strategy is a tough job. The cost of healthcare is straining every budget in the state, including
- [Cost Cap finds drugs driving up healthcare spending, but we knew that, and their numbers are misleading](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-finds-drugs-driving-up-healthcare-spending-but-we-knew-that-and-their-numbers-are-misleading/) - The latest analysis by Mathematica for the Office of Health Strategy’s plan to cap healthcare costs used a small slice of a small slice of Connecticut’s drug spending. We already knew, from other sources, that drug spending is a main driver of rising healthcare costs in Connecticut and the problem is skyrocketing prices. OHS’s analysis
- [More doctors are moving to corporate and hospital employment, jacking up prices & new WI lawsuit](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-doctors-are-moving-to-corporate-and-hospital-employment-jacking-up-prices/) - Movement of physicians from independent practice to hospital and corporate employment accelerated during COVID. By January 1st of this year, 74% of physicians in the Northeast were employed by hospitals or corporations according to a report by Avalere Health for the Physicians Advocacy Institute. Half (52%) of Northeastern physicians work for hospitals and 22% for
- [How CT can save $162 million in healthcare waste](https://cthealthpolicy.org/how-ct-can-save-162-million-in-healthcare-waste/) - An analysis of Connecticut’s commercial insurance markets finds we spent $9.45 per person per month on wasteful low-value care in 2019, according to a new report by VBID Health. Of the $162 million total, $24.5 million was from patient out-of-pocket costs. Low-value care provides no or minimal benefit to patients and is an important driver
- [Most CT physicians take Medicare patients, but less than US average; implications for payment reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/most-ct-physicians-take-medicare-patients-but-less-than-us-average-implications-for-payment-reform/) - At 84%, the large majority of physicians in Connecticut take new Medicare patients according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, while 91% take new privately insured patients. The US averages are 89% for Medicare and 91% for privately insured new patients. The analysis was of non-pediatric, office-based physicians in 2015 and 2017.
- [CTNJ Op-Ed -- Policymakers did little to lower healthcare costs this session](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-policymakers-did-little-to-lower-healthcare-costs-this-session/) - Healthcare costs featured prominently in CT News Junkie’s 2020 candidates’ survey. It’s very likely that candidates will hear the same concerns from voters again this year. Last year, policymakers accomplished little, and healthcare costs haven’t gotten any better since then. Incumbents will be asked what they did this year to provide some relief. Unfortunately, they
- [Book Club: Think Again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-think-again/) - You have to read Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant. We all think our minds are open, but we’re wrong. Intelligence is nice, but the critical skills are rethinking, relearning, and the courage to dump baggage. The Dunning-Kruger effect is real – the people with the most confidence
- [CT hospital ownership change rate among highest in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-ownership-change-rate-among-highest-in-us/) - Over 10% of hospitals in Connecticut changed ownership between 2016 and 2021, according to a federal report using new CMS data. Connecticut and just three other states had hospital ownership change rates over 10%. Most states had rates of 4% or less. Understanding hospital ownership changes and rates of change to identify consolidation in healthcare
- [DSS's new patient survey has little to say](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dsss-new-patient-survey-has-little-to-say/) - DSS’s consultants reported on the results from their new patient experience/satisfaction survey for PCMH Plus members at this month’s MAPOC Care Management Committee meeting. The survey is important as the experimental PCMH Plus payment model risks inappropriately denying needed care and cherry-picking more lucrative patients. The main result, revealed in answer to a question, is
- [Good News -- Senate passed SB-416 to lower healthcare prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-news-senate-passed-sb-416-to-lower-healthcare-prices/) - On Wednesday, the Senate voted 29 to 4 to pass SB-416, An Act Promoting Competition in Contracts Between Health Carriers and Health Providers, without amendments. The bill passed out of the insurance committee unanimously and received overwhelmingly positive feedback in the public hearing. Two lawsuits have been filed against Hartford Healthcare for anti-competitive conduct, driving up
- [Book Club: The Long Fix](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-long-fix/) - I’ve been avoiding reading The Long Fix: Solving America’s Health Crisis with Strategies that Work for Everyone by Vivian Lee. But this semester, one of my students asked if she could read it for her Book Review assignment. I couldn’t really refuse, so I had to read it too. The author, a physician and healthcare
- [CTNJ: Fact Check Shows That Raising Primary Care Spending Doesn't Lower Total Healthcare Costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-fact-check-shows-that-raising-primary-care-spending-doesnt-lower-total-healthcare-costs/) - The Office of Health Strategy and their consultants have asserted that it is critical to double spending on primary care in Connecticut to lower skyrocketing total healthcare costs. It’s very appealing to think that increasing investments in prevention and care management will reduce total costs. It avoids the difficult work of getting large health systems
- [Why is healthcare like this?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/why-is-healthcare-like-this/) - Healthcare is complicated. It often doesn’t make sense – to consumers, patients, students, policymakers, providers, administrators, and everyone else. The lack of understanding has discouraged people from engaging and slowed progress toward real reform. We’ve heard from people across the continuum that there is no place to find balanced, comprehensive answers that is understandable and
- [COVID's lessons -- and what we can do about them](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covids-lessons-and-what-we-can-do-about-them/) - COVID exposed Connecticut’s underlying health disparities to new audiences, receiving a lot of public attention. But what have we learned? A new report from the CT Health Foundation looks at what went wrong, what went right, and what we can build on to fix this long-standing problem. Going back to the old-normal of inequities isn’t
- [Testimony: Consolidation's harms to stressed healthcare workers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/testimony-consolidations-harms-to-stressed-healthcare-workers/) - From Haley Magnetta, fellow at CT Health Policy Project, written testimony in support of SB-417, An Act Promoting Competition in Contracts Between Health Carriers and Health Care Providers I am testifying as a clinically practicing Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (PA). As a provider who has worked in hospitals that have been consolidated, I want to
- [Legislators hear diverse voices favoring competition to control healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/legislators-hear-diverse-voices-favoring-competition-to-control-healthcare-costs/) - Update 3/22/2022 -- SB-416 passed the Insurance and Real Estate Committee unanimously. Twenty-one organizations and state residents testified in favor of SB-416 in Thursday’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee public hearing. Just three testified against. SB-416 would level the playing field in Connecticut’s healthcare market by prohibiting anti-competitive contract clauses used by large health systems
- [Fact Check: Does OHS's Primary Care Roadmap include capitation? Yes, 31 times](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fact-check-does-ohss-primary-care-roadmap-include-capitation-yes-31-times/) - In the Insurance Committee’s March 1st public hearing on HB-5042, advocates stated that the Office of Health Strategy’s Primary Care Roadmap plan, authorized in the bill, includes capitation as the payment model. Primary care capitation has failed in Medicare despite significant investment and multiple trials. Advocates are concerned that, if implemented, the Roadmap would divert
- [Testimony supporting Governor's drug price cap and opposing OHS primary care plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/testimony-supporting-governors-drug-price-cap-and-opposing-ohs-primary-care-plan/) - The Insurance and Real Estate Committee is hearing today the Governor’s healthcare bills. Areas of disagreement include a proposal to limit how much drug prices can rise and the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) plans to cap the growth of overall healthcare spending while doubling spending on primary care. Among non-state agencies, fifteen people and
- [Insurance committee to hear bill to mitigate consolidation and lower healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/insurance-committee-to-hear-bill-to-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. Next Thursday, March 14th, the insurance committee will hold a public hearing on SB-416, An Act Promoting Competition in Contracts Between Health Carriers and Health Care
- [New tool finds all CT health systems' commercial prices are far higher than needed to cover expenses](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-tool-finds-all-ct-health-systems-commercial-prices-are-far-higher-than-needed-to-cover-expenses/) - According to a new tool, Connecticut hospitals would have needed commercial rates equal to 135% of Medicare levels in 2020 to cover their expenses, much higher than the US average of 114%. However, every health system in Connecticut charged well above that level, far more than needed to cover expenses. The National Academy for State
- [CTNJ op-ed: Children deserve healthcare, regardless of immigration status](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-children-deserve-healthcare-regardless-of-immigration-status/) - Last year, Connecticut policymakers made the smart and moral decision to provide HUSKY coverage to children from low-income families through age eight, regardless of immigration status, starting next year. It’s the right thing to do. It makes sense for the children and their families, as well as the rest of us. It’s a good start,
- [Policy options to control healthcare prices and protect from private equity](https://cthealthpolicy.org/policy-options-to-control-healthcare-prices-and-protect-from-private-equity/) - Healthcare service prices are the main driver of Connecticut’s rising health insurance premiums. The consolidation of hospitals and providers into large health systems has stifled competition, allowing prices to rise unchecked. Other states have taken action to protect competition in consolidated markets and it’s working. Connecticut needs to act. Private equity funds are buying critical
- [CTNJ op-ed: Class action against Hartford Healthcare changes the landscape](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-class-action-against-hartford-healthcare-changes-the-landscape/) - A new lawsuit filed last week alleges that Hartford Healthcare is manipulating the healthcare market to drive out competition and raise prices for their services, despite their lower quality. The class action suit, brought by six brave Connecticut residents, highlights the harm done to all of us. Ultimately, consumers pay all the bills through our
- [25 Advocacy organizations urge legislative leaders to drop OHS Primary Care Roadmap](https://cthealthpolicy.org/25-advocacy-organizations-urge-legislative-leaders-to-drop-ohs-primary-care-roadmap/) - Download the letter On Tuesday, twenty-five independent advocacy organizations, including the CT Health Policy Project, sent a letter to Connecticut legislative leaders voicing concerns with the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS’s) controversial “Roadmap for Strengthening and Sustaining Primary Care”. Advocates are concerned that the Roadmap diverts $3.9 billion/year when fully implemented in 2025 away from
- [CTNJ op-ed: Governor's plan to lower healthcare costs -- what's in and what's missing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-governors-plan-to-lower-healthcare-costs-whats-in-and-whats-missing/) - It’s an election year and voters want relief with healthcare costs and insurance premiums. Governor Lamont has proposed a slate of bills to address the problem. He has a good proposal to limit drug price increases, an unnecessary proposal to draft yet another report on what’s driving up costs, and a bad one to divert
- [Analysis: CT hospital finances during COVID's first year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-ct-hospital-finances-during-covids-first-year/) - Download the report Download the extracted data In 2020, Connecticut hospitals’ revenues exceeded expenses by 2.61% or $325 million. Hospitals averaged 1.9% of expenses in uncompensated care, less than the US average. Top hospital executives averaged $2.6 million in total compensation. Hospitals paid $1.3 billion in fees to corporate parent health systems. Large health systems
- [CTNJ Op-ED: How much do CT hospitals spend on administration? No one knows](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-how-much-do-ct-hospitals-spend-on-administration-no-one-knows/) - There’s a growing consensus that hospital prices are the main driver of rising healthcare costs and insurance premiums in Connecticut. The research lays the blame on consolidation in the market. Read more
- [Book Club: The Premonition -- A Pandemic Story](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-premonition-a-pandemic-story/) - Michael Lewis’s latest book, The Premonition – A Pandemic Story, dives deep into an untold story of how COVID crept up on the US healthcare system, particularly the state and federal agencies that were supposed to be watching and to know what to do. It’s a story of bureaucrats playing it safe while sacrificing our
- [New advocacy videos from CT-N](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-advocacy-videos-from-ct-n/) - CT-N, Connecticut’s Network, has produced ADVOCACY: Turning the Gears of Democracy -- short, easy-to-understand videos on how to advocate effectively. The four videos cover what advocacy is and why it is so important, your right to advocate, effective strategies and how to engage the media to amplify your voice. The videos are exceptional tools for
- [Auto crash deaths up 17.1% last year, and not because 2020 traffic was down](https://cthealthpolicy.org/auto-crash-deaths-up-17-1-last-year-and-not-because-2020-traffic-was-down/) - The latest stats on Connecticut auto crashes finds that in the first nine months of 2021 there were 253 deaths compared to 216 in 2020, an increase of 17.1%. Nationally deaths from car crashes in 2021’s first nine months were 31,720, up 12% from those months in 2020. But it’s not because deaths were down
- [Yale Policy Institute report on CT's local public health infrastructure and systems](https://cthealthpolicy.org/yale-policy-institute-report-on-cts-local-public-health-infrastructure-and-systems/) - COVID crystalized the importance of a strong local public health system across our state and the nation. In their latest report, student researchers from the Public Health Center of the Yale Policy Institute assessed Connecticut’s local public health system in the context of the COVID pandemic using Public Health 3.0, the latest national standards. The
- [Book Club -- How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter about Visual Information](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-how-charts-lie-getting-smarter-about-visual-information/) - Data visualization is trendy for a reason. How Charts Lie by Alberto Cairo describes how well-designed charts and graphs can help make numbers clear, especially as competition for readers’ attention grows. But badly designed charts can confuse or even lie to the reader. Healthcare is more confusing than most areas so deceptive charts are more
- [CTNJ OP-ED | Connecticut’s Healthcare Market Regulation is Broken](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-connecticuts-healthcare-market-regulation-is-broken/) - Connecticut’s healthcare markets are consolidating at a serious clip and it’s endangering access to care and driving up healthcare prices that make care unaffordable. Unfortunately, the state agency that is supposed to keep Connecticut’s healthcare market competitive isn’t acting. They have the tools – Connecticut has among the most protective laws in the nation. But
- [New Cost Cap industry-driven committee gets going](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-cost-cap-industry-driven-committee-gets-going/) - Members of the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) latest committee to drive down the growth in Connecticut’s healthcare spending moved past their initial reluctance to engage in their November and December meetings. OHS expects the provider and insurer-dominated committee to agree on ways to reduce their own costs/profits. Hopefully, they do not also use the
- [FAQs on OHS’s Primary Care Roadmap](https://cthealthpolicy.org/faqs-on-ohss-primary-care-roadmap/) - Download the FAQs here Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy has developed a Primary Care Roadmap to support primary care in Connecticut. OHS is accepting public comment on the draft Roadmap until the close of business Friday, January 14th. To send comments, email Tina.Hyde@ct.gov and put “Primary Care Roadmap” in the subject line. You should get
- [Guest Blog: Why Advocacy Tools Matter by Haley Magnetta](https://cthealthpolicy.org/guest-blog-why-advocacy-tools-matter-by-haley-magnetta/) - You want to make a difference, but advocacy can be confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming. We can help. Sign up for Today’s Advocacy Tool – a month of inspiration, tips, and practical tools starting January 10. As a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I could not help but notice many areas where
- [Public comment concerns with CT’s primary care plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-comment-concerns-with-cts-primary-care-plan/) - Read the public comments Public comment concerns with CT’s primary care plan Today, the CT Health Policy Project submitted public comments with serious concerns about the Office of Health Strategy’s plans to overhaul primary care across the state. The Project has worked for decades to improve access to high quality, affordable care for every Connecticut
- [Response to OHS primary care capitation defense](https://cthealthpolicy.org/response-to-ohs-primary-care-capitation-defense/) - Today, the CT Health Policy Project responded to a letter from the Office of Health Strategy regarding concerns from 25 independent consumer advocates, providers, and organizations. OHS’s response to our offer to work together to improve the health of every Connecticut resident is very welcome. In that spirit, the letter clarifies a few misunderstandings of
- [Book Club -- You Have More Influence Than You Think](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-you-have-more-influence-than-you-think/) - By Vanessa Bohns I want to send every advocate a copy of this book. You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate our Power of Persuasion, and Why it Matters uses research to make the counter-intuitive case that people are hearing us, even if they don’t seem to be. Well-documented, including much of
- [Sign up for daily tips on the Art and Craft of Advocacy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sign-up-for-daily-tips-on-the-art-and-craft-of-advocacy-2/) - You want to make a difference, but advocacy can be confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming. We can help. Sign up for Today’s Advocacy Tool – a month of inspiration, tips, and practical tools. Every weekday for a month, we’ll send an email with insight, best practices, and lessons we’ve learned from the updated CT Health Advocacy
- [Health equity state scorecard finds CT compares well, but needs improvement](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-equity-state-scorecard-finds-ct-compares-well-but-needs-improvement/) - Connecticut ranks fifth best among states on overall health equity according to the Commonwealth Fund’s latest state scorecard, but every state has a lot of room for improvement. While whites in Connecticut scored in the 97th percentile for health system performance nationally, Latinx/Hispanic state residents scored at the 68th percentile, and Blacks in Connecticut scored
- [More physicians joining large health systems across CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-physicians-joining-large-health-systems-across-ct/) - From 2016 to 2018, the number of Connecticut physicians affiliated with large health systems grew in every area of the state, according to a new analysis in Health Affairs. Nationally the percent of physicians in large health systems rose by 11%, and the rate grew in 92% of US metro areas. Growth was fastest in
- [ICER report on fair access to drugs prompts six insurers to change coverage policies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-report-on-fair-access-to-drugs-prompts-six-insurers-to-change-coverage-policies/) - A powerful new scorecard from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) assessing 15 of the largest US formularies for barriers to accessing 28 fairly-priced drugs found generally good policies for clinical standards (96% are fair), step therapy (99%), and prescriber restrictions (100%). However, the report found poor policies for cost sharing tiers (77%)
- [OHS primary care committee sharply critical of agency’s plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-primary-care-committee-sharply-critical-of-agencys-plan/) - In this month’s meeting of the Office of Health Strategy’s Primary Care Subgroup, patient and consumer advocates joined insurers raising very strong concerns about OHS’s plans and capacity to implement the agency’s plan for primary care in Connecticut. OHS plans to double the share of Connecticut’s healthcare spending on primary care while tightly restricting growth
- [CTNJ Op-Ed – The Brainard Fund still making a difference after 64 years](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-the-brainard-fund-still-making-a-difference-after-64-years/) - In 2010, I got a call that advocates only dream about. The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving had a dedicated fund to pay medical bills for Hartford area residents who couldn’t afford them, and they wanted my help directing the money to people most in need. The good news is that the Brainard Fund still
- [Last year unjustified price increases for nine drugs cost US healthcare $1.67 billion, Humira accounted for $1.4 billion](https://cthealthpolicy.org/last-year-unjustified-price-increases-for-nine-drugs-cost-us-healthcare-1-67-billion-humira-accounted-for-1-4-billion/) - According to this year’s report, last year the US health system spent an extra $1.67 billion on price increases for nine drugs that were not supported by clinical evidence. Humira led this year’s list at $1.4 billion, accounting for 84% of US unjustified drug price increases in 2020. Humira aside, the more modest price increases
- [CTNJ op-ed: It’s a miracle -- Under new agreement, Medicare will negotiate drug prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-its-a-miracle-under-new-agreement-medicare-will-negotiate-drug-prices/) - Democrats in Washington have negotiated a deal to allow Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies. Americans pay 2.56 times higher drug prices than residents of other developed countries. It has always been embarrassing that federal law prohibits Medicare drug price negotiation and the FDA can’t consider costs in drug approvals. The US is the
- [Cost Cap primary care project only focusing on raising spending, not services](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-primary-care-project-only-focusing-on-raising-spending-not-services/) - At the October 26th Primary Care Subgroup meeting, in response to questioning by a member, the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) consultants repeatedly confirmed that the goal of the Cost Cap provision on primary care is solely to raise spending, not to increase services. Members raised serious concerns about sending more money into the current
- [New Cost Cap Steering Committee is industry-driven](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-cost-cap-steering-committee-is-industry-driven/) - The first meeting of the new Steering Committee to guide the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) plan to cap healthcare cost growth was uncharacteristically quiet. The meeting started with public comment from the Universal Healthcare Foundation of CT that the committee membership is “not balanced”, includes mainly members with “deep vested business interests”, and lacks
- [CT ranks 15th among states in healthcare affordability, but that’s not saying much](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-15th-among-states-in-healthcare-affordability-but-thats-not-saying-much/) - Connecticut has implemented many policies to make healthcare affordable; unfortunately, they aren’t working. According to Altarum’s new Healthcare Affordability State Policy Scorecard, Connecticut earned 43.1 out of 80 possible points. There is a lot of room for improvement. Altarum ranked states on adoption of policies that can impact affordability and on outcomes, whether care is
- [CT Healthcare employment is slowly rebounding, except for nursing homes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-employment-is-slowly-rebounding-except-for-nursing-homes/) - Download the report Like other Connecticut workers, healthcare employment was hit hard by the pandemic in March 2020, according to data from the CT Department of Labor. Since then, hospital employment has partially rebounded but not in nursing and residential facilities. At its start, the COVID pandemic sharply increased demand in a few healthcare sectors
- [Sign on letter voices deep concerns with primary care capitation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sign-on-letter-voices-deep-concerns-with-primary-care-capitation/) - Today twenty-five independent advocates and providers signed a letter to the Office of Health Strategy opposing capitation of primary care services across Connecticut. The letter shares serious concerns with the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) plan to shift all primary care in Connecticut to a capitated payment model. The current concerns echo advocates’ and legislators’
- [CTNJ op-ed: Patient-centered or doctor-centered? Primary care planning is off track](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-patient-centered-or-doctor-centered-primary-care-planning-is-off-track/) - Several state agencies and their committees are planning to expand primary care in Connecticut – that’s a good thing. But it’s being driven by primary care doctors and their needs rather than patients. Read more
- [Book Club - In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-in-defense-of-troublemakers-the-power-of-dissent-in-life-and-business/) - I’ll admit I bought In Defense of Troublemakers to find validation for advocates. Our job is to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” But the book goes much farther. It makes the case that dissent is critical to good decision-making. Our society values consensus – it makes people happy and gets to decisions far
- [Connecticut hospital systems vary in reducing low-value care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-hospital-systems-vary-in-reducing-low-value-care/) - A new report published in JAMA Internal Medicine on low-value care provided to Medicare beneficiaries at the health system level offers actionable tools to improve effective care on the ground. Healthcare services that provide little or no health benefit, may harm patients, increase costs, and waste resources are low-value. Examples include prostate specific antigen testing
- [Only one CT hospital makes social responsibility honor roll](https://cthealthpolicy.org/only-one-ct-hospital-makes-social-responsibility-honor-roll/) - Among Connecticut hospitals, only William Backus received A’s on health equity, the value of care, and health outcomes, according to the latest Lown Institute Hospital Social Responsibility Index. Backus ranked #71 among US hospitals overall. The Index scores over 3,000 US hospitals on their performance in responsibility to their community. Seventy-five US hospitals, including Backus,
- [CTNJ: OP-ED | Legislators Hear How RI Saved 2 Hospitals From Private Equity, Other Solutions to High Insurance Premiums](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-legislators-hear-how-ri-saved-2-hospitals-from-private-equity-other-solutions-to-high-insurance-premiums/) - On Friday, in a forum sponsored by state Rep. Kerry Wood, six national and local experts gave legislators specific policy tools to help with health care market consolidation and rising drug prices that are driving up health insurance premiums. Legislators also got specific tools used by Rhode Island to avoid private equity abuses experienced in
- [Legislative forum on drivers of rising health costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/legislative-forum-on-drivers-of-rising-health-costs/) - Connecticut legislators will hear from experts on the drivers of rising health insurance premiums and options to control costs next Friday, September 24th at noon. The forum -- Consolidation, Private Equity, and Drug Prices in Health Care Costs -- is sponsored by Rep. Kerry Wood, Co-Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. The forum
- [CT residents over twice as likely to die of opioid or other drug poisoning than from alcohol](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-residents-over-twice-as-likely-to-die-of-opioid-or-other-drug-poisoning-than-from-alcohol/) - Connecticut ranked 17th lowest among states in alcohol-related deaths per capita, but seventh highest in opioid-related deaths in 2019, based on an analysis of data from SHADAC’s State Health Access Data Assistance Center. That year, Connecticut residents were 245% more likely to die from an opioid or other drug poisoning than from alcohol. (Opioid or
- [CTNJ: Covered Connecticut is a good start, but needs tending](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-covered-connecticut-is-a-good-start-but-needs-tending/) - Policymakers were challenged this year to find an answer to voters’ demands for affordable healthcare coverage options. Both leading legislative proposals, a public health insurance option and restoring previous cuts to HUSKY parent coverage, had drawbacks and neither passed. The administration, together with the insurance industry, developed an alternative behind closed doors that did pass.
- [Covered Connecticut – Origins, Goals, Opportunities, and Concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covered-connecticut-origins-goals-opportunities-and-concerns/) - Read the brief Covered Connecticut is a new program to cover uninsured state residents with no-cost health insurance coverage through Access Health CT, Connecticut’s health insurance exchange. The program leverages federal subsidies, some of which are temporary, and an anticipated Medicaid waiver to offer state residents combined with state funds. Some services, missing from exchange
- [CTNJ OP-ED | Congress Wants to Lower Drug Prices to Fund Important Priorities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-congress-wants-to-lower-drug-prices-to-fund-important-priorities/) - Economists argue that rising healthcare costs crowd out resources for other societal priorities such as education, infrastructure, climate change, and housing. It makes sense in theory but, until lately, it seemed a bit abstract. But right now, Congress and the administration are making the point in very real terms. Policymakers want to make big investments
- [Room for improvement on CT health risks](https://cthealthpolicy.org/room-for-improvement-on-ct-health-risks/) - Download the report Connecticut adults’ health risks are largely similar to the US average, but that’s not great news. According to the latest CDC survey of American adults, Connecticut ranked better than other Americans on most health risks in 2019. In most cases, we are only slightly healthier. We did exceed the US average in
- [New healthy aging data report finds CT growing older in every community](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-healthy-aging-data-report-finds-ct-growing-older-in-every-community/) - Connecticut is the 7th oldest state in the country, according to a new analysis by UConn Boston and Tufts Health Plan Foundation, with 23% of state residents over age 60. The challenges of aging are not evenly spread across the state. Visit the site to see how seniors in your town/city compare to the state
- [Advocacy Toolbox Addition -- Social media for advocates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocacy-toolbox-addition-social-media-for-advocates/) - Social media has become an important tool for advocates. It can be a powerful way to connect with other people advocating on your issue and with elected officials. But it can be overwhelming, and a bit scary. We’ve added a new page to the CT Health Advocacy ToolBox distilling best practices for busy advocates to
- [CTNJ: Insulin – Once a Gift, Now Serving Greed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-insulin-once-a-gift-now-serving-greed/) - Today is the hundredth anniversary of the discovery of insulin. Diabetes affects about 367,000 adults in Connecticut and that number is rising. Before the 1920s, a diabetes diagnosis was a death sentence. The discovery of insulin allowed people with diabetes to live their lives. Until the 1970s insulin was affordable, but it’s now so costly
- [CT remains behind surrounding states in public health support](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-remains-behind-surrounding-states-in-public-health-support/) - According to a new analysis by SHADAC, Connecticut remains behind our neighboring states in per person spending on public health. The pandemic has spotlighted the critical roles of public health including emergency preparedness, disease prevention, population health monitoring, and health promotion. Public health has been responsible for most of the increases in life expectancy in
- [CTNJ: CT needs to focus on real health reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-ct-needs-to-focus-on-real-health-reform/) - Connecticut insurance premiums were the sixth highest among states for both individual and family coverage in 2019. Making healthcare more affordable was the drumbeat from voters last year. But CT policymakers have responded with weak options that kick the can down the road. Controlling the drivers of health costs is advanced placement politics. Powerful industries
- [Book Club: Medical Apartheid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-medical-apartheid/) - Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present is very difficult to read. I stopped and re-started several times. You may know something about the Tuskegee syphilis project, but the wanton use and abuse of Black Americans as medical subjects goes much farther and continues into
- [OHS committee considering dumbing down successful PCMH standards](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-committee-considering-dumbing-down-successful-pcmh-standards/) - Among other troubling plans, the Office of Health Strategy’s Primary Care Subgroup is considering four options to certify high-performing primary care practices for higher levels of reimbursement. The committee is deciding how to double spending on primary care while simultaneously capping healthcare cost growth. At their meeting this week, the committee of mainly primary care
- [Very helpful data Roadmap to promote health equity in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/very-helpful-data-roadmap-to-promote-health-equity-in-ct/) - While residents of Connecticut’s minority communities face significant disparities in health outcomes compared to white state residents, there has been no consistency or standardization of Race, Ethnicity and Language (REL) data collection. A new state law requires, among other things, that providers and state entities collect REL data using standard categories. A new report from
- [OP-ED | Controversial New Alzheimer’s Drug Could Break the Bank](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-controversial-new-alzheimers-drug-could-break-the-bank/) - 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.
- [CT physician earns Shkreli award overcharging for COVID tests](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-physician-earns-shkreli-award-overcharging-for-covid-tests/) - Dr. Steven Murphy, a Greenwich internist, has earned a 2020 Shkreli Award from the Lown Institute. Dr. Murphy earned the award for overcharging at several town COVID testing sites he ran for several towns including New Haven. He overcharged thousands for “super Covid tests” and other unnecessary tests. He charged $480 for a 30-second phone
- [New Medicaid homelessness prevention program shows promise](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-medicaid-homelessness-prevention-program-shows-promise/) - Starting August 1st, Medicaid members at risk of homelessness will have access to housing support services and subsidies through the new CHESS program. The program is designed to address upstream problems to prevent future problems and improve overall health. Described at today’s MAPOC meeting, the plan expects to serve about 850 Medicaid members with care
- [BOOK CLUB -- The Right Price: A Value-Based Prescription for Drug Costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-right-price-a-value-based-prescription-for-drug-costs/) - 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?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-who-in-health-care-made-money-on-covid/) - 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
- [CT ‘deaths of despair’ high and rising faster than other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-deaths-of-despair-high-and-rising-faster-than-other-states/) - In 2019 per capita, Connecticut had 19% more deaths due to alcohol, drugs or suicide and these deaths of despair increased over four times faster than the US average, according to a new report from the Trust for America’s Health. Connecticut’s rates of drug-induced deaths were largely responsible at 58% higher than the US average.
- [CT’s well-being is improving, even during the pandemic](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cts-well-being-is-improving-even-during-the-pandemic/) - Connecticut ranked seventh among states in overall health and well-being last year, according to the latest Community Well-Being Index from the BU School of Public Health. According to the Index, “well-being is about the interaction between physical health, finding your daily work and experiences fulfilling, having strong social relationships and access to the resources you
- [NPR’s Frontline features Waterbury Hospital and private equity impact on hospitals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nprs-frontline-features-waterbury-hospital-and-private-equity-impact-on-hospitals/) - The latest NPR/Frontline investigation focuses on very unequal resources at US hospitals due to market forces and unequal government support. The second half of the documentary focuses on the impact of private equity buying safety net hospitals, which has doubled in the last decade. An expert describes how private equity firms purchase under-valued hospitals, cut
- [Public comment opposing sales of medical records to fund HIE](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-comment-opposing-sales-of-medical-records-to-fund-hie/) - Read the full comments and the March 2020 letter from 22 advocates with concerns Today the CT Health Policy Project submitted public comment opposing the Office of Health Strategy’s medical record privacy policy proposals. Specifically advocates oppose selling access to Connecticut residents’ medical records through paid subscriptions. In addition to the harm to individuals, this
- [CTNJ:  ANALYSIS | CT’s Health Information Exchange Is Up And Running With 2 Big Problems](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-cts-health-information-exchange-is-up-and-running-with-2-big-problems/) - After 15 years and millions of wasted tax dollars, Connecticut finally has an operational health information exchange (HIE). The system that will hold all our medical information should improve patients’ lives, but the way it’s funded creates serious privacy and mistrust concerns. The Office of Health Strategy (OHS) is now taking public comment on their
- [JAMA highlights CT bill to limit extreme drug price increases](https://cthealthpolicy.org/jama-highlights-ct-bill-to-limit-extreme-drug-price-increases/) - A recent JAMA article highlights bills to reduce drug price increases across states, including Connecticut’s bill. The bills call for clawing back 80% of drug price increases over inflation plus 2% -- a healthy profit that many industries would happily welcome. Other states also considering bills include Massachusetts, Maine, Washington, and Hawaii; more are expected
- [CTNJ: OP-ED | Drug Affordability Requires Limits On Price Gouging](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-drug-affordability-requires-limits-on-price-gouging/) - Jay Gironimi has cystic fibrosis and he is grateful for the drugs that help him live. But he disagrees with the Epilepsy Foundation’s opinion piece that defends extreme drug price hikes. “While the drugs are saving lives today, the profit margins are slowly tanking the entire US healthcare system.” Read more
- [CT hospitals rank 15th among states in avoiding low value care, worst in New England](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospitals-rank-15th-among-states-in-avoiding-low-value-care-worst-in-new-england/) - Every 80 seconds a US hospital provides a low value test or procedures to an older adult, putting hundreds of thousands of people’s health at risk, according to the latest Lown Institute Hospitals Index. Only one hospital from US News’ honor roll was in this top 100 for avoiding inappropriate tests and procedures. Hospital scores
- [CT hospital quality improves in new CMS star ratings](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-quality-improves-in-new-cms-star-ratings/) - Download the report Connecticut hospitals improved their overall quality performance this year, according to Medicare.gov Compare’s 2021 update. Connecticut hospitals averaged 3.0 stars out of five last year, moving to 3.5 in this year’s ranking. While 3.5 stars is still too low, especially given the cost of healthcare in Connecticut, things are moving in a
- [New Brief: Patient-centered medical homes are working in CT, but standards are at risk](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-brief-patient-centered-medical-homes-are-working-in-ct-but-standards-are-at-risk/) - Patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) are working well in CT. There is growing national and state evidence that certified PCMHs improve health care access and outcomes while controlling costs. PCMHs are a new way of delivering health care that uses a team of providers to coordinate care and help people keep themselves healthy. CT’s Medicaid program
- [CT ozone pollution among worst in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ozone-pollution-among-worst-in-us/) - Fairfield is the 19th most ozone polluted US county for 2017-2019 according to the American Lung Association’s latest report on the nation’s air quality. All but two Connecticut counties earned an F for the number of high ozone days. High ozone levels cause inflammation in the lungs, decreased lung function, and susceptibility to respiratory infections
- [OP-ED | When Data Becomes An Excuse To Prevent Change](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-when-data-becomes-an-excuse-to-prevent-change/) - Data is important. The drumbeat for data-driven policymaking in health care isn’t wrong. Policy decisions that aren’t informed by independent, valid analysis can cause more harm than good. But it’s important to know when we have enough data so we can get to work. Read more
- [Response: Lobbyist uses seniors and people with disabilities to protect drug company profits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/response-lobbyist-uses-seniors-and-people-with-disabilities-to-protect-drug-company-profits/) - Reading William Smith’s CT Mirror opinion, I was worried that my state had passed draconian laws that were harming the health of seniors and people with disabilities. Thankfully, that isn’t the case. Our anti-discrimination laws are still in place and functioning. . . . True discrimination against seniors and people with disabilities happens every day
- [Book Club -- Change: How to Make Big Things Happen](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-change-how-to-make-big-things-happen/) - Change: How to Make Big Things Happen by Damon Centola should be required reading for advocates. How do big shifts in behavior or beliefs happen? That’s our job and we’ve been missing the most important tools (unless you are a social network scientist). We’ve learned the lessons of sticky messages and nudges that make better
- [CTNJ Opinion: Remember Public Health’s Value After COVID Is Gone](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-opinion-remember-public-healths-value-after-covid-is-gone/) - The COVID-19 pandemic has focused a bright light on the weakness of the U.S. public health system. Countries with strong public health systems fared much better in controlling the virus’ spread. America used to have a strong public health system. From 1900 to 2000, life expectancy rose by 30 years. Contrary to public opinion, it
- [Governor’s consultant report recommendations for Medicaid savings are baseless](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governors-consultant-report-recommendations-for-medicaid-savings-are-baseless/) - 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
- [HUSKY COVID update – new enrollments lag, lots of money to providers, and telehealth is very popular](https://cthealthpolicy.org/husky-covid-update-new-enrollments-lag-lots-of-money-to-providers-and-telehealth-is-very-popular/) - At Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting, we learned that while new HUSKY applications recovered last fall from its drop last spring, they fell again sharply this January and February. The reasons for the volatility during a serious recession are unclear. DSS focused on how HUSKY has responded to the COVID pandemic. Now covering over a million
- [Opinion: Innovation isn’t helpful if we can’t afford it](https://cthealthpolicy.org/opinion-innovation-isnt-helpful-if-we-cant-afford-it/) - In today’s CT Mirror, Jay Gironimi rebuts an opinion supporting the pharmaceutical industry and explains how extreme drug prices are hurting patients. Jay is supporting the Governor’s bill to tax excessive drug price increases years after the companies have recovered their research costs. Jay has Cystic Fibrosis and needs 10-12 medications daily so he can
- [Some long-term care costs high in CT, but not all](https://cthealthpolicy.org/some-long-term-care-costs-high-in-ct-but-not-all/) - Download the report The latest survey of long term services and supports care costs found Connecticut prices for residential care are among the highest in the US. But in-home care is surprisingly reasonable, close to the US average. Last August, annual costs for Connecticut assisted living and semi-private rooms nursing home rooms were the 5th
- [Connecticut healthcare employment COVID recovery stalls out](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-healthcare-employment-covid-recovery-stalls-out/) - Download the report Like other Connecticut workers, healthcare employment was hit hard by the pandemic in March 2020, according to data from the CT Department of Labor. While the pandemic sharply increased demand in a few healthcare sectors to care for COVID patients, other sectors declined as people and providers delayed non-COVID care. That began
- [CTNJ Op-Ed – Drug Innovation Argument Cuts Both Ways](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-drug-innovation-argument-cuts-both-ways/) - In his recent op-ed, John Burkhardt of Pfizer misses important points when he asserts that the governor’s proposed tax on excessive prescription drug price increases will harm innovation and jobs in Connecticut. He ignores that rising drug prices are making health insurance unaffordable. Overpriced drugs inhibit other innovation and job growth across Connecticut’s economy. He
- [Connecticut individual plans are profitable](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-individual-plans-are-profitable/) - Download the report here Individual coverage in Connecticut, , has been more profitable than most states. From 2011 through 2018, each month $55 of premiums went to profit in Connecticut, the 15th highest profitability among states and above the US average of $47. Individual plans in Massachusetts and New York were far less profitable, while
- [CT ranks 5th among states in Medicaid coverage, 2nd in quality](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-5th-among-states-in-medicaid-coverage-2nd-in-quality/) - COVID has emphasized the importance of a strong, healthy Medicaid program for states. A new analysis by WalletHub ranks Connecticut fifth among states in 2021 Medicaid coverage. Rather than just using the percentage of state residents with Medicaid coverage, the ranking included quality, spending, as well as eligibility and enrollment. We ranked 2nd in quality
- [Cost Cap finds hospital system costs driving healthcare spending, but we knew that](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-finds-hospital-system-costs-driving-healthcare-spending-but-we-knew-that/) - Download the report In a surprise to no one, the first analysis by the Cost Cap project finds that inpatient and outpatient hospital services are a main driver of rising healthcare spending in Connecticut. Hospital and drug costs have been identified in multiple studies as the main drivers of rising health costs in our state.
- [CT life expectancy good news](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-life-expectancy-good-news/) - Connecticut residents can expect to live 1.3 years longer than other Americans, according to a new CDC analysis. Based on age-specific death rates in 2018, well before the pandemic, Connecticut residents lived longer than all but four other states, Hawaii (#1), California, New York, and Minnesota. Connecticut also ranked 5th in life expectancy at birth
- [OP-ED | Making the Public Option Better](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-making-the-public-option-better/) - Commercial health insurance premiums in Connecticut are the sixth highest in the nation and they continue to grow faster than inflation. While we’re making progress, it’s too slow. A public health insurance option to compete with private plans is getting a lot of attention from legislators and it makes sense conceptually. But Connecticut consumers deserve
- [AccessHealthCT report offers roadmap to address disparities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/accesshealthct-report-offers-roadmap-to-address-disparities/) - Access Health CT has published a new, very well-researched description, both quantitative and qualitative, of Connecticut’s health disparities and COVID’s impact. The graphic on page 2 following the lives of two boys, Marcus and Tyler, born on the same day but into very different circumstances, makes the impact tangible. I’ll be using it as a
- [State Partnership Plan losing money but still more expensive than average CT plan options](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-partnership-plan-losing-money-but-still-more-expensive-than-average-ct-plan-options/) - Download the report Connecticut’s most recent public health insurance option, the Partnership Plan 2.0, offers healthcare coverage to municipal employees. According to a new analysis by Brown & Brown Insurance, Partnership Plan premium increases have not kept up with costs. The very impressive analysis is based on Freedom of Information requests; very little information on
- [CTNJ: Real Conversation Would Beget Lower Health Care Costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-real-conversation-would-beget-lower-health-care-costs/) - I recently had an interesting conversation with a lobbyist for the insurance industry. We planned to talk about our narrow legislative issues to find any common ground. Predictably, we disagreed on some key points, but we agreed on a lot more. We agreed that it’s hard to get people across the health care system onto
- [CT 4th best among states in dental health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-4th-best-among-states-in-dental-health/) - An analysis by WalletHub finds that the dental health of Connecticut residents is better than all but three other states (Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota) and the District of Columbia. We rank third on oral health but tenth on dental habits and care, which is confusing but far better than the converse. The analysis compared states
- [CTNJ: If The COVID Vaccine Is Free For Patients, Who Is Paying For It?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-if-the-covid-vaccine-is-free-for-patients-who-is-paying-for-it/) - 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
- [Book Club -- Counting: How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-counting-how-we-use-numbers-to-decide-what-matters/) - I’ve never dog-eared as many pages in a book as Counting: How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters by Deborah Stone. It’s very trendy to be “data-driven” and assert that “science matters” but what gets counted and how it’s defined make all the difference. Numbers and statistics are nice, but only if they represent
- [Governor’s budget includes drug cost control and exchange subsidies, but misses other health priorities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governors-budget-includes-drug-cost-control-and-exchange-subsidies-but-misses-other-health-priorities/) - Released today, the Governor’s budget proposal for the next two fiscal years acknowledges the importance of addressing critical health priorities, especially during a pandemic. The document highlights the state’s public health challenges of funding and implementing COVID testing, treatment, and vaccination all while facing a severe economic slowdown, high unemployment, and increased demand for social
- [CT Medicaid rates squeezed a bit but still higher than other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-rates-squeezed-a-bit-but-still-higher-than-other-states/) - A new comparison published this month in Health Affairs finds that Connecticut Medicaid provider payment rates lost some ground between 2012 and 2019, but they remain higher than the US average and well above most nearby states. Primary care rates are highest relative to other states than other services. From 2012 to 2019, compared to
- [What does the public really think about a public option? Two polls, and we still don’t know](https://cthealthpolicy.org/what-does-the-public-really-think-about-a-public-option-two-polls-and-we-still-dont-know/) - 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%
- [Half of CT hospitals not compliant with new requirement to post negotiated prices for care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/half-of-ct-hospitals-not-compliant-with-new-requirement-to-post-negotiated-prices-for-care/) - Download the report As of January 1st, all US hospitals are required to prominently display on a publicly available website prices privately negotiated with payers for 300 services, under CMS’s Hospital Price Transparency Rule. Hospital “charges” have been available to patients but not the actual prices paid by insurers. CMS requires both a “display of
- [CTNJ: OP-ED | State Should Set Uniform, Public Standards For Rationing Health Care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-state-should-set-uniform-public-standards-for-rationing-health-care/) - Disparities in healthcare are not new in our state, but the pandemic has intensified the unfairness. The aged, people with disabilities, and communities of color have been especially hard hit by the virus and the recession. Unfortunately, a striking example of that increased unfairness is reflected in Connecticut hospitals’ policies for rationing scarce resources during
- [Connecticut Medicaid costs stable but rising physician and clinic spending threaten progress](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-medicaid-costs-stable-but-rising-physician-and-clinic-spending-threaten-progress/) - Download the report Since switching from managed care organizations in 2012 to focus on care management, Connecticut Medicaid spending has stabilized while enrollment has expanded significantly, according to the state’s latest financial report. Medicaid now covers one in four state residents. However, physician and clinic spending increases are eroding early progress in controlling costs. Medicaid
- [CTNJ: Analysis -- Control Prices to Lower Health Insurance Premiums](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-control-prices-to-lower-health-insurance-premiums/) - Connecticut health insurance premiums are the sixth highest in the U.S. While our costs are rising less quickly than other states, that’s cold comfort to Connecticut’s households and employers. This isn’t a new problem and it has not been ignored. The simple fixes haven’t been enough. Read more
- [Unjustified price increases for seven drugs in 2019 cost US healthcare $1.2 billion, CT can remedy this](https://cthealthpolicy.org/unjustified-price-increases-for-seven-drugs-in-2019-cost-us-healthcare-1-2-billion/) - According to a report released today, in 2019 the US health system spent an extra $1.2 billion on price increases for seven drugs that were not supported by clinical evidence. Enbrel led this year’s list costing Americans $403 million extra for an 8.9% net price increase, after accounting for rebates. The Unsupported Price Increase report
- [CT got fewer vaccines than other states, but did far better at getting people vaccinated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-got-fewer-vaccines-than-other-states-but-did-far-better-at-getting-people-vaccinated/) - Download the report here Policymakers and experts have expressed disappointment at the slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. While the vaccines were developed and manufactured at record speeds, getting Americans vaccinated has been slower than expected. The Secretary of Human Services expected to have 20 million Americans vaccinated by the end of 2020. But as
- [Top Stories of 2020](https://cthealthpolicy.org/top-stories-of-2020/) - A year ago, our predictions for 2020 missed all but the recession. COVID has us giving up on predictions, so we’ll just take a look back at our top stories of this year. Advocacy Toolbox now online -- Updates include specific, real world tools for legislative, administrative, and state budget advocacy, how to change public
- [To make health premiums affordable, CT must address input costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/to-make-health-premiums-affordable-ct-must-address-input-costs/) - Download the report here Health benefits in Connecticut are costly and rising faster than inflation. Last year, total employer-sponsored health insurance premiums in Connecticut were the sixth highest among states for both single and family coverage. Connecticut workers paid 7.8% more for single coverage and 4.3% more for family plans than other Americans. Although Connecticut
- [CT housing and economic development training institute now accepting applications](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-housing-and-economic-development-training-institute-now-accepting-applications/) - Housing and health are intimately linked. Housing that is unstable, unsafe, poor quality, and a financial burden all affects the health of residents and communities. As these challenges grow, Connecticut’s housing and economic development workforce is predominantly male, white, and growing older. Professionals in the field are retiring at a faster rate than new entries
- [CTNJ OP-ED | New Health Plan for State Employees Needs Transparency](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-new-health-plan-for-state-employees-needs-transparency/) - The State Comptroller’s Office is undertaking payment reform for the very costly state employee health plan without public accountability or transparency. The controversial plan to pay for health care in bundles and reward high quality providers for the plan’s 250,000 members could be a gamechanger, but it could also fail. The problem is that we
- [Help us build a CT health policy learning hub](https://cthealthpolicy.org/help-us-build-a-ct-health-policy-learning-hub/) - Healthcare is critical to Connecticut’s wellbeing but navigating health policy is complicated and confusing. The Connecticut Health Policy Project is considering a new project for 2021 to foster understanding about health policy in our state. We plan to build on this year’s Advocacy Toolbox but widen to anyone who wants a better understanding of how
- [CT workers’ health benefits cost more, but growing more slowly and take less of our incomes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-workers-health-benefits-cost-more-but-growing-more-slowly-and-take-less-of-our-incomes/) - Download the report While total premiums, deductibles, and the workers’ share of premiums for Connecticut employee health coverage are higher than the US average, they have generally grown less quickly and consume less of our incomes than for other Americans from 2010 to 2019. Connecticut employer health coverage total premiums, employee share of premiums, and
- [ICER seeking members for New England evidence review group](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-seeking-members-for-new-england-evidence-review-group/) - The Institute for Economic and Clinical Review (ICER) is seeking nominations for new members to the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (New England CEPAC). The Council includes leading clinicians, patient and consumer advocates, methodologists, and health economists. The group holds public meetings three to four times per year to discuss evidence reports on
- [State seeking public input on 2025 health improvement plan, they are really listening](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-seeking-public-input-on-2025-health-improvement-plan-they-are-really-listening/) - After months of the Dept. of Public Health has finalized their draft plan to set goals and strategies to improve the health of all Connecticut residents by 2025. The ambitious, detailed plan focuses on access to healthcare, economic stability, healthy food and housing, and community strength and resilience. Metrics include suicide rates, obesity, overdose deaths,
- [Advocacy Tool of the Day archive online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocacy-tool-of-the-day-archive-online/) - The last Advocacy Tool of the Day will be in email boxes on Monday. The Tools provided a roadmap through the updated Advocacy Toolbox. Tools included how to engage policymakers, serving on a policy committee, coalitions, working with reporters, thanking the people that help, and the budget cycle (very important this coming year). If you
- [CTNJ ANALYSIS | On Healthcare, Candidates Focused on Public Option, Medicare For All, Drug Prices](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-on-healthcare-candidates-focused-on-public-option-medicare-for-all-drug-prices/) - This year, Connecticut candidates running for office during a global pandemic and a harsh recession had thoughtful, well-informed answers to CTNewsJunkie‘s tough healthcare questions. One said, “The impact of the pandemic has brought the need for affordable health care into even sharper focus. Many people lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs .
- [Connecticut healthcare employment coming back](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-healthcare-employment-coming-back/) - Download the report Like other Connecticut workers, healthcare employment was hit hard by the pandemic in March, according to data from the CT Department of Labor. While the pandemic sharply increased demand in a few healthcare sectors to care for COVID patients, other sectors declined as people and providers delayed non-COVID care. But that is
- [Cost Cap underservice monitoring plan is very weak, puts people at risk](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-underservice-monitoring-plan-is-very-weak-puts-people-at-risk/) - 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
- [Has MA’s cost cap worked? Should CT copy it?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/has-mas-cost-cap-worked-should-ct-copy-it/) - Download the report The latest reports (here and here) on Massachusetts’s first-in-the-nation cost cap project raise questions about whether it has worked. Since the cap was implemented in 2013, consumer costs are growing faster than overall healthcare, inflation, or incomes. Despite almost eight years under their cost cap, Massachusetts’s out-of-pocket costs and premiums have grown
- [CT Medicaid eligibility and service decisions benefit members but also the state budget](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-eligibility-and-service-decisions-benefit-members-but-also-the-state-budget/) - 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
- [CT suicide prevention planning to save lives](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-suicide-prevention-planning-to-save-lives/) - Like the rest of the nation, deaths by suicide were rising in Connecticut even before the pandemic, according to the State of Connecticut Suicide Prevention Plan for 2020 – 2025. One in three Connecticut residents have reported signs of depressive and/or anxiety disorder during the pandemic. The newly released plan offers data-driven recommendations to prevent
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Labels matter in healthcare, especially the misleading ones](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-labels-matter-in-healthcare-especially-the-misleading-ones/) - 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
- [CT hospital uncompensated care below US average, varies between hospitals, no relation to profits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-uncompensated-care-below-us-average-varies-between-hospitals-no-relation-to-profits/) - Read the report According to the state’s latest report, Connecticut hospitals provided totaled $806 million in uncompensated care last year, up 5.3% from 2018. Uncompensated care is the total of charity care, provided to needy patients that hospitals never expected to be reimbursed, plus bad debt, care provided that patients couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for.
- [Public comments critical of OHS’s Cost Cap plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-comments-critical-of-ohss-cost-cap-plan/) - Several comments submitted on the Office of Health Strategy’s plan to cap healthcare costs during the public comment period raised serious concerns. The concerns echo those raised in previous unanswered letters signed by dozens of advocates. Comments were submitted by CT legal services programs, Gaye Hyre on behalf of the advocate letter writers, and one
- [YNHH and New Haven clinics open primary care center, despite transportation barriers and higher costs for patients and the state](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ynhh-and-new-haven-clinics-open-primary-care-center-despite-transportation-barriers-and-higher-costs-for-patients-and-the-state/) - On Monday, Yale New-Haven Health System with the Fairhaven and Cornell Scott Hill health centers announced the opening of their merged primary care clinic on Long Wharf. YNHH is closing their three neighborhood primary care clinics and moving healthcare for over 25,000 low income patients to the remote site. Community members find the transportation plans
- [CTNJ candidate questionnaire now online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-candidate-questionnaire-now-online/) - Candidates’ answers to CT News Junkie’s questionnaire about policy issues facing Connecticut is now online. Several questions relate to healthcare. Inform your vote by checking out your candidates’ answers. Health questions for candidates: What should Connecticut do to re-tool our public health for COVID-19 and the possibility of future pandemics, while also addressing other chronic
- [Median income CT residents squeezed between rising insurance premiums and inadequate subsidies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/median-income-ct-residents-squeezed-between-rising-insurance-premiums-and-inadequate-subsidies/) - A new CMS analysis finds that between 2015 and 2019, US insurance premiums rose while enrollment in insurance exchanges went down. The report found that 85% of the drop in enrollment was in unsubsidized coverage. People with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level ($51,040 for an individual, $86,880 for a family of three)
- [Americans are getting non-emergency care again, but progress varies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/americans-are-getting-non-emergency-care-again-but-progress-varies/) - In good news, Americans are getting preventive and maintenance care visits, according to an analysis by the Commonwealth Fund. But progress is not even. While visits to dermatologists and for adult primary care are higher than before the pandemic, unfortunately behavioral health care visits and visits for young children have not rebounded. This is particularly
- [Sign up for daily tips on the Art and Craft of Advocacy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sign-up-for-daily-tips-on-the-art-and-craft-of-advocacy/) - You want to make a difference, but advocacy can be confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming. We can help. Sign up for Today’s Advocacy Tool – a month of inspiration, tips, and practical tools. Every weekday in November, we’ll send an email with insight, best practices, and lessons we’ve learned from the updated Health Advocacy Toolbox. You’ll
- [US safe injection sites could save lives and save cities up to $4.35 million each year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/us-safe-injection-sites-could-save-lives-and-save-cities-up-to-4-35-million-each-year/) - Allowing safe sites for injecting opioids in the US would save lives and lower healthcare spending significantly for affected communities, according to ICER’s latest draft evidence report. In 2018, opioid overdoses killed 948 Connecticut residents and there are signals that the rate has risen during the pandemic. Supervised injection facilities (SFIs) are part of a
- [CT ranks 5th among states in providing Long Term Services and Supports](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-5th-among-states-in-providing-long-term-services-and-supports/) - Connecticut is improving Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) for older adults, people with physical disabilities, and their caregivers rising to fifth in performance among states, according to the latest State Scorecard. This is up from 10th, 12th, and 11th in previous reports from 2017, 2014, and 2011. Most states did not move much between report
- [Advocates urge Cost Cap delay for data, safety](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-urge-cost-cap-delay-for-data-safety/) - A group of advocates sent Governor Lamont a letter about the Cost Cap project today raising new, heightened concerns since our May letter. This follows a similar letter sent last week from Connecticut’s three legal services organizations, which also included concerns about Medicaid’s PCMH Plus program. The Cost Cap is a controversial project of the
- [OHS committee considers how to sell the Cost Cap to stakeholders](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-committee-considers-how-to-sell-the-cost-cap-to-stakeholders/) - Last week’s meeting of the Office of Healthcare Strategy’s Cost Cap committee, as they are wrapping up the project design, ended with discussion of how to ensure their project is successful in controlling healthcare costs. Despite developing the Cap during a pandemic, there has been considerable resistance and mistrust of the concept and the process.
- [COVID hit Medicaid hard](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covid-hit-medicaid-hard/) - Medicaid members were about 33% more likely to be diagnosed with COVID than other Connecticut residents, according to CHNCT’s presentation Friday to the Medicaid oversight council. The average age of members with COVID was 52 years but ranged from newborn to 102 years old. Like the rest of the population, COVID hit Medicaid members with
- [Updated Advocacy Toolbox: How to make a difference, where to start, and how to get there](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-advocacy-toolbox-how-to-make-a-difference-where-to-start-and-how-to-get-there/) - Healthcare policymaking in CT can be complex and frustrating. But you’re not alone and there is help. With generous support from the Connecticut Health Foundation, we’ve updated our Health Advocacy Toolbox. The comprehensive site covers legislative, administrative, and state budget advocacy, how to change public opinion, finding and working in coalitions, effective communications, and how
- [Book Club -- The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-the-catalyst-how-to-change-anyones-mind/) - By Jonah Berger There are lots of books on persuasion. Most don’t add much to the last one. But The Catalyst is worth the time. Well-written -- a high-value read. The author builds on newer science to break down how to change minds. Pushing and lecturing rarely work. First, figure out what people think now,
- [Half of Americans concerned about bankruptcy from a health event](https://cthealthpolicy.org/half-of-americans-concerned-about-bankruptcy-from-a-health-event/) - A new Gallup poll from July finds that 50% of Americans were concerned that a health event in their household will result in bankruptcy. That is up from 45% last year. Concern is far higher among non-white than white adults (64% vs. 43%). One in seven American households (15%) has medical debt that they will
- [CT Mirror: The state should lower healthcare costs without risking our health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-mirror-the-state-should-lower-healthcare-costs-without-risking-our-health/) - Opinion from Kathy Flaherty: As Executive Director of the CT Legal Rights Project, an advocate for people with disabilities, and someone who identifies as disabled, I take issue with “Flaws in CT’s healthcare system must be identified to be corrected” describing the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) plan to limit healthcare cost increases. . .
- [Cost cap committee excludes patients’ provider choices from primary care spending increase](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-committee-excludes-patients-provider-choices-from-primary-care-spending-increase/) - On Thursday, the main committee convened by the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) met to continue their work to set a cap on how much healthcare costs can increase and, at the same time, double spending on primary care. At the meeting they codified a narrow definition of primary care provider for purposes of calculating
- [National survey of healthcare executives finds population-based/capitated payment models are rare and aren't growing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/national-survey-of-healthcare-executives-finds-population-based-capitated-payment-models-are-rare-and-arent-growing/) - The latest survey of 500 US healthcare executives by the Numeroff & Associates finds that only 10% of revenue is at financial risk and that rate has not changed in the last three years. In previous surveys executives predicted that they would have a much larger share of revenue at financial risk by now. Just
- [One in three CT residents is anxious and/or depressed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/one-in-three-ct-residents-is-anxious-and-or-depressed/) - The good news is that the rate of Connecticut residents reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder is down some since the end of April, according to a new CDC survey. The bad news is that it’s three times higher than this time last year. The week of April 23rd, when Connecticut was deep into
- [OHS Cost Cap committee retreats on quality, providers driving the delay](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-cost-cap-committee-retreats-on-quality-providers-driving-the-delay/) - The Office of Health Strategy (OHS) rejected concerns been raised by stakeholders and some Cost Cap committee members that the Cost Cap on healthcare spending will be implemented at least a year before reporting on quality performance. Concerns center on the possibility of lowering costs by lowering the quality of care to achieve the ambitious
- [Cost Cap outside input very different depending on perspectives](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-outside-input-very-different-depending-on-perspectives/) - OHS got very different feedback on their Cost Cap project from two outside committees last week. The Healthcare Cabinet, chaired by OHS, was very supportive with one exception. In contrast, members of the Medicaid Oversight Council shared concerns only. In some respects, this reflects the differing experiences with past reforms between Medicaid and commercial plans.
- [Medicaid rolls up 3.9% since February](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-rolls-up-3-9-since-february/) - The number of people getting medical assistance through the state is up by 40,158 or 3.9% from February to last month, according to new numbers from DSS. This was expected as people lose jobs and the employer-sponsored coverage that comes with those jobs. With less income more state residents were expected to qualify for Medicaid.
- [Book Club: Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-deaths-of-despair-and-the-future-of-capitalism/) - By Anne Case and Angus Deaton Reversing a century of progress, life expectancy has fallen for three years in a row but only in the US. Rising rates of suicide, drug overdoses and alcoholism are largely to blame. There were early media reports about the trend, but this detailed yet readable book goes much farther.
- [Cost Cap committee considers who qualifies for increased primary care spending](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-cap-committee-considers-who-qualifies-for-increased-primary-care-spending/) - In response to stakeholder feedback that the prior Cost Cap levels were unrealistic and risk unintended harm to patients, at their last meeting the Office of Health Strategy’s Cost Cap committee slightly softened the cap levels. The committee continued their discussion of which providers qualify as primary care providers. OHS wants to significantly increase the
- [Update: OHS committee slightly eases unrealistic cap for CT healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/update-ohs-committee-slightly-eases-unrealistic-cap-for-ct-healthcare-costs/) - In response to stakeholder concerns, at their July 29th meeting the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) Technical Team choosing the cap for future Connecticut healthcare costs eased their previous decision on how much healthcare costs for every state resident will be allowed to increase over the next five years. Many stakeholders have voiced concerns that
- [Comprehensive updated resource on Connecticut’s health landscape from DPH, get involved](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comprehensive-updated-resource-on-connecticuts-health-landscape-from-dph/) - Almost one in six Connecticut children are food insecure and the number of state residents newly diagnosed with HIV has been dropping since 2010, according to the Dept. of Public Health’s new 2019 State Health Assessment. In 2017, 14.4% of Connecticut high school students used e-cigarettes, up from 2.4% in 2009. Over one in four
- [Cost cap update – possible easing on growth cap but primary care target proves difficult](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [One in three CT residents reported anxiety or depressive symptoms in June](https://cthealthpolicy.org/one-in-three-ct-residents-reported-anxiety-or-depressive-symptoms-in-june/) - Since the pandemic started, more people are reporting symptoms of mental illness. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 19% of Connecticut residents are experiencing mental illness and 36.6% report depressive or anxiety symptoms last month. Connecticut adolescents are twice as likely to report a major depressive episode as adults but adults are three times more
- [Study finds PCMHs cost less, fewer ED visits than ACOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-pcmhs-save-more-fewer-ed-visits-than-acos/) - A new analysis finds that total healthcare costs and ED visits are significantly lower for adult patients of Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) than for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), hybrids (both PCMHs and ACOs), or standard care (from facilities that are neither). PCMH patients had the lowest average total cost of care, 23% lower than standard
- [Half of current COVID hospital admissions are Medicaid members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/half-of-current-covid-hospital-admissions-are-medicaid-members/) - Connecticut Medicaid has taken a serious hit from COVID. At Friday’s Medical Assistance Program Oversight Council meeting, we learned that while hospitalizations went up, outpatient and physician care went down. In May outpatient care spending was down 51% from last year and physician care was down 36%. Those numbers have risen somewhat but are still
- [Improve health policymaking -- Nominate a claim for fact checking](https://cthealthpolicy.org/improve-health-policymaking-nominate-a-claim-for-fact-checking/) - In Connecticut state policymaking committee meetings, advocates routinely hear questionable claims stated as facts. Often very important caveats and context are left out. As non-members, we have no opportunity to question the claim or correct the misinformation. Too often policy is made based on these un-challenged claims. For twenty years, the CT Health Policy Project
- [Fact Check: Are primary care doctors underpaid?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fact-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
- [Fact Check: Do lower Medicaid provider payment rates cause higher commercial payment rates?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/the-myth-of-medicaid-cost-shifting/) - 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
- [Unique hospital ranking includes community and value of care with traditional quality metrics](https://cthealthpolicy.org/unique-hospital-ranking-includes-community-and-value-of-care-with-traditional-quality-metrics/) - The Lown Institute now ranks hospitals on 53 metrics that impact both individuals and communities. Typical hospital rankings consider only care for individual patients, not how hospitals serve their communities. Backus does best among 26 Connecticut hospitals at 84th of 3,282 US hospitals; Greenwich ranks lowest in the state and 2,635th in the nation. There
- [CTNJ: For a better post-COVID policy process, CT needs to abolish all committees](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-for-a-better-post-covid-policy-process-ct-needs-to-abolish-all-committees/) - I couldn’t agree more with my advocacy friends who called on the legislature to open public hearings to online participation. But legislative hearings are only part of the problem. Connecticut policymakers need to abolish all taskforces, boards, workgroups, design groups, consortia, advisory and steering committees, teams, councils, and similar committees. These insular groups, run with
- [Under cover of the pandemic, OHS rushes controversial medical record exchange implementation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/under-cover-of-the-pandemic-ohs-rushes-controversial-medical-record-exchange-implementation/) - While most healthcare stakeholders and most of state government is focusing unprecedented efforts on protecting Connecticut from COVID-19, the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) continues its rush to implement a controversial plan to build their own Health Information Exchange (HIE). The rush is happening over objections from many stakeholder groups that they will need to
- [Racial bias is pervasive in medical guidelines for care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/racial-bias-is-pervasive-in-medical-guidelines-for-care/) - A new study has found that racial inequities are unintentionally baked into algorithms, flowcharts of decision points that assess patient risks, used by providers to determine who will benefit from what care. A previous study found that a widely-used algorithm that predicts which patients will benefit from care management was unintentionally biased against black patients.
- [Cost cap project sets limits on healthcare spending without public input, ignoring pandemic impact](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-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
- [OHS committee chooses unrealistic cap for CT healthcare costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohs-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
- [Surprisingly, Medicaid applications are down sharply with the pandemic](https://cthealthpolicy.org/surprisingly-medicaid-applications-are-down-sharply-with-the-pandemic/) - At Friday’s MAPOC meeting, DSS reported that HUSKY applications were down 40% in May from a year before. This was unexpected given massive increases in unemployment and predictions of over 100,000 new Connecticut Medicaid members because of the pandemic. In January, February and March, applications ran 15% to 20% higher than last year. But a
- [CTNJ: COVID Response Offers Opportunities for Connecticut’s Future Healthcare System](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-covid-response-offers-opportunities-for-connecticuts-future-healthcare-system/) - The pandemic has been tragic in both lives lost and economic damage, especially to low wage workers. Our already flawed healthcare system has been seriously disrupted. Insurer profits are up, hospitals are losing money, and Connecticut healthcare jobs in April were down 28,400 from the year before. As the pandemic winds down, the recovery offers
- [COVID hitting CT minorities hard, but in different ways](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covid-hitting-ct-minorities-hard-but-in-different-ways/) - Evidence of disparities in the proportion of COVID-19 cases and deaths is growing in the US and in Connecticut. A state-by-state analysis by NPR of data from the COVID Racial Tracker finds African American Connecticut residents are more likely to contract the virus than other state residents and somewhat more likely to die of COVID.
- [Help for CT’s uninsured](https://cthealthpolicy.org/help-for-cts-uninsured/) - With the recent spike in unemployment, many more Connecticut residents will be joining the thousands that were uninsured pre-COVID looking for healthcare coverage. The state has some new options to help. Check AccessHealthCT. You may be surprised to find that you qualify for HUSKY which is comprehensive, free, and includes most Connecticut providers. You may
- [Cost Cap project could reduce access to care, stifle efficiency and innovation, and increase disparities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cost-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
- [Advocates, providers send Governor, legislators letter about cost cap impact and unintended consequences](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-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
- [CT Medical Society signs on with state HIE that plans to sell medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medical-society-signs-on-with-state-hie-that-plans-to-sell-medical-records/) - The state’s controversial HIE signed up its first participating provider network. Thursday the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) announced that CT Health Link, run by the CT State Medical Society (CSMS), will “immediately begin the technical connections necessary” to allow access into their system. Advocates have been concerned about OHS’s plans to sell access to
- [COVID hits hospital bottom lines but boosts insurer profits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/covid-hits-hospital-bottom-lines-but-boosts-insurer-profits/) - Contrary to earlier concerns, it appears that health insurers are doing pretty well through the COVID pandemic. It appears the costs of treating people with the virus are more than offset by a 60% reduction in other medical care including elective surgeries, routine outpatient care and lower ED visits. The six largest insurers reported $8.6
- [Hospitals question viability and policy in OHS plans to share medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/hospitals-question-viability-and-policy-in-ohs-plans-to-share-medical-records/) - It’s unusual when independent consumer advocates and hospitals are on the same page. In a strongly worded letter, the CT Hospital Association laid out serious problems with OHS’s proposed plan to share data in their controversial Health Information Exchange (HIE). Only some hospitals were given the opportunity to comment on OHS’s plans. Under law, all
- [Opportunity to inform CT community public health priorities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/join-coalition-to-inform-ct-community-public-health-priorities/) - The State Health Improvement Coalition is seeking community members from Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest Connecticut for input on prioritizing the most pressing public health needs for our state. Every five years, DPH creates a new plan to improve the health of our state in a model of inclusive, data-driven policymaking. The latest version will be
- [Book Club: Everything you need to know to understand, and fact check, data claims](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-everything-you-need-to-know-to-understand-and-fact-check-data-claims/) - The pandemic has placed us all in a crash course on health claims, science and data – what we know and what we don’t know. It can be confusing and scary. The Art of Statistics: How to Learn from Data by David Spiegelhalter is here to help. The book describes how statistics and probability can
- [How CT can ensure everyone gets help for COVID-19](https://cthealthpolicy.org/how-ct-can-ensure-everyone-gets-help-for-covid-19/) - People of color are dying of COVID-19 at higher rates than other Connecticut residents. While researchers work on why that is, the CT Health Foundation has given us four concrete, feasible recommendations to improve access in these trying times. The first is to expand testing to everyone who needs one. The to-do list includes offering
- [CT hospitals would fare better than most if all payers used Medicare payment rates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospitals-would-fare-better-than-most-if-all-payers-used-medicare-payment-rates/) - A new study published in Health Affairs finds that if commercial payment rates were set at fee-for-service Medicare levels in 2017, US hospital revenue (inpatient and outpatient) would drop by 35%. Interestingly, also raising Medicaid rates to Medicare levels does little to mitigate that, changing the revenue loss to 30%. However, the authors note that
- [Q poll finds CT residents worried but support COVID public health restrictions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/q-poll-finds-ct-residents-worried-but-support-covid-public-health-restrictions/) - Almost half of Connecticut residents (43%) are feeling stressed by dealing with the state’s stay-at-home order, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. But two thirds believe the level of restrictions to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus have been about right and most (59%) believe that the state should wait a few months
- [Protecting affordability in a pandemic  --  Experts find fair prices for remdesivir between $10 and $4,500](https://cthealthpolicy.org/protecting-affordability-in-a-pandemic-experts-find-fair-prices-for-remdesivir-between-10-and-4500/) - 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
- [Setting the Record Straight on Broken Promises, Now Let’s Move On](https://cthealthpolicy.org/setting-the-record-straight-on-broken-promises-now-lets-move-on/) - Medicaid advocates and providers have been talking a lot about the administration’s policy reversal with a troubling decision to consider downside risk as a payment model for Medicaid. A main source of concern is that stakeholders had clear and repeated promises from the administration not to implement downside risk in Medicaid. Click here to thrash through
- [Share your ideas to support Connecticut health care coordination, access, and quality](https://cthealthpolicy.org/share-your-ideas-to-support-connecticut-health-care-coordination-access-and-quality/) - The state is rushing to implement an expensive Health Information Exchange to access $48 million before a federal deadline. The state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) is moving forward very quickly despite concerns raised by consumers and providers about selling access to identifiable patient records to insurers and ACOs, privacy rights, the capacity of the
- [CT 7th best at social distancing, Fairfield leads CT counties](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-7th-best-at-social-distancing-fairfield-leads-ct-counties/) - Last week, Connecticut residents did better than most Americans in maintaining social distance according to a University of Maryland model. (We slipped a bit on Saturday – to 18th among states.) The aggregate score uses the percent of us who stay home and reductions in trips per person. 35% of Connecticut residents stayed home last
- [Some bizarre COVID-19 myths busted](https://cthealthpolicy.org/some-bizarre-covid-19-myths-busted/) - There are persistent but false rumors that 5G mobile networks can spread the COVID-19 virus, that being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds means you don’t have it, and that hot baths will keep you from getting it. None of these are true. The World Health Organization has a new resource debunking some
- [CT hospital and worker capacity lower than rest of US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-and-worker-capacity-lower-than-rest-of-us/) - As Connecticut and the rest of the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital workers are on the front line. New analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that Connecticut was behind most states in hospital capacity before the pandemic began. Last year, Connecticut ranked 11th among states in population per hospital at 31,274 Connecticut
- [CTNJ: Forecast Estimates More Than 100,000 New CT Medicaid Members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-forecast-estimates-more-than-100000-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
- [CTNJ: Analysis -- Will COVID-19 Make Health Insurance Premiums Skyrocket?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-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
- [Letter urges state to go farther to protect Connecticut’s health and affordability](https://cthealthpolicy.org/letter-urges-state-to-go-farther-to-protect-connecticuts-health-and-affordability/) - Building on previous letters from legal services, the CT Health Policy Project sent a letter today thanking the state for important protections adopted to protect Connecticut’s health during the pandemic. We also urged the state to adopt new policies and expand some already adopted. Require insurers to automatically continue providing commercial insurance during the crisis
- [Words matter – Unintended consequences of rush for COVID-19 treatment and poor communication](https://cthealthpolicy.org/words-matter-unintended-consequences-of-rush-for-covid-19-treatment-and-poor-communication/) - Scientists are under great pressure, internal and external, to find successful treatments for people seriously ill with the new coronavirus. Scientists are heroes, working with exceptional “vigor and speed” to find options. Unfortunately, sometimes that pressure results in early results being misunderstood and misused. Research conducted during a pandemic is not optimal for rigorous science
- [New, confusing twist on state’s HIE plans to sell insurers access to personal medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-confusing-twist-on-states-hie-plans-to-sell-insurers-access-to-personal-medical-records/) - In new information, the Office of Health Strategy says their Health Information Exchange (HIE) will not provide insurers or large health systems -- Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – access to individual patients’ data. Advocates and providers have raised concerns that access to personal medical records could allow insurers and ACOs to inappropriately limit care and
- [Is Connecticut ready for COVID-19?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/is-connecticut-ready-for-covid-19/) - Almost half (45%) of Connecticut adults have one or more clinical risks that could complicate COVID-19 infections, very close to the US average of 44%, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund. The report compares states across clinical risk factors of adults, state health system capacity, insurance coverage and other cost barriers to
- [CTNJ: The recession is here, and healthcare is in the center of it](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-the-recession-is-here-and-healthcare-is-in-the-center-of-it/) - After the longest economic recovery in US history, we’ve been expecting a recession for a long time. We knew when it came, Connecticut healthcare would be hit hard. But no one expected this. Connecticut didn’t fare well in the last recession and we took longer than other states to build back the jobs we lost.
- [More HIE concerns from advocates and others](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-hie-concerns-from-advocates-and-others/) - Public comment to the Office of Health Strategy about the state’s planned Health Information Exchange raised concerns, including those regarding privacy and selling/monetizing the data shared in the advocates letter. Connecticut’s three legal services agencies sent a letter with similar concerns on Friday. Advocates’ concerns were raised by members at last week’s online Health IT
- [ACA turns ten in troubled times](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aca-turns-ten-in-troubled-times/) - Ten years ago today, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. While the nation is now reeling from a terrible pandemic, imagine if 17 million more Americans didn’t have healthcare coverage, insurers could still drop people with pre-existing conditions, and charge women and cancer survivors more. While it was important, the ACA was never meant
- [WalletHub – CT third worst state for doctors](https://cthealthpolicy.org/wallethub-ct-third-worst-state-for-doctors/) - According to WalletHub’s latest rankings, Connecticut ranks 49th among states and DC for physician practice. Nationally, physician is the highest paying job but new doctors leave medical school with $194,000 in student debt on average. As we all may be relying on physicians and other healthcare providers during this crisis, remember that March 30th is
- [Community health center quality behind the rest of Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/community-health-center-quality-behind-the-rest-of-medicaid/) - Download the report The good news is that Medicaid health outcome quality measures generally improved in all practice setting from 2016 through 2018. Unfortunately, community health centers (FQHCs) are not doing as well as their counterparts, either other Patient-Centered Medical Home practices (PCMHs), or non-PCMH practices in serving Medicaid members. This data comes from CHNCT’s
- [22 advocates send letter to OHS opposing sale of personal medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/22-advocates-send-letter-to-ohs-opposing-sale-of-personal-medical-records/) - Twenty-two independent advocates and providers signed a letter today to the Office of Health Strategy raising concerns about the state’s plans to develop a Health Information Exchange. The writers urge the state not to sell/monetize personal medical records and to adopt a strong consent policy giving consumers control over our own sensitive medical records. Advocates
- [New state health data updates – over one in six CT residents have high medical cost burden](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-state-health-data-updates-over-one-in-six-ct-residents-have-high-medical-cost-burdens/) - According to State Health Compare’s updated data, 18.1% of Connecticut residents had out-of-pocket health costs that were more than 10% of their family income in 2018. That is up from 17.8% the year before while the burden on the rest of the US went down. While Connecticut’s rate is bad, it’s better than the US
- [CT Free Dental Clinic postponed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-free-dental-clinic-march-20-21/) - Updated 3/9/2020 This year’s CT Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic, originally scheduled for Saturday March 20 and Sunday March 21st in Danbury has been postponed due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. Click here for more information on when it will be rescheduled.
- [Public comment to OHS opposing selling/monetizing personal medical records](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-comment-to-ohs-opposing-selling-monetizing-personal-medical-records/) - Download the comments PUBLIC COMMENT to the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, HITO@ct.gov March 4, 2020 Re: Public comment on Draft Consent Design Guiding Principles Ellen Andrews, PhD, Board Chair Thank you for this opportunity to provide comment on the Office of Health Strategy’s (OHS) proposed guiding principles on the Final Report and Recommendations of the
- [ICER and Donaghue Foundation highlight the power of patient engagement in assessing value; ICER to report on novel opioid addiction interventions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-and-donaghue-foundation-highlight-the-power-of-patient-engagement-in-assessing-value-icer-to-report-on-novel-opioid-addiction-interventions/) - Steve Pearson, President of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), has published two pieces for Connecticut’s Donaghue Foundation Soapbox on the importance of meaningful patient engagement in value assessments and an exciting new initiative to move beyond the usual rhetoric and integrate patient priorities into the value assessment outcomes. Patients are usually left
- [Lessons from SIM: Advice from Independent Advocates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/lessons-from-sim-advice-from-independent-advocates/) - Download the full responses here Connecticut’s latest attempt to reform our health system, SIM, ended last month. Despite $45 million in federal dollars, SIM didn’t accomplish much. It was mired in controversy and criticism from across the state’s healthcare landscape. SIM followed several past failed attempts to reform Connecticut’s health system. We asked independent consumer
- [Affordable Housing Alliance legislative breakfast highlights housing-health connection](https://cthealthpolicy.org/affordable-housing-alliance-legislative-breakfast-highlights-housing-health-connection/) - At today’s well-attended Affordable Housing Alliance of CT legislative breakfast, Sen. Saud Anwar, Housing Committee Co-Chair and a physician, emphasized the strong connection between health status and housing. People with insecure housing are more likely to be in poor health. Homeless youth have higher rates of teen pregnancy, early drug use, and depression. Unstable housing
- [Medicaid switch from MCOs saving taxpayers billions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-switch-from-mcos-saving-taxpayers-billions/) - Download the brief here If Medicaid per member per month costs had held steady at 2012 levels, taxpayers would have spent $2.25 billion more by last year. As with most health care in Connecticut, Medicaid spending was rising quickly before 2012 growing by almost half over the prior four years. But in 2012, Connecticut made
- [Analysis: Right Thing But Wrong Way: State Shouldn’t Sell Our Medical Data To Insurers And ACOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysis-right-thing-but-wrong-way-state-shouldnt-sell-our-medical-data-to-insurers-and-acos/) - After many tries, Connecticut is getting a state-sponsored Health Information Exchange (HIE). At their best, HIEs allow providers who are treating the same person to share information, reduce duplicated tests, and keep us safer. I’ve been a strong supporter of a Connecticut HIE that allows providers treating us to see our records. But not this
- [Congressional move to rein in innovations that harm people, Connecticut advocates’ SIM concerns addressed in DC](https://cthealthpolicy.org/congressional-move-to-rein-in-innovations-that-harm-people-connecticut-advocates-sim-concerns-addressed-in-dc/) - A new bill in Congress, proposed by both Democrats and Republicans, would place controls on federal grants for payment and delivery reform projects. The Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act was introduced last week to “increase transparency and accountability within the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)”. CMMI is the federal agency
- [Is CT healthy or not? Different rankings with different messages](https://cthealthpolicy.org/is-ct-healthy-or-not-different-rankings-with-different-messages/) - Health rankings are all about definitions and what you measure -- an important lesson with broad implications. A new health ranking of US cities by Wallet Hub is not great news for Connecticut. Of America’s 174 most populous cities, Bridgeport is #88 and New Haven is #98. Five cities in surrounding states are healthier than
- [CT hospital quality still lacking](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-quality-still-lacking/) - New Medicare hospital quality ratings find little change from last year’s report. Almost half of Connecticut hospitals received three stars out of five, about the same as last year. Quality ratings didn’t change for half of Connecticut hospitals. This confirms a long history of underperformance by Connecticut hospitals. We did have one five-star hospital (Sharon)
- [US overdose deaths down but no change for Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/us-overdose-deaths-down-last-year-but-no-change-for-connecticut/) - Americans’ life expectancy increased in 2018 for the first time since 2014. From 2014 through 2017, life expectancy fell 0.3 years, twice as much for American men as women. The drop was largely attributed to the sharp rise in overdose deaths during those years. Nationally, overdose deaths fell from 21.7 to 20.7 per 100,000 population
- [CTNJ – Op-Ed: The Individual Mandate Was Never Necessary, But Connecticut Knew That](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-the-individual-mandate-was-never-necessary-but-connecticut-knew-that/) - Arguably the most contentious part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the individual mandate, requiring every American to secure healthcare coverage, appears to have made little difference since Congress removed the penalty last year. Connecticut considered passing a state-level individual mandate both before the ACA and more recently as the ACA has been in peril.
- [Evidence that children with private or Medicaid coverage both at risk of low-value care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/evidence-that-children-with-private-or-medicaid-coverage-both-at-risk-of-low-value-care/) - A new study finds that both Medicaid and privately insured children frequently receive healthcare services that do not improve health. There has been an assumption that because providers are paid less by Medicaid, they have no incentive to provide unnecessary services. The study, published in Pediatrics, analyzed records from almost 7 million American children in
- [CT is the second most expensive state for smokers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-is-the-second-most-expensive-state-for-smokers/) - Smoking costs Connecticut smokers $2,447, 965 over a lifetime, behind only New York smokers, according to a new analysis by Wallet Hub. Not only is smoking the leading preventable cause of death, killing 480,000 Americans each year, accounting for one in five deaths, but it is also a substantial economic burden on smokers and their
- [New report explains CT health disparities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-report-explains-ct-health-disparities/) - Babies of black mothers in Connecticut are over four times more likely to die in their first year than babies born to white mothers, according to a new report from the CT Health Foundation. Black state residents die at 1.2 times the rate of whites. Overall Connecticut residents are among the healthiest in the nation,
- [PCMH (no Plus) program continues to grow and improve care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-no-plus-program-continues-to-grow-and-improve-care/) - At MAPOC’s Care Management Committee meeting Wednesday, the state provided the latest numbers from the successful Person-Centered Medical Home program. PCMHs are primary care practices that coordinate care for patients, offer expanded hours, and address population health needs. The program continues to grow, adding 52 primary care providers and seven new sites of care in
- [Help us improve consumer advocacy in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/help-us-improve-consumer-advocacy-in-connecticut/) - With support from the CT Health Foundation, the CT Health Policy Project is updating our online Health Advocacy Toolbox. The Toolbox was created twenty years ago to give individual consumers and community organizations in Connecticut tools to effectively engage in health policy advocacy at the state level. Too often motivated consumers, especially from underserved communities,
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Connecting hospitals with community services is a good first step](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-connecting-hospitals-with-community-services-is-a-good-first-step/) - It’s great that Connecticut hospitals are using technology to help busy providers connect patients with community services. Without basics like healthy food and safe shelter, patients can’t heal and healthcare costs rise. But referrals are only the first step. The institutions in communities on the other end of the referrals that provide those critical services
- [CT state budget spends less on Medicaid than other states, saving $209 million](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-state-budget-spends-less-on-medicaid-than-other-states-saving-209-million/) - The latest MACStats data release repeated trends from years ago but held a few new nuggets. Last July 857,415, or one in four, Connecticut residents were covered by Medicaid. Connecticut spent 14.9% of our state budget on Medicaid, below the US average of 16%. Our surrounding states were all above the US average -- Massachusetts
- [Five healthcare issues to follow in 2020](https://cthealthpolicy.org/five-healthcare-issues-to-follow-in-2020/) - What Connecticut can do in an election year, with a tight budget, in an unsettled economy, and Washington in gridlock Download the details ACOs and provider financial risk Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are large and growing systems that touch every aspect of healthcare. They make money by reducing their patients’ care costs. Unlike insurers, ACOs
- [Bipartisan Insurance Committee forum finds a lot of consensus on potential reforms](https://cthealthpolicy.org/bipartisan-insurance-committee-forum-finds-a-lot-of-consensus-on-potential-reforms/) - Download the CTHPP presentation Yesterday the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Insurance Committee convened a forum on potential reforms to lower healthcare costs. Legislators invited David Seltz from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Connecticut speakers included representatives from the insurance industry, providers, state officials, a foundation and advocates. A recurring theme was the need
- [Good and bad news on childhood obesity in CT; What we can do about it](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-and-bad-news-on-childhood-obesity-in-ct-what-we-can-do-about-it/) - According to a new report, 11.5% of children ages 10 to 17 in our state are obese. That is far too high and rising, but that ranks us 44th among states. At 27.4% we are also 44th among states for adult obesity. The obesity rate of Connecticut 2 to 4 year-olds enrolled in WIC (yes,
- [Community health centers still struggle with ED visits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/community-health-centers-still-struggle-with-ed-visits/) - As in the past, Medicaid patients of Connecticut’s community health centers are far more likely to visit an ED than other Medicaid patients, according to a presentation by CHNCT at Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting. While rates have decreased a bit, the very large gap in ED use rate between clinic patients and other Patient-Centered Medical
- [CT now fourth healthiest state](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-now-fourth-healthiest-state/) - Connecticut residents are healthier than all but three other states. According to the latest America’s Health Rankings by the United Health Foundation. That is down from third last year, and below 2006 and 2008 when we were the healthiest in the nation. Despite the wobbling, we consistently rank well. Unfortunately, our health isn’t reflected in
- [CT employee insurance costs up, but total picture is more complicated](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-employee-insurance-costs-up-but-total-picture-is-more-complicated/) - Worker costs for health insurance are growing in all states, including Connecticut, both in total dollars and as a proportion of median incomes, according to a new analysis by the Commonwealth Fund. Connecticut has not been hit as hard as other states, because in the past growth in median income here was strong. But that
- [ICER seeks nominations for New England Comparative Effectiveness voting panel](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-seeks-nominations-for-new-england-comparative-effectiveness-voting-panel/) - The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review has opened nominations for membership on their New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council. New England CEPAC meets three times each year in public forums across the region to assess the evidence for treatments for specific conditions with input from stakeholders including patients affected by the condition. In
- [Survey finds CT ACOs planning services for high need members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/survey-finds-ct-acos-planning-services-for-high-need-members/) - Similar to national results, a new survey of Connecticut Accountable Care Organizations for MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee by the CT Health Policy Project finds that most are using multiple methods to identify high need members. But they are still working on implementing effective programs to address the needs. Many of their plans follow best practices
- [CTNJ Analysis: When Making Things Better Makes Things Worse: Algorithms, Data and Racial Bias](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-when-making-things-better-makes-things-worse-algorithms-data-and-racial-bias/) - Unintended consequences are old news; so why are we surprised every time it happens? Computer programs developed to target care management services to people with serious complex conditions were meant to make important health decisions based on data but instead favored White patients over sicker Black patients. Read more
- [Healthcare workforce growing faster than rest of employment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-workforce-growing-faster-than-rest-of-employment/) - In good news for healthcare workers, from September 2018 to 2019, Connecticut healthcare employment grew by 1.75%, or 3.8 times faster than total non-farm employment. One in eight Connecticut workers is employed in healthcare. Healthcare grew even faster nationally, by 2.66% vs. 1.50% for all workers. One in six US workers is employed in healthcare.
- [ICER seeks input on non-drug topics for 2020](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-seeks-input-on-non-drug-topics-for-2020/) - The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is seeking input on non-drug topics they should study for 2020. An independent nonprofit research institute, ICER is the US leader in assessing the evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other medical services. ICER’s reports and pricing benchmarks that represent a good value for consumers
- [Medicaid transportation gets a closer look](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-transportation-gets-a-closer-look/) - For the second month in a row, MAPOC focused in on the Medicaid transportation contractor’s performance Friday. Questions about Veyo, the contractor, have persisted since they were chosen by DSS. There were more questions than answers at Friday’s meeting, including what terms mean in the report. The number of rides the state is getting for
- [Public comment open for CT health planning data](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-comment-open-for-ct-health-planning-data/) - The state Department of Public Health is in the midst of planning for improving the health of every Connecticut resident in 2025. DPH regularly refreshes their plan through a very thoughtful process that is a model of inclusiveness and data-driven policymaking, especially for Connecticut. Other agencies should take note. Right now, the draft State Health
- [CTNJ: Analysis -- How industries influence healthcare spending, and it’s working](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-how-industries-influence-healthcare-spending-and-its-working/) - There are a thousand ways that healthcare is different than other economic sectors and those differences keep the market from working to keep care affordable. . . . An important way the healthcare market fails is that industries have powerful tools to drive the prices and use of their products that most consumers aren’t aware
- [CT insurers lost enrollment in 2018, Spent 89% of premiums on medical care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-insurers-lost-enrollment-in-2018-spent-89-of-premiums-on-medical-care/) - There were 332,015 fewer Connecticut residents with commercial insurance coverage last year than in 2017, according to the latest Consumer Report Card from the CT Insurance Department. All insurers lost enrollment. The report also includes important information for consumers including member satisfaction performance, numbers of participating providers by county, medical measures such as cancer screens,
- [Thirty medically complex children stuck in CT hospitals waiting for home health care cost state over $100 million](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thirty-medically-complex-children-stuck-in-ct-hospitals-waiting-for-home-health-care-cost-state-over-100-million/) - Last week, MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee heard from the three remaining home health agencies that provide care for Connecticut’s most medically complex children. We heard about the massive challenges facing both families and agencies. Most parents caring for medically complex children are single mothers due to high divorce rates, who cannot work because of inconsistent
- [CT healthcare price variation varies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-price-variation-varies/) - Prices vary by city and for selected healthcare treatments, in some cases substantially, according to Healthscore CT, using the new All Payer Claims Database from the CT Office of Health Strategy and UConn Analytics and Information Management Solutions. The site provides important information on cost and quality for consumers and payers shopping for healthcare services
- [If the ACA is overturned, one in four Connecticut adults could lose coverage due to a pre-existing condition](https://cthealthpolicy.org/if-the-aca-is-overturned-one-in-four-connecticut-adults-could-lose-coverage-due-to-a-pre-existing-condition/) - A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 529,000 non-elderly adults (24%) in Connecticut have pre-existing health conditions that could affect their ability to get or afford health insurance if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is overturned. Researchers estimate that 27% of non-elderly adult Americans have a health condition and 45% of families
- [CTNJ: CT’s uninsured rate is down and stable, so who’s still uninsured?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-cts-uninsured-rate-is-down-and-stable-so-whos-still-uninsured/) - According to the latest numbers from the US Census, 187,000 Connecticut residents or one in twenty of us, were uninsured last year. That’s both good and bad news. Read more
- [Connecticut deductibles are high and rising, but premiums are rising more slowly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-deductibles-are-high-and-rising-but-premiums-are-rising-more-slowly/) - Download the report New numbers from the 2018 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey finds that deductibles for private-sector health insurance in Connecticut are high at $2,322 for single coverage and $3,784 for families, the 3rd and 9th highest among states respectively. Deductibles more than doubled between 2008 and 2018 both in Connecticut and the nation.
- [Connecticut’s uninsured rate stabilizes, retaining ACA gains](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticuts-uninsured-rate-stabilizes-retaining-aca-gains/) - Download the report New numbers from the US Census Bureau report that 187,000 or 5.3% of Connecticut residents were uninsured last year. That number is down slightly from the year before when the uninsured rate was 5.5%, but above 2016’s rate at 4.9%. The new data continues the trend of fewer uninsured that began with
- [CT Medicaid child checkup rates jumped when HMOs were fired](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-child-checkup-rates-jumped-when-hmos-were-fired/) - Well-child screenings increased twelve percent for HUSKY children between FY 2001 and FY 2012, according to a new report from the Government Accounting Office. While correlation is not causation, it is important to note that on January 1, 2012 Connecticut Medicaid payment shifted from capitation through private managed care companies to our current managed fee-for-service
- [Housing community explores successful CT collaborations to promote health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/housing-community-explores-successful-ct-collaborations-to-promote-health/) - Over 300 Connecticut affordable housing stakeholders joined Governor Lamont and other speakers at the Affordable Housing Alliance’s 30th annual conference last week. The Governor explained his focus on affordable housing by relating a conversation with a young bus rider in New Haven who’d been homeless as a child. With help from housing care managers, he
- [CTNJ: CT Medicaid is making the same mistake, again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-ct-medicaid-is-making-the-same-mistake-again/) - Despite warnings, the state is about to make a big mistake, again. DSS is planning to renew PCMH Plus, their risky Medicaid experiment that has cost the state more and done nothing to improve care, jeopardizing hard-earned progress. Two years ago, when the state wanted to expand PCMH Plus the first time, advocates raised alarms
- [CT Health Policy Project’s 20th Anniversary: Progress, but lots of challenges ahead](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-policy-projects-20th-anniversary-progress-but-lots-of-challenges-ahead/) - Read the report Since 1999, when the CT Health Policy Project was founded, Connecticut’s healthcare landscape has changed in both predictable and unpredictable ways. Costs are rising faster than our economy is growing, and those costs are falling disproportionately on consumers. Experts are predicting another recession and it’s unclear if Connecticut’s healthcare landscape is ready.
- [CT Health Policy Project’s 20th Anniversary: Where We’ve Come](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-policy-projects-20th-anniversary-where-weve-come/) - Read our numbers For twenty years, the Connecticut Health Policy Project has been a trusted source of independent, fact-based solutions for policymakers, providers, payers, consumers, and taxpayers trying to improve access to affordable, quality care for every state resident. We collect good ideas that work from across the state and beyond. Then we work hard
- [CT Health Policy Project’s 20th Anniversary: Wisdom from Connecticut’s thoughtleaders](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-policy-projects-20th-anniversary-wisdom-from-connecticuts-thoughtleaders/) - Read the report In celebration of the CT Health Policy Project’s twentieth anniversary, we asked wise and prominent stakeholders with very different perspectives in Connecticut’s health care system to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the last ten years and share their thoughts about our future. What is your best advice to someone just
- [CTNJ: A recession is coming and it could hit Connecticut healthcare hard](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-a-recession-is-coming-and-it-could-hit-connecticut-healthcare-hard/) - While President Trump disagrees, a recent survey found that three in four economists expect the US economy to enter a recession by 2021. Recessions are a natural part of the economic cycle – it’s not a question of whether it will happen, but when. The last recession, in 2008, hit Connecticut especially hard, and in
- [Join us: Governor Lamont headlining CT affordable housing conference Sept. 19th](https://cthealthpolicy.org/join-us-governor-lamont-headlining-ct-affordable-housing-conference-sept-19th/) - Governor Lamont, a host of Commissioners, legislators, and funders will speak at Housing 2019, the 30th annual CT conference on affordable housing. Among other things, join us to hear about two CT collaborations between housing and community health programs, from each side, that are improving both, with more tools and resources to support collaborations. Other
- [2020 insurance premium requests increase lower for individuals on AccessHealthCT, most of whom are subsidized, older and higher risk](https://cthealthpolicy.org/2020-insurance-premium-requests-increase-lower-for-individuals-on-accesshealthct-most-of-whom-are-subsidized-older-and-higher-risk/) - Connecticut insurers have filed their requests for individual and small group premium increases for 2020 with the CT Insurance Dept. Requests vary from an average reduction of 9.8% for CTCare individual plans outside AccessHealthCT, our state’s insurance exchange, to 22% average increases for Aetna small group plans also outside AccessHealthCT. Six in ten people in
- [Join webinar for patients on leading methodology to evaluate the value of costly treatments](https://cthealthpolicy.org/join-webinar-for-patients-on-leading-methodology-to-evaluate-the-value-of-costly-treatments/) - September 4th all patients and groups are invited to a webinar to give input on ICER’s Value Assessment Framework methods. The non-profit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is the nation’s leading independent analyst of evidence on the effectiveness and value of drugs and other treatments. ICER produces public reports used by Medicare, Medicaid,
- [State approves controversial New Haven primary care move](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-approves-controversial-new-haven-primary-care-move/) - Friday, the state Office of Health Strategy gave final approval Yale-New Haven’s application to move primary care for over 25,000 low income consumers out of neighborhoods and shift them to the Cornell Scott and Fairhaven health centers for payment purposes. Under the final agreement patients would still be cared for by the same YNHH primary
- [CT eighth highest in unaffordable rents, impacts health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-eighth-highest-in-unaffordable-rents-impacts-health/) - In 2017 almost half (48.5%) of renters in Connecticut spend over 30% of their household income on rent, more than renters in all but seven other states. The analysis by SHADAC found that Connecticut has been in the top ten states for most unaffordable rents in five of the last six years and the rate
- [PCMH + risk scores suggest possible gaming or worse; Advocates call on DSS to delay expansion to protect members and taxpayers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-risk-scores-suggest-possible-gaming-or-worse-advocates-call-on-dss-to-delay-expansion-to-protect-members-and-taxpayers/) - A new analysis of PCMH + members’ risk scores finds unexplained increases compared to the control/comparison group that could signal ACO gaming of the system for financial gain and/or, far worse, a decline in the health of members in the program. PCMH Plus, a controversial new payment model, allows ACO (large health systems) to share
- [CTNJ: CT doesn’t score well on healthcare – prices are to blame](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-cts-doesnt-score-well-on-healthcare-prices-are-to-blame/) - A new state health ranking is out, and Connecticut trails the rest of New England. Connecticut’s big problem is the cost of our care. Our performance in health outcomes and access to care are passable, but we are 44th among states in the cost of care. Read more
- [Motorcycle helmets save Connecticut lives; could save $207 million more](https://cthealthpolicy.org/motorcycle-helmets-save-connecticut-lives-could-save-207-million-more/) - In a new analysis, researchers from CT Children’s Medical Center found that Connecticut motorcycle riders who crash are one and a half times less likely to be seriously injured or die in a crash if they are wearing a helmet but only about half are. The new report published in CT Medicine studied the 4,021
- [Join us: CT affordable housing conference features health/housing connection](https://cthealthpolicy.org/join-us-ct-affordable-housing-conference-features-health-housing-connection/) - Join us at Housing 2019, the 30th annual CT conference on affordable housing, to hear about collaborations in CT between housing and community health programs that are improving both. The conference is sponsored by the Affordable Housing Alliance of CT (formerly the CT Housing Coalition). At “Health and Housing: Learning from Each Other”, attendees will
- [Health Equity Conference](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-equity-conference/) - Next week the CT Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities is sponsoring a conference to explore CT’s progress toward health equity. Join to hear from CT experts and agencies about access to care, challenges facing people with mental health conditions, and the impact of implicit bias. The conference is Tuesday, August 6th from 9 am
- [Proposed federal rule would require hospitals to post negotiated rates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/proposed-federal-rule-would-require-hospitals-to-post-negotiated-rates/) - A new proposed federal regulation (called a “rule”) would allow consumers to compare negotiated service prices by hospital and by payer. These would be the real prices paid by insurers, both hospital and payer-specific prices, as well as gross prices. This information could be extremely helpful for consumers without insurance and those with high deductibles
- [As provider shortages grow, salaries are up, Eastern physicians lag behind rest of US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/as-provider-shortages-grow-salaries-are-up/) - From 2017 to 2018 total compensation rose 3.4% for primary care physicians and 4.4% for specialists across the nation, according to Physicians Practice. Total provider compensation rose between 7 and 11% over the last five years. The highest increasing specialty from 2017 to 2018 was 7.71% for diagnostic radiology. Physician assistants’ and nurse practitioners’ total
- [ACA @10: Conference on the Affordable Care Act’s status and future](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aca-10-conference-on-the-affordable-care-acts-status-and-future/) - Join leaders who helped pass and implement the Affordable Care Act, September 26th and 27th at the Yale Law School for The ACA at Ten, a conference to reflect on the Affordable Care Act. Speakers include Rahm Emanuel, Kathleen Sebelius, and 22 other scholars and policymakers. Speakers will examine the ACA’s successes, shortcomings, and future.
- [Coincidence? CT spends little on primary care, and we have high ED, preventable hospitalization rates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/coincidence-ct-spends-little-on-primary-care-and-we-have-high-ed-preventable-hospitalization-rates/) - A new analysis finds that Connecticut, at only 3.5% of our health care dollars spent on primary care, is last among 29 states studied. Not surprisingly, we also rank among the highest in ED visits, all hospitalizations, and in avoidable hospitalizations. The US average is 5.6% of health care spending devoted to primary care, well
- [Aging CT healthcare workforce raises concerns about loss of expertise and capacity](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aging-ct-healthcare-workforce-raises-concerns-about-loss-of-expertise-and-capacity/) - Connecticut’s workforce is getting older, including healthcare, according to a new analysis by the state Dept. of Labor. This raises concerns about retirements, a loss of expertise, and capacity which could hit Connecticut hard. The share of all workers over age 54 rose from 20% in 2008 to 26.5% in the third quarter of last
- [Comments needed on federal proposal to erode medical debtors’ rights](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comments-needed-on-federal-proposal-to-erode-medical-debtors-rights/) - The National Consumer Law Center is asking people who care to submit public comments on the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed debt collection rule. Medical bills are the biggest cause of bankruptcy and the top reason for contact by collections. Unfortunately, that burden falls very heavily on Connecticut residents. Health insurance premiums for both
- [Large study finds selection bias in Medicare shared savings erases savings and quality improvements – advocates saw this coming](https://cthealthpolicy.org/large-study-finds-selection-bias-in-medicare-shared-savings-erases-savings-and-quality-improvements-advocates-saw-this-coming/) - Researchers from the University of Michigan found that the modest savings and quality improvements reported by Medicare’s extensive shared savings program (MSSP) are likely due to adverse selection. High cost clinicians and beneficiaries were far more likely than others to exit the program. When adjusted for the selective bias in MSSP exit, reported savings and
- [For the Book Club -- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World](https://cthealthpolicy.org/for-the-book-club-range-why-generalists-triumph-in-a-specialized-world/) - If you’ve sat next to me in a meeting this month, you probably already know I’m reading this book. I can’t stop talking about it. The author debunks the common myth that specialization is the key to success using detailed evidence explained so anyone can understand. The experts’ consensus is that you need to devote
- [For the Book Club -- The Truth Matters: A Citizen’s Guide to Separating Facts from Lies and Stopping Fake News in its Tracks](https://cthealthpolicy.org/for-the-book-club-the-truth-matters-a-citizens-guide-to-separating-facts-from-lies-and-stopping-fake-news-in-its-tracks/) - As we get more and more information from new, untested sources, untrustworthy sources and fake news grow, undermining trust in media and politics. This short book offers real-world tips and resources to counter the trend. Chapters include how to read critically, using fact-checking sites, finding trustworthy sources and experts (and how to spot the fakers),
- [CT homelessness continues to drop but health challenges are serious](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-homelessness-continues-to-drop-but-health-challenges-are-serious/) - This year’s point-in-time count of homelessness in Connecticut finds the numbers are going down – that’s the very good news. This year the CT Coalition to End Homelessness found that on January 22nd, when volunteers fanned out across the state to count the homeless, the number was 3,033. That’s the lowest number since the survey
- [New tool makes Medicaid business case for CT to address obesity](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-tool-makes-medicaid-business-case-for-ct-to-address-obesity/) - Twenty nine percent of Connecticut children ages 5 to 17 are overweight or obese, according to the Department of Public Health. That number jumps to 47.8% for children living in households with annual incomes between $25,000 to 50,000. Many, maybe most, of these children qualify for Medicaid. Only 13.1% of Connecticut high school students eat
- [PCMHs in CT – not the “shiny new toy” anymore but moving forward improving care, controlling costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmhs-in-ct-not-the-shiny-new-toy-anymore-but-moving-forward-improving-care-controlling-costs/) - Ten years ago, patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) were exotic in Connecticut. PCMHs are one of the best documented innovations to improve health. PCMHs are primary care practices that help keep people well by assessing needs, coordinating care, and giving people the skills and resources to maintain their own health. As a nurse managers told me,
- [FAQs about patient-centered medical homes in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/faqs-about-patient-centered-medical-homes-in-ct/) - As part of discussion of national health reform and SustiNet, questions have been raised about patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) in our state. We have drafted responses to some of those questions including:What is a patient centered medical home? (Coordinated care delivered by a team that helps patients keep themselves healthy) What is a patient centered
- [New PCMH + plans overlook past problems](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-pcmh-plans-sidestep-past-problems/) - Wednesday DSS and Mercer unveiled their thinking about plans for Wave 3 of PCMH Plus, Medicaid’s controversial shared savings program. Results from PCMH Plus’s first year, Wave 1, were disappointing with increased state costs and little evidence of improvement in quality. Based on the problems identified in Wave 1, advocates made recommendations to fix those
- [Medicaid will apply to cover supportive housing services](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-will-apply-to-cover-supportive-housing-services/) - DSS announced at today’s Medicaid Council meeting that they will be expanding their collaboration with state housing resources. Medicaid’s supportive housing option opportunity lets states bridge the firewall between healthcare and social service spending. CT Medicaid intends to cover transition and tenancy-sustaining services through a 1915(i) state plan amendment. Initially the program will cover up
- [CT ranks 5th among states in health system performance this year, up from 9th last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-5th-among-states-in-health-system-performance-this-year-up-from-9th-last-year/) - Connecticut’s health system performs better than all but four other states, according to the latest Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard. We are first in Healthy lives, up from sixth last year. Surprisingly, we also do very well on Access & Affordability (sixth) – it must be the access part. But we have a lot of work
- [2019 Connecticut legislative session – what happened and what didn’t happen](https://cthealthpolicy.org/2019-connecticut-legislative-session-what-happened-and-what-didnt-happen/) - Download the full report Connecticut’s General Assembly debated an unusually large number of health-related proposals this year. Some were new and some have been debated for years. Some passed, some were rejected, and some are on hold for next year. As of this writing, only the minimum wage increase bill has been signed into law
- [State budget deal restores coverage for 4,000 HUSKY parents, a move toward quality-based payments, and insurance protections](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-budget-deal-restores-coverage-for-4000-husky-parents-a-move-toward-quality-based-payments-and-insurance-protections/) - Policymakers have reached a $43 billion state budget deal to cover the next two fiscal years, on-time before the end of the session. For health policy folks, there is a lot to like in the deal but a few notes of caution. The best part is a partial restoration of HUSKY parents’ eligibility cuts from
- [Public option gone but good pieces remain](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-option-gone-but-good-pieces-remain/) - Negotiations over a public health insurance option in CT have broken down but other good parts of the deal remain. Reportedly, there is a budget agreement to restore HUSKY eligibility for some of the 11,000 working parents cut in 2016. DSS reports found that the large majority of the low-income parents cut from HUSKY were
- [YNHH transportation plan for controversial primary care shift troubling, concerns remain](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ynhh-transportation-plan-for-controversial-primary-care-shift-troubling-concerns-remain/) - Monday, Yale-New Haven Health System answered the state’s eighth set of questions about their controversial application with the Hill Health and Fairhaven Health Centers to move primary care for 25,000 mainly low-income New Haven area residents out of the current neighborhood sites to Long Wharf. Among many concerns voiced by patients, advocates and community leaders
- [CTNJ: Better Public Option Bill Looks to Bigger Picture](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-better-public-option-bill-looks-to-bigger-picture/) - Rising health insurance costs are crushing Connecticut families and small businesses. From 2008 to 2014 deductibles in our state rose 67% for families and 50% for small businesses. The Connecticut Option, Democrats’ newest public health insurance option bill, not only improves feasibility of the concept but also begins to address the foundations of rising health
- [CT needs to step up public health to keep people out of medical care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-needs-to-step-up-public-health-to-keep-people-out-of-medical-care/) - Connecticut ranks 29th among states in per person funding from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the Trust for America’s Health. Connecticut spent only $29 per person on public health in 2017, down from $31 in 2014. That would be fine if the risks to the public’s health were also decreasing,
- [CTNJ: AG expands generic drug price-fixing lawsuit](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-ag-expands-generic-drug-price-fixing-lawsuit/) - Friday, Connecticut’s Attorney General Tong and 43 other Attorneys General filed a federal lawsuit alleging that 20 generic drug manufacturers and 15 individuals conspired to inflate prices for 114 drugs that treat a multitude of conditions. The complaint outlines a broad, coordinated campaign across the industry to fix prices, allocate markets and rig bids. Price-fixing
- [Advocates offer recommendations for Medicaid shared savings future](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-offer-recommendations-for-medicaid-shared-savings-future/) - The first year of Connecticut Medicaid’s PCMH Plus experiment in shared savings was disappointing. The program cost the state at least $1.3 million extra tax dollars and quality did not improve compared to Medicaid members outside the program. Every Accountable Care Organization (ACO), regardless of savings or quality improvement, was rewarded with a payment. The
- [CT Healthcare Jobs Pay Very Well](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-healthcare-jobs-pay-very-well/) - Among the top 12 highest-earning Connecticut occupations last year, 11 are doctors, dentists or nurses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chief Executives is the only non-healthcare occupation to crack the top 12 list. Lowest paid healthcare workers included Personal care assistants (20th from the bottom) and Home health aides (28th from the bottom).
- [Comment open on leading healthcare value pricing methodology](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comment-open-on-leading-healthcare-value-pricing-methodology/) - The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is seeking public input on their methodology to their development of benchmark prices for tests, treatments, drugs and innovations based on their value. ICER, an independent non-profit research institute, is the key source for value-based assessments. Their reports are used by the VA, Medicare, Medicaid, commercial plans
- [Appropriations Committee passes their budget proposal -- Still mixed news, but better](https://cthealthpolicy.org/appropriations-committee-passes-their-budget-proposal-still-mixed-news-but-better/) - Tuesday, the Appropriations Committee passed their version of the 2019-2021 state budget on a party line vote. While they mainly agreed with the Governor’s proposal from February, they did improve in some areas. Good and better news – The committee agreed with the Governor not to cut eligibility for HUSKY parents or the Medicare Savings
- [For the Book Club: The Tyranny of Metrics](https://cthealthpolicy.org/for-the-book-club-the-tyranny-of-metrics/) - As the world moves toward data and analytics to evaluate progress (and it should), we need to be careful that the movement is meaningful. This must-read is full of cautionary tales, including a chapter on medicine, of mis-use of metrics to evaluate performance that ended up doing more harm than good and box-checking in place
- [Better, safer ideas to support primary care in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/better-safer-ideas-to-support-primary-care-in-connecticut/) - Download the report Primary care is the foundation of the health system. It is, or should be, patients’ first interaction with the healthcare system for non-urgent issues. There is strong evidence that care coordination linked to primary care practices, such as patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), foster improved health while lowering costs.[i] Areas with more primary
- [CTNJ op-ed – Advice From an Advocate to the Next Social Services Commissioner](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-advice-from-an-advocate-to-the-next-social-services-commissioner/) - Welcome, you have a big job ahead of you. Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) is a huge agency, spending $8.4 billion this year for programs that impact many lives. As a healthcare advocate who has spent decades trying to move your agency and your predecessors, with mixed results, you have a difficult job. Luckily
- [Practical Wisdom – The Right Way to Do the Right Thing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/practical-wisdom-the-right-way-to-do-the-right-thing/) - New to the Book Club Why do our institutions and systems, including healthcare, seem to be getting more complex and more costly but not better? This fascinating book argues that we have lost practical wisdom – the ability to balance the need for reasonable rules and standards with doing the right thing. The law of
- [More questions for YNHH about controversial primary care proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-questions-for-ynhh-about-controversial-primary-care-proposal/) - Yesterday, the state Office of Health Strategy sent their eighth set of questions about the controversial application of Yale-New Haven Health System and their community health center partners to move primary care for 28,500 mainly low-income New Haven area residents out of the current neighborhood sites to Long Wharf. Among others, critical concerns have been
- [YNHH answers latest questions about controversial primary care proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ynhh-answers-latest-questions-about-controversial-primary-care-proposal/) - Monday Yale-New Haven Health System and their community health center partners answered the latest set of questions from the state Office of Health Strategy (formerly OHCA) to their controversial plan to move primary care services for 28,000 low-income New Haven residents out of the current neighborhood sites to Log Wharf. Under the proposal, patients’ care
- [What We’re Reading](https://cthealthpolicy.org/what-were-reading/) - Pharma lobbyists flooded Maryland to block a drug-pricing bill. Opponents pushed back – and won. STAT – The story behind the story of how a group of consumer advocates and legislators were able to prevail over Pharma’s considerable resources to get a bill passed to push back on sky high drug prices and protect consumers
- [SIM primary care capitation proposal gets another tepid reception](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-primary-care-capitation-proposal-gets-another-tepid-reception/) - This week, SIM presented to the Healthcare Cabinet their proposal to capitate primary care, initially for Medicare members, but eventually for all state residents. The proposal is to move primary care to capitated “bundles” – one for basic primary care services and a voluntary, supplemental payment for expanded activities such as infrastructure and HIT and
- [PCMH+ update: discussions ongoing to fix problems](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-update-discussions-ongoing-to-fix-problems/) - At yesterday’s MAPOC Care Management Committee meeting, DSS and Mercer reported on their plans for PCMH+, the controversial shared savings Medicaid program. A workgroup has been meeting at DSS to drill down on what didn’t work. DSS has lobbied the Governor to include a new Wave 3 to update the current program in his budget
- [How Republican plans to replace the ACA could affect you](https://cthealthpolicy.org/how-republican-plans-to-replace-the-aca-could-affect-you/) - The Washington Post has published an online tool to predict how four Republican plans to replace Obamacare would affect you and your coverage. Input your age, income, pre-existing conditions, and coverage status hereand the tool uses expert analyses to predict the impact of the leading Republican proposals. While details on the new administration’s plans to
- [CT needs to monitor ACOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-needs-to-monitor-acos/) - Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are a growing part of CT’s healthcare landscape. But if you’ve never heard of them, you’re not alone. ACOs are large health systems run by providers, often including hospitals, doctors, home health, nursing homes, and other providers. It is estimated that 15 to 20% of CT residents have already been enrolled
- [CTNJ: ACOs may be the new HMOs, And they need a watchdog](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-acos-may-be-the-new-hmos-and-they-need-a-watchdog/) - Care for a growing number of Connecticut residents is being directed by an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and very few patients know it. Read more
- [What We’re Reading this week](https://cthealthpolicy.org/what-were-reading-this-week/) - Welcome to What We’re Reading -- our new feature at CT Health Notes. We’ll include links to background, updates and just entertaining pieces we found helpful this week. What We’re Reading is part of Advocate to Advocate, the CT Health Policy Project’s mission to expand policy capacity in our state’s advocacy community. More on that
- [Despite concerns, Medicaid buy-in study bill is voted out of committee](https://cthealthpolicy.org/despite-concerns-medicaid-buy-in-study-bill-is-voted-out-of-committee/) - While testimony supporting the concept has fallen since last year’s version, on a party-line vote the Human Services Committee voted out bill 7339, which creates a study of public health coverage options, specifically mentioning a Medicaid buy-in. While strongly affirming the need for affordable options, in public and written testimony advocates and others raised concerns
- [Controversial YNHH/clinic plan delayed over a year, deep concerns remain](https://cthealthpolicy.org/controversial-ynhh-clinic-plan-delayed-over-a-year-deep-concerns-remain/) - In response to questions from state regulators, YNHH announced that their controversial plan to shift care for 28,500 mainly low-income New Haven area residents to a new site, far from neighborhoods and to shift Medicaid billing for those patients to the two community health centers will be delayed until late Summer 2020. The delay allows
- [State poses more questions to YNHH over primary care plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-asks-poses-more-questions-to-ynhh-over-primary-care-plan/) - Yesterday, CT’s Office of Health Strategy asked Yale-New Haven Health System for more information about their controversial plan Yale New-Haven’s application to shift care for 28,500 mainly low-income New Haven area residents to a new site, far from neighborhoods and to shift Medicaid billing for those patients to the two community health centers. Information requested
- [CTNJ: Medicaid Buy-In Sounds Good But A Closer Look Finds Plenty of Risk, Little Potential](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-medicaid-buy-in-sounds-good-but-a-closer-look-finds-plenty-of-risk-little-potential/) - Insurance in Connecticut is expensive. Policymakers are desperately seeking options to provide relief for struggling families and employers. There are several good ideas floating around that could help, but the public option based on Medicaid is not one of them. Read more
- [Medicare penalizing fifteen CT hospitals for patient safety problems this year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicare-penalizing-fifteen-ct-hospitals-for-patient-safety-problems-this-year/) - This year, fifteen Connecticut hospitals will receive 1% less payment from Medicare because of infections and patient injures, according to Kaiser Health News. Nationally, 800 hospitals are penalized this year. Five of the CT fifteen in Connecticut are part of the 110 hospitals nationally that have been penalized every year for patient safety since 2015
- [Seven years later, Connecticut Medicaid still saving taxpayers money](https://cthealthpolicy.org/seven-years-later-connecticut-medicaid-still-saving-taxpayers-money/) - Download the report As with most health care in Connecticut, Medicaid spending was rising quickly before 2012 growing by almost half over the prior four years. But in 2012, Connecticut made a remarkable and unique move -- Medicaid switched from a capitated payment model using private insurers to a care coordination-focused, self-insured payment model. Since
- [Medicaid’s Care Management program is saving lives and money, but state paying twice and savings may be going to PCMH+ ACOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaids-care-management-program-is-saving-lives-and-money-but-state-paying-twice-and-savings-may-be-going-to-pcmh-acos/) - Last week, the Complex Care Committee of the Medicaid oversight council heard from CHNCT, the nonprofit that, among other things, administers our state’s Intensive Care Management (ICM) program. ICM is available to Medicaid members with complex health needs and, typically, high health costs. The ICM program includes regional teams providing comprehensive assessment and care planning,
- [Insurance Committee to hear prescription cost control bill tomorrow – it’s a good start](https://cthealthpolicy.org/insurance-committee-to-hear-prescription-cost-control-bill-tomorrow-its-a-good-start/) - Raised bill No. 7174 includes some important provisions that would help moderate drug prices and limit increases. The CT Health Policy Project supports them all but urges the Committee to go farther. Drug costs in Connecticut are out of control. We can’t wait for federal action. An array of substantial, bold measures at the state
- [CTNJ: Public Option Discussion Moves Forward](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-public-option-discussion-moves-forward/) - Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Yesterday, CT News Junkie’s second public policy forum at the Capitol explored the issue with policymakers and experts. Hear the discussion
- [Governor’s first budget proposal has plenty of good news, with a bit of wait-and-see news, and a bit of bad news](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governors-first-budget-proposal-has-plenty-of-good-news-with-a-bit-of-wait-and-see-news-and-a-bit-of-bad-news/) - The Lamont administration released their first budget today. In healthcare, it is mostly good news, but also some we’ll wait-and-see, and a bit of bad news. The good news: There are no cuts to HUSKY parents eligibility, no cuts to Medicaid Savings Program (mostly), and no plans to return to private insurers managed care. Let’s
- [CT Medicaid’s managed fee-for-service model saved $300 million last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaids-managed-fee-for-service-model-saved-300-million-last-year/) - Updated 2/19/2019 We got very good news on Medicaid spending, again, at last week’s MAPOC meeting. Per member costs were down 2% from 2016 to last year, even despite hospital rate increases, saving taxpayers $300 million. The state’s share of Medicaid has barely budged since 2014, despite huge enrollment increases. CT remains behind other states
- [Public Option Forum – high expectations, big challenges](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-option-forum-high-expectation-big-challenges/) - Legislators were warned that ideas that sound simple are rarely that easy at last week’s forum on building a public option to bring down CT’s high health insurance premiums. The forum by the Insurance and Human Services Committees brought in national experts to explore the concept. The idea is to create a non-profit, publicly-accountable insurance
- [CTNJ Public Policy Forum: Would a Public Option Help Connecticut?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-public-policy-forum-would-a-public-option-help-connecticut/) - The second CT News Junkie Public Policy Forum will be next Thursday, Feb. 21st at 10 am in Capitol Room 310. Connecticut healthcare insurance premiums are expensive, pricing out too many individuals and businesses. This session, lawmakers are considering whether to create a public insurance option, accountable to government, to bring down costs. Important questions
- [PCMH Plus Year 1 Performance and Savings Results: Increased state costs but little evidence of impact on quality](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-plus-year-1-performance-and-savings-results-increased-state-costs-but-little-evidence-of-impact-on-quality-or-lowering-costs/) - Read the full report This month, Connecticut Medicaid announced the first year performance of PCMH Plus[1], their controversial new shared savings program[2] compared to the prior year. Under shared savings, if health systems (ACOs) are able to lower the cost of their members’ care, they receive a bonus equal to half those savings. PCMH Plus
- [More concerns about YNHH, community health center plans for New Haven primary care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-concerns-about-ynhh-community-health-center-plans-for-new-haven-primary-care/) - Updated 11:30 am A letter from the City of New Haven’s Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities to the state and new Yale Daily News article and one from the New Haven Register highlight transportation issues with YNHH and the two city community health centers’ plans for primary care. Plans to use Uber to
- [State closes the record on risky YNHH, CHC plans for New Haven primary care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-closes-the-record-on-risky-ynhh-chc-plans-for-new-haven-primary-care/) - Friday, the Office of Health Strategy closed the record on Yale New-Haven’s application to shift care for 28,500 mainly low-income New Haven area residents to a new site, far from neighborhoods and to shift Medicaid billing for those patients to the two community health centers “for increased reimbursement through the FQHC enhanced Medicaid rate structure”
- [Mixed results from great study on Medicaid behavioral health interventions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/mixed-results-from-great-study-on-medicaid-behavioral-health-interventions/) - Yesterday’s MAPOC Complex Care Committee meeting focused on results of an adult high behavioral health need member initiative by Beacon, Medicaid’s behavioral health administrator. The program serves high utilizers of hospital services with behavioral health needs providing intensive care management by teams of clinicians and peer specialists. Medicaid members with high behavioral health needs were
- [Medicaid update: Quality improving but lots of work to do](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-quality-improving-but-lots-of-work-to-do/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on quality performance in the program. The good news – ED visits and readmissions continue dropping across the program, although community health centers’ performance remains a problemWell-child visit and lead screening rates are higher than the national averageRoutine care is increasing and inpatient care is decreasing The bad news --
- [Comments to DSS opposing increase in PCMH Plus funding for program that didn’t improve quality and increased state costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comments-to-dss-opposing-increase-in-pcmh-plus-funding-for-program-that-didnt-improve-quality-and-increased-state-costs/) - Read the full comments Thank you for this opportunity to oppose this amendment to add an additional $600,000 to the growing costs of PCMH Plus, the experimental new Medicaid shared savings program. The state cannot afford to spend more on this program that, in 2017 its first year, did not improve the quality of care
- [CTNJ policy series starts Jan. 16 with state budget](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-policy-series-starts-jan-16-with-state-budget/) - CT News Junkie is launching Let’s Talk, a new policy forum series, to explore complex challenges facing Connecticut. The series starts Wednesday, January 16th at 10am with The Squeeze is On: The Next State Budget. Revenue isn’t keeping up with past promises and tough challenges across issues will be hard to fix without resources. Panelists
- [Weak answers to state’s second set of questions about YNHH primary care plan for New Haven](https://cthealthpolicy.org/weak-answers-to-states-second-set-of-questions-about-ynhh-primary-care-plan-for-new-haven/) - Yesterday, Yale-New Haven submitted answers to the state’s second set of questions about their controversial plan to shift care for 28,500 mainly low-income people to a new site, far from neighborhoods. They also plan to shift Medicaid billing for those patients to New Haven’s two community health centers “for increased reimbursement through the FQHC enhanced
- [CTNJ: Public Health has a Free Rider Problem](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-public-health-has-a-free-rider-problem/) - Public health is the best deal on the planet. Connecticut spends only $29 per person, less than most states, on public health but $9,859 on healthcare services, more than most states. But Connecticut expects our under-funded public health system to solve this intractable health problem while all the savings go to the inefficient healthcare system
- [CT up to third healthiest state this year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-up-to-third-healthiest-state-this-year/) - According to America’s Health Ranking, Connecticut is the third healthiest state in the union this year, up from fifth last year. We are doing far better than our 13th ranking in 1992 but down from 2nd in 2008 and 2006. The ranking by the United Health Foundation has compared states on 34 health indicators since
- [New data mapping tool gives changes in uninsured rates by CT town](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-data-mapping-tool-gives-changes-in-uninsured-rates-by-ct-town/) - The CT Data Collaborative has entered new Census data into a mapping tool that gives, among other metrics, the percent of uninsured residents by town or Census tract over time. Two maps compare five-year uninsured rates by town/census tract from 2008-2012 to 2013 to 2017. The uninsured rate in most municipalities dropped between those time
- [YNHH, clinics respond to state questions on primary care plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ynhh-clinics-respond-to-state-questions-on-primary-care-plan/) - Yesterday Yale-New Haven Hospital responded to questions from the state prompted by community and advocate concerns at a recent public hearing about their controversial plans to shift primary care for 28,500 people. Technically patients at the new YNHH site would be attributed to the Fairhaven and Cornell Scott-Hill health centers for billing purposes but would
- [AccessHealthCT enrollment down in early numbers but 23% of CT uninsured could get bronze-level coverage with no premiums](https://cthealthpolicy.org/accesshealthct-enrollment-down-in-early-numbers-but-23-of-ct-uninsured-could-get-bronze-level-coverage-with-no-premiums/) - There are affordable coverage options available for many CT uninsured but they need to apply soon. An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 22,888, or 23% of uninsured CT residents qualify for $0 premiums with tax credits for 2019 bronze-level plans on our state’s exchange, AccessHealthCT. Many likely also qualify for significant relief
- [More press and a defense on YNHH, clinics plan for New Haven primary care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-press-and-a-defense-on-ynhh-clinics-plan-for-new-haven-primary-care/) - Both concerns and support were raised at the public hearing about the proposal to close Yale-New Haven’s primary care clinics, move patients and YNHH clinicians to a more distant site, but technically transfer 28,500 patients to the Fairhaven and Cornell Scott Hill health centers. CTHPP testified with concerns about potentially substantial new costs to the
- [ICER seeking new members of comparative effectiveness panel](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-seeking-new-members-of-comparative-effectiveness-panel/) - The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has opened nominations for their New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council. The council, one of three in the US, is composed of leading clinicians, patient and public representatives, methodologists, and health economists. The group meets three times each year to consider ICER effectiveness reports on the
- [Health Affairs: CHC, Inc. eConsult program saved on specialty care and improved access](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-affairs-chc-inc-econsult-program-saved-on-specialty-care-and-improved-access/) - This month’s Health Affairs includes a study on the effectiveness of eConsults for Medicaid members needing specialty care. Specialty referrals are rising, especially for Medicaid members, who often experience challenges getting that care. In response to this barrier for their patients, in 2011 Connecticut’s CHC, Inc. created a system to link primary and specialty care
- [CTNJ: Analysis – Clinic plan could hit state budget, raise patient costs, increase barriers to access](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-analysis-clinic-plan-could-hit-state-budget-raise-patient-costs-increase-barriers-to-access/) - Last week the state Office of Health Strategy held a public hearing on a plan to transfer 28,500 mostly Medicaid patients, now served by three Yale-New Haven (YNHH) neighborhood primary care clinics, to a new site on Long Wharf owned by YNHH. But in a twist that could cost the state millions, those patients will
- [Lamont transition health committee first meeting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/lamont-transition-health-committee-first-meeting/) - The Lamont transition policy committees held their first meeting in Willimantic yesterday. After public speeches, the committees began their work with a short public meeting and then moved into private meetings. The Health Committee is Co-Chaired by Jennifer Jackson, CEO of the CT Hospital Association, and Gerald Weiner, of Sussman, Duffy, Segaloff and a member
- [Advocates’ letter expands on SIM concerns about payment model risks](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-letter-expands-on-sim-concerns-about-payment-model-risks/) - A new letter signed by 21 CT consumer advocates to the SIM committee provides more clarity on previous concerns and raises others that have surfaced in the SIM draft plan. SIM is the state’s newest plan to radically reform health care delivery and payment across the entire state. Previous concerns, raised in our August letter
- [SIM responds to advocates’ Medicaid concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-responds-to-advocates-medicaid-concerns/) - Monday the Lieutenant Governor responded to a letter signed by independent advocates signed by twenty independent consumer advocates and providers raising concerns about SIM’s plans for Medicaid. In her letter, the Lieutenant Governor agreed that CT’s Medicaid program has become a national model of success, improving access to care, raising quality and controlling costs. Those achievements resulted
- [Public hearing on controversial YNHH primary care plan this week](https://cthealthpolicy.org/public-hearing-on-controversial-ynhh-primary-care-plan-this-week/) - The state Office of Health Strategy (formerly OHCA) will be holding a CON public hearing next Wednesday November 28th at 3pm at the Parish House at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, 150 Kimberly Ave., New Haven, CT 06519. Yale-New Haven Hospital, together with New Haven’s two community health centers, Fairhaven and Cornell Scott Hill Health
- [Disability advocates register serious concerns with SIM primary care capitation plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/disability-advocates-register-serious-concerns-with-sim-primary-care-capitation-plan/) - On Friday, thirty consumers and advocates for people with disabilities sent a letter to Vicki Veltri and Mark Schaefer, CT’s SIM officials, expressing their concerns with SIM’s proposal to capitate primary care for everyone in CT. The signers are concerned about the potential to deny needed care, especially for people with complex medical conditions. Capitation
- [PCMH+ quality reports surprisingly underwhelming](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-quality-reports-surprisingly-underwhelming/) - At the MAPOC and Care Management committee meetings we finally received the promised quality evaluation of PCMH +’s first year. PCMH+ is DSS’s experimental new payment program that now covers 165,432 HUSKY members. We only received information on the 13 mainly process measures. These measures were chosen as basis for shared savings payments, not for
- [CT hospitals report $1.6 billion in community benefits, but most of that is claims of Medicaid underpayment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospitals-report-1-6-billion-in-community-benefits-but-most-of-that-is-claims-of-medicaid-underpayment/) - Yesterday’s Healthcare Cabinet meeting focused on CT nonprofit hospital community benefit reports to the IRS. Last year, CT hospitals claimed $1.6 billion in community benefits, but over half of that (57%) are claims of Medicaid underpayment. Charity care provided to patients unable to pay for their services constituted 21% of total charity care; health professional
- [Advocates get no answers to questions about HUSKY experiment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-get-no-answers-to-questions-about-husky-experiment/) - Last month, a group of independent consumer advocates, the Medicaid Study Group, sent questions to DSS about the impact of PCMH Plus, their new $10.8 million experimental program of shared savings in HUSKY. Advocates have been concerned about PCMH Plus’s potential to deny needed care, raise costs in the program, and erase hard-won progress. Questions
- [Anthem keeps lion’s share of CT insurance market](https://cthealthpolicy.org/anthem-keeps-lions-share-of-ct-insurance-market/) - The best-kept secret in CT healthcare – the Insurance Department’s Consumer Report Card on Managed Care Plans – is out again this year covering 2017. Once again, Anthem has the lion’s share of the market at 46%. ConnectiCare lost almost 55,000 members between 2016 and 2017. About two out of three insured people in Connecticut
- [Employer health benefit costs hit lowest wage workers hardest](https://cthealthpolicy.org/employer-health-benefit-costs-hit-lowest-wage-workers-hardest/) - The latest Kaiser Employer Health Benefits Survey found that nationally last year premiums for employer-sponsored health benefits rose by 3% for single coverage and 5% for family coverage. In comparison, wages rose 2.6% and inflation was 2.5%. As in previous surveys, premiums were highest in the Northeast. But in a really unfair twist (which also
- [Medicaid update: LTSS working to keep people out of nursing homes, hospitals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-ltss-working-to-keep-people-out-of-nursing-homes-hospitals/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on rebalancing long term services and supports allowing more members to stay at home, if they choose, and improve quality of life. Recipients of LTSS services comprise 6% of Medicaid members but 43% of costs. On average community-based care is less costly. The comprehensive strategy that began with a 2013
- [CTNJ: CT uninsured rate up, especially for higher income households](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-ct-uninsured-rate-up-especially-for-higher-income-households/) - New Census data on the uninsured is always a big event for policy types. This year most expected the numbers to rise, but the data had a surprise. Read more
- [Another reason to be glad HUSKY fired managed care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/another-reason-to-be-glad-husky-fired-managed-care/) - New favorite quote – “If you have a dumb incentive system, you get dumb outcomes.” Charlie Munger, quoted by 46brooklyn A new analysis by 46brooklyn highlights the extra costs to Medicaid managed care programs of drug industry middlemen. Ohio’s Medicaid program pays $224 extra in markups to Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) hired by managed care
- [CT hospital readmission penalties up for next year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-readmission-penalties-up-for-next-year/) - Next year, Medicare will penalize CT hospitals by an average of 0.74% in readmission penalties and all CT hospitals will pay a penalty, according to an analysis by Kaiser Health News. Nationally hospital penalties averaged less at 0.57%, and 574 US hospitals will have no penalty. Since 2012 hospitals have been penalized if they have
- [Medicaid update: Enrollment numbers coming finally, highlighting progress](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-enrollment-numbers-coming-finally-highlighting-progress/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on enrollment numbers and reviewing achievements in the program. DSS outlined challenges that have delayed reporting enrollment numbers for two years and their new system for reporting the numbers. Rather than getting enrollment reports on paper as in the past, DSS is posting the data on CT Open Data. Visitors
- [Connecticut’s uninsured rate up, reversing four-year trend](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticuts-uninsured-rate-up-reversing-four-year-trend/) - New numbers from the US Census Bureau report that 194,000 or 5.5% of Connecticut residents were uninsured last year. That number is up 22,000 from the year before when the uninsured rate was 4.9%. The new data breaks a trend of fewer uninsured that began with implementation of coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act
- [CT uninsured numbers up breaking four year trend](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-uninsured-numbers-up-breaking-four-year-trend/) - The US Census estimates that last year 194,000 CT residents, 5.5% of us, were uninsured according to data released today. That is up 22,000 and 4.9% from the previous year’s estimate. This mirrors national trends with 715,000 more uninsured Americans last year than in 2016. Unfortunately CT lost more ground from 2016 to 2017, with
- [CTNJ op-ed: Health disparities are real and new payment schemes are probably making them worse](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-health-disparities-are-real-and-new-payment-schemes-are-probably-making-them-worse/) - Connecticut is a very healthy place; we rank fifth healthiest among states. But not all state residents share in that good fortune; too many suffer from health inequities. Very good people across the state are doing important work promoting better health for everyone. However some emerging policies, both government and private sector, are working at
- [CT excels at getting Medicaid-eligible families enrolled](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-excels-at-getting-medicaid-eligible-families-enrolled/) - A new study finds that 96.3% of CT children eligible for HUSKY participated in the program in 2016; we are tied for seventh among states. The US average is 93.7% for all states; 94.9% for states, like CT, that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Even better, CT ranks fourth among states in enrolling
- [Lidocaine patch leads CT Medicaid drug spending](https://cthealthpolicy.org/lidocaine-patch-leads-ct-medicaid-drug-spending/) - According to the latest data visualization from 46brooklyn, CT’s Medicaid program is spending a lot on lidocaine patches. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that relieves nerve pain. Over the last three available quarters (Q3,4 2017 and Q1 2018), Lidocaine patches have topped CT Medicaid’s list of 25 most costly medications. This medication isn’t on the
- [Independent advocates raise SIM concerns with CMMI](https://cthealthpolicy.org/independent-advocates-raise-sim-concerns-with-cmmi/) - Twenty-two independent consumer advocates signed a letter sent Friday to CMMI voicing concerns about CT’s SIM application. While advocates have many concerns, the letter focuses on the sudden planned shift to shared savings payments in Medicaid. Concerns include the prospect that shared savings incentives could drive inappropriate underservice and that state’s quality and financial monitoring resources
- [Rash of New Haven overdoses the latest in a growing CT problem](https://cthealthpolicy.org/rash-of-new-haven-overdoses-the-latest-in-a-growing-ct-problem/) - The New Haven Register is reporting that there’ve been 80 overdoses on the Green in the last two days. Two patients overdosed three times each Wednesday. It was ongoing earlier this afternoon. DPH delivered 50 more doses of naloxone to city first responders and is facilitating communications between city agencies. DMHAS has engaged mental health
- [No CT hospitals make US News 2018 Honor Roll](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-ct-hospitals-make-us-news-2018-honor-roll/) - No Connecticut hospital made US News’s Best Hospitals Honor Roll or their Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll this year. Four are nationally ranked in at least one specialty or performance area – Yale-New Haven (#1 in CT), Hartford Hospital (#2), St. Francis (#3) and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. US News ranks hospitals based on patient
- [Good news – FDA committee reviewing lots more antibiotics](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-news-fda-committee-reviewing-lots-more-antibiotics/) - The best news from this week’s FDA Anti-Microbial Advisory Committee meeting was that there are a lot of meetings. A busy committee means that they have more antibiotics to review. The race against drug-resistant superbugs has reduced incentives for drug companies to develop antibiotics. These drugs cost as much to develop as others but are
- [CTNJ: Capitation vs. fee for service: Which team are you on?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-capitation-vs-fee-for-service-which-team-are-you-on/) - is a sharp divide within Connecticut’s healthcare community over how to pay for care that’s as fervent as the Yankees vs. Red Sox split. Some believe that capitation is the holy grail, but others believe that fee for service isn’t the problem and isn’t broken. Read more
- [New site compares Medicaid drug prices across states and overall drug price trends](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-site-compares-medicaid-drug-prices-across-states-and-overall-drug-price-trends/) - There is a lot of drug pricing data available publicly but it is hard to synthesize. 46brooklyn has solved this problem by merging that data and putting it into understandable graphs and maps. The Medicaid drug pricing heat map is fascinating. Using CMS data to compare what state Medicaid programs are spending on prescriptions with
- [Connecticut Medicare ACOs overspent by $45 million in 2016](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-medicare-acos-overspent-by-45-million-in-2016/) - Data from CMS show that in 2016 Connecticut’s Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) together spent $45 million more on care for Medicare beneficiaries above risk-adjusted benchmark spending levels. ACOs are networks of providers across the continuum that coordinate care for people and receive a share of the savings they generate. All of Connecticut’s Medicare ACOs only
- [Two thirds of CT residents prioritize healthcare for their vote](https://cthealthpolicy.org/two-thirds-of-ct-residents-prioritize-healthcare-for-their-vote/) - The newest survey by InformCT found that 63% of state residents cited healthcare as the leading issue in their vote for CT’s next Governor. In Congressional races, healthcare was cited as the most important by 67% and by 65% for choosing between state House and Senate candidates. Healthcare was cited at virtually the same priority
- [CT one of only four states that require Medigap plans to cover members when they need it](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-one-of-only-four-states-that-require-medigap-plans-to-cover-members/) - In all but four states, including CT, seniors on Medicare can be denied Medigap coverage at anytime according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Federal law only requires a one-time, six-month Medigap plan open enrollment period that begins when beneficiaries originally sign up for Medicare. But states can go farther to protect
- [State individual mandate law would lower uninsured by 88,000 and premiums by 10%](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-individual-mandate-law-would-lower-uninsured-by-88000-and-premiums-by-10/) - A new analysis by the Commonwealth Fund estimates the impact if states passed their own individual mandate laws, similar to Massachusetts’ law that predated the ACA. According to researchers, by 2020 CT could expect our uninsured rate to drop by 34% with 88,000 more state residents having coverage. Most would gain coverage through Medicaid/CHIP (33,000)
- [31 ways to save on healthcare in Connecticut’s budget](https://cthealthpolicy.org/31-ways-to-save-on-healthcare-in-connecticuts-budget/) - Connecticut’s state budget is facing future deficits and health spending is a large share of the budget. The state now spends $3.8 billion between Medicaid and the state employee health plan to cover about a million state residents. Health care spending outside the state budget is also growing. Connecticut has the sixth highest per capita
- [Medicaid update: hints of new data and promises of more, call center wait times still long, but behavioral health progress](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-hints-of-new-data-and-promises-of-more-call-center-wait-times-still-long-but-behavioral-health-progress/) - There was good and bad news at Friday’s Medicaid council meeting. Call center wait times are down to 85 minutes but more callers are giving up. There are signs of hope in fixing the new transportation problem and DSS has imposed sanctions (maybe a connection there), but concerns remain. But in good news, we heard
- [CTNJ op-ed -- Facts, and data, are stubborn things](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-facts-and-data-are-stubborn-things/) - Big data is revolutionizing healthcare. The ability to collect reams of detailed information about how care is provided, how much it costs, and then to link that back to effectiveness and outcomes is powerful. New data tools offer the potential to improve individual and collective decision-making that targets just the right resources to the right
- [Summer reading -- What the Eyes Don’t See](https://cthealthpolicy.org/summer-reading-what-the-eyes-dont-see/) - To save money in 2014 the state of Michigan switched Flint’s drinking water supply, with disastrous consequences. The latest addition to the CT Health Policy Project Book Club, What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, follows her journey as a pediatrician with a conscience fighting the state to protect Flint’s kids. Not an
- [Last year CT physicians and teaching hospitals received $34 million from manufacturers and GPOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/last-year-ct-physicians-and-teaching-hospitals-received-34-million-from-manufacturers-and-gpos/) - New data shows that 21 teaching hospitals and 13,310 physicians in CT received $34 million in payments and gifts from drug and device manufacturers and Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) last year. Open Payments, the searchable federal data source, was created by the Affordable Care Act which requires that manufacturers disclose payments to physicians and teaching
- [Summer reading: CT Medicine special issue highlights HIT in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/summer-reading-ct-medicine-special-issue-highlights-hit-in-ct/) - The latest issue of CT Medicine, the CT State Medical Society’s peer reviewed journal, focuses on the great potential of Health Information Technology (HIT) to improve healthcare delivery, safety and building a learning system in our state. But it also highlights the substantial HIT challenges facing CT and stresses on physicians. The issue includes articles
- [ICER to report on unjustified drug price increases](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icer-to-report-on-unjustified-drug-price-increases/) - Early next year, the nonprofit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) will issue its first report on US drug price increases that are not supported by clinical evidence. ICER is a leader in assessing the value of medical treatments, including medications. ICER’s benchmark price ranges for new drugs have been used by Medicaid programs,
- [Most CT uninsured qualify for ACA coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/most-ct-uninsured-qualify-for-aca-coverage/) - Almost two in three uninsured CT residents qualifies for either Medicaid or tax credits through Access Health CT, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. While the uninsured rate dropped by half after implementation of the Affordable Care Act, 217,000 CT residents remained uninsured in 2016. Of those 63,000 (29%) were eligible
- [Census data finds CT uninsured rate dropping and a few other things](https://cthealthpolicy.org/census-data-finds-ct-uninsured-rate-dropping-and-a-few-other-things/) - New data from the US Census finds that the number of CT uninsured was down last year to 172,000, a drop of almost half from 2013. The gains are largely due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansions of Medicaid and insurance subsidies. The data also highlight the opposite impact of the recession. While employer-sponsored
- [WNPR's Where We Live focuses on skyrocketing prescription costs, ACA protections at risk](https://cthealthpolicy.org/wnprs-where-we-live-focuses-on-skyrocketing-prescription-costs-aca-protections-at-risk/) - Yesterday, WNPR’s Where We Live, “Sick of the Cost of Prescription Drugs?”, drilled down into the rising costs of prescription drugs that are squeezing out other priorities and on Trump administration ACA policies that jeopardize coverage for people with preexisiting conditions and raise premiums for everyone. Guests included US Senator Chris Murphy, State Rep. Sean
- [Medicaid update: Quality was rising through 2016, raising concerns about PCMH+](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-quality-was-rising-through-2016-raising-concerns-about-pcmh/) - Friday’s MAPOC meeting focused on Medicaid quality and access information from CHNCT, DSS’s administrative contractor for the program. Across the 12 (of over 100) quality measures chosen, there was modest but sustained improvement from 2014 through 2016. However community health center performance consistently lags behind other PMCH practices across the quality measures. Of particular concern
- [CT suicide rate up, but it could be worse](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-suicide-rate-up-but-it-could-be-worse/) - The national suicide rate grew by 25% from 1999 to 2016 while CT’s rate grew by 19.2% over those years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicides in CT are more than three times higher for men and 31% higher for whites. Over half of Americans who died by suicide did
- [CT and surrounding states provide better than average quality care to Medicaid members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-and-surrounding-states-provide-better-than-average-quality-care-to-medicaid-members/) - CMS has published a new Medicaid/CHIP scorecard to promote accountability and transparency in states’ programs. The site allows comparisons of state enrollment, eligibility, and access to relevant documents (state plan amendments and waivers) and expenditures. Most interesting is comparisons by state across adult and child health quality metrics for 2016. Like our neighboring states, CT
- [Rest of US catching up with CT – Medicaid managed care doesn’t work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/rest-of-us-catching-up-with-ct-medicaid-managed-care-doesnt-work/) - Two Health Affairs blog posts highlight the disappointments states are having with their capitated Medicaid managed care programs. Managed care across the US is growing fast, making big profits for private insurance companies, promising improved health outcomes and lowering costs. But CT found exactly the opposite effect when we shifted away from capitated managed care
- [PCMH+ update – DSS still plowing ahead despite lack of monitoring or evaluation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-update-dss-still-plowing-ahead-despite-lack-of-monitoring-or-evaluation/) - Despite DSS’s declaration that Wave 1 of PCMH Plus is a “substantial success”, there was nothing meaningful to support that view at MAPOC’s Care Management Committee meeting last week. Lacking information, DSS has rushed ahead anyway to significantly expand the program by 174%, raising enrollment from 66,325 to 181,902 this month. PCMH Plus is DSS’s
- [CTNJ: Healthcare questions for Connecticut’s Next Governor](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-healthcare-questions-for-connecticuts-next-governor/) - How will Connecticut’s next governor fix the state’s healthcare system? It’s a big job but they will have a lot more leverage and power than many appreciate. Read more
- [Advocates’ letter urges delay of SIM plans for Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-letter-urges-delay-of-sim-plans-for-medicaid/) - Fifteen independent advocates sent a letter to the administration yesterday expressing deep concerns with SIM’s Community and Clinical Integration Plan (CCIP) for Medicaid. Advocates are concerned that CCIP will undermine hard-won progress in our state’s Medicaid program that has improved access to high quality care while controlling costs. In contrast to successful programs in other states, SIM
- [Updated data from DSS call center – wait times are 107 and 105 minutes, not 2 minutes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-data-from-dss-call-center-wait-times-are-107-and-105-minutes-not-2-minutes/) - In response to a Freedom of Information request, advocates learned last week that 56% of callers waiting to talk to a human at DSS’s benefits center chose to hang up in both March and April of this year. That’s probably because average wait times for the benefits center were 107 and 105 minutes, in March
- [February 2017 - Connecticut hangs onto a C+ this year for health reform Mistrust is serious and pervasive](https://cthealthpolicy.org/february-2017-connecticut-hangs-onto-a-c-this-year-for-health-reform-mistrust-is-serious-and-pervasive/) - Connecticut health care thought leaders again gave our state a C+ grade for health reform last month, but our GPA dropped from 2.4 to 2.2. Connecticut’s grade for effort didn’t change from last year still at a B-/C+ (GPA 2.5) in this survey. Connecticut continues to earn higher marks for Medicaid and the health insurance
- [ACA Medicaid expansion benefits to CT include fewer uninsured, lower ED use, access to behavioral healthcare](https://cthealthpolicy.org/aca-medicaid-expansion-benefits-to-ct-include-fewer-uninsured-lower-ed-use-access-to-behavioral-healthcare/) - A new analysis by the CT Health Foundation outlines the “unqualified success” of CT’s HUSKY expansion. In 2010 CT was the first state to exercise the Affordable Care Act option to expand Medicaid to low income, childless adults, labelling the new population HUSKY Part D. The expansion was largely responsible for cutting CT’s uninsured rate
- [Medicaid missing data concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-missing-data-concerns/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on concerns with Veyo, the state’s new transportation contractor, and DSS operations performance, especially ongoing call center problems. Unfortunately, we are getting even less data than in the past. Veyo’s presentation did little to counter the landslide of complaints from consumers and providers about the transportation system and missing data
- [Working parents can keep HUSKY coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/working-parents-can-keep-husky-coverage/) - The consensus state budget passed late yesterday includes full restoration of eligibility for current HUSKY parents. Over 13,000 working parents with incomes up to 155% of the federal poverty level ($32,209 this year) will keep coverage under the HUSKY program. Also in the budget is funding to cover out-of-pocket health costs for low income seniors
- [Medicaid Study Group recommendations to preserve, build on Medicaid success](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-study-group-recommendations-to-preserve-build-on-medicaid-success/) - Actions to protect Medicaid success long-term Connecticut Medicaid Study Group Since moving away from capitated managed care plans in 2012, Connecticut’s Medicaid program has enjoyed enormous success. Per capita spending is actually down, saving hundreds of millions of tax dollars every year, and making Connecticut the best performing state in the US at controlling costs.
- [Advocates’ guide to underservice recommendations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-guide-to-underservice-recommendations/) - Connecticut’s State Innovation Model (SIM) is seeking to radically transform our state’s $30 billion health system by aligning incentives to build value. SIM has chosen a shared savings payment model for those reforms. Advocates are concerned about incentives to deny necessary care under the new payment model, as happened in the past. SIM’s Equity and
- [Busting Medicaid spending myths](https://cthealthpolicy.org/busting-medicaid-spending-myths/) - Despite best efforts by legislators, advocates, and state officials, persistent myths remain about the success of Connecticut’s Medicaid program. It’s understandable – before the shift five years ago away from private insurers to care coordination, costs were out of control, but things are very different now. We’ve looked under the hood, drilled down into details,
- [Calls needed to save healthcare for 13,000 working parents](https://cthealthpolicy.org/calls-needed-to-save-healthcare-for-13000-working-parents/) - Unless legislators act soon, 13,000 working parents will lose HUSKY coverage this coming January 1st. Sally Grossman, one of those parents with two small children, runs her own house painting business. According to Sally, “Every year I do a little better. But if I earn over $28,000, I lose my health insurance.” Click here for
- [State Scorecard finds CT does fairly well, but poorly in Avoidable Hospital Use and Cost](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-scorecard-finds-ct-does-fairly-well-but-poorly-in-avoidable-hospital-use-and-cost/) - The latest Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard finds CT’s performance across our health system ninth among states, unchanged from last year. While good, we can do much better given our rankings in personal income, education and overall high health status. We are 32nd among states in Avoidable Hospital Use and Costs, down by three from last
- [NY medical home provides impressive, efficient care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ny-medical-home-provides-impressive-efficient-care/) - Yesterday I visited the Queens-Long Island Medical Group office in Flushing, NY. The office is the first NCQA-accredited patient centered medical home in the US. Flushing is a colorful, bustling community; 70% of community residents are Asian. Despite the swine flu outbreak, the office was quiet and calm as it was on my first visit
- [Births to very young girls declining, CT rate low but towns vary](https://cthealthpolicy.org/births-to-very-young-girls-declining-ct-rate-low-but-towns-vary/) - A new CDC analysis finds that births to girls ages 10 to 14 reached a record low in 2015 and 2016 at 0.2 per 1,000 population. CT was among 8 states with the lowest rate; Mississippi was highest at 0.7 per 1,000. DPH’s vital statistics reported 15 births to CT girls under age 15 in
- [Health Policy undergrad class resources online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-policy-undergrad-class-resources-online/) - The most recent slides, assignments, and syllabus, including reading list, for an undergraduate course in health policy are online. There is no required text for the class, but lots of readings. The course focuses on Connecticut health policy and is required of Public Health majors at Southern CT State University as a designated writing class.
- [CT News Junkie: What does it take to stop repeating a bad idea?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-news-junkie-what-does-it-take-to-stop-repeating-a-bad-idea/) - Albert Einstein believed the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. Unfortunately, Connecticut policymakers haven’t learned this lesson. Provider financial risk is a bad idea that has failed both in our state and nationally. Read more
- [Thirty-one independent consumer advocates share concerns with SIM’s latest push for capitation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thirty-one-independent-consumer-advocates-share-concerns-with-sims-latest-push-for-capitation/) - Despite the historic failures of capitation in Connecticut and beyond, our state’s SIM health planning office is continuing the drumbeat to re-impose the risky system across our state, this time for primary care. In Primary Care Payment Reform: Unlocking the Potential of Primary Care, the SIM office is proposing set payments for primary care providers
- [CT life expectancy rising, but risks vary](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-life-expectancy-rising-but-risks-vary/) - A comprehensive, new analysis of public health outcomes, risks, and causes by state published in JAMA finds that life expectancy for CT residents rose from 77 years in 1990 to 80.8 year in 2016. Healthy life expectancy (maybe more important) also rose from 66.5 years to 69 years. States varied widely in the burden of
- [Smart CT Medicaid smoking cessation coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/smart-ct-medicaid-smoking-cessation-coverage/) - A new CDC analysis finds that CT’s Medicaid program is among the most progressive in covering smoking cessation treatments. Medicaid members are twice as likely to smoke as other Americans. Smoking-related treatment costs US Medicaid programs about $39 billion annually, so effective tools to quit are a smart investment for states. Despite improvements, most states’
- [CTNJ op-ed: Connecticut should be careful building a public insurance option through Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-connecticut-should-be-careful-building-a-public-insurance-option-through-medicaid/) - Health insurance is too expensive in Connecticut and it may get worse with troubling new federal policies. But one proposed state solution isn’t as simple as it sounds. Read more
- [CT exchange premiums up this year, but similar to other states and still too high](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-exchange-premiums-up-this-year-but-similar-to-other-states-and-still-too-high/) - There have been national reports of extreme increases for this year in health insurance exchange premiums, largely due to Trump administration policies. Not surprisingly, a new analysis by the Urban Institute for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation finds that states with more competition among insurers and more options for consumers have the lowest premiums. Connecticut’s
- [Book Club -- Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/book-club-lost-connections-uncovering-the-real-causes-of-depression-and-the-unexpected-solutions/) - For the Book Club-- Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions By Johann Hari, 2018 Depression and anxiety are becoming growing epidemic across the globe. This fascinating book by a sufferer explores the medicalization of the illnesses and over-reliance on drugs as a solution. Instead he explores social causes related
- [SIM decision to use national PCMH standards affirmed – again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-decision-to-use-national-pcmh-standards-affirmed-again/) - At last night’s SIM Practice Transformation committee meeting, consumer advocates were able to halt erosion of national standards for patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). Following research and best practices and resisting misinformation, in June the committee voted to use nationally recognized NCQA standards for PCMHs in SIM. NCQA-recognized PCMHs are the foundation of CT Medicaid’s remarkable
- [PCCM could save HUSKY more than $100 million over HMOs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pccm-could-save-husky-more-than-100-million-over-hmos/) - An analysis by the CT Health Policy Project estimates that it will cost the state $113 million more annually to moving HUSKY families to HMOs than to Primary Care Case Management (PCCM). PCCM is a way of running HUSKY without HMOs, by creating “medical homes” to coordinate care. PCCM has been successful in thirty other states
- [SIM update: PCMH standards affirmed but rushing into a radical Medicaid payment change](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-update-pcmh-standards-affirmed-but-rushing-into-a-radical-medicaid-payment-change/) - The good news: At yesterday’s meeting the SIM steering committee voted to accept their workgroup’s recommendation to use NCQA national standards, with some CT-specific additions, as the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) standard for the SIM glide path program. SIM will work with NCQA to develop the additional standards, possibly to include oral and behavioral health
- [Alert: CMS seeking public comment on new informed consent payment proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/alert-cms-seeking-public-comment-on-new-informed-consent-payment-proposal/) - Some good news -- th. Click here for more info, links to the proposed rule and the measure specifics, a customizable template for comments, and directions on how to submit comments. There is an exciting new opportunity to support patient-centered care and make a meaningful impact on the quality of care in hospitals across the
- [Why an individual mandate won’t work in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/why-an-individual-mandate-wont-work-in-ct/) - A new paper by the CT Health Policy Project outlines why an individual mandate, a law requiring every state resident to purchase health coverage won’t work. (For the shorter issue brief, click here.) Mandates are no guarantee of compliance; CT requires drivers to have auto insurance but 12% of drivers are uninsured. Unreimbursed care for
- [Vote for your favorite among three current proposals to cover CT’s uninsured](https://cthealthpolicy.org/vote-for-your-favorite-among-three-current-proposals-to-cover-cts-uninsured/) - Three proposals have been made by the Governor and legislative leadership to cover CT’s uninsured. Currently, the Governor’s charter Oak plan is ahead in on-line voting. For more information on the options, click here . Go to our on-line poll to vote for your favorite or suggest your own idea http://www.cthealthpolicy.org/surveys/200712/.
- [New Census numbers find uninsured largely unchanged in CT; many more buying insurance directly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-census-numbers-find-uninsured-largely-unchanged-in-ct-many-more-buying-insurance-directly/) - In 2007, there were 326,000 uninsured CT residents, or one in eleven of us had no coverage – not significantly different from the 2006 numbers according to Census numbers released today. We had a good decrease in uninsured from 2005 to 2006 which has been stable. CT has the eighth best (lowest) uninsured rate in
- [Uninsured up 17,000 in CT last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/uninsured-up-17000-in-ct-last-year/) - The new Census figures on health insurance released today show that CT’s uninsured rate was up to 10% last year. 343,000 state residents were without insurance, including 44,000 children. The really stunning finding is that private employer-based coverage was down by 107,000. Thankfully government coverage picked up more people, about evenly split between Medicaid and
- [Danbury and Windham county lead the state in uninsured rates; large variability between CT cities and counties](https://cthealthpolicy.org/danbury-and-windham-county-lead-the-state-in-uninsured-rates-large-variability-between-ct-cities-and-counties/) - A new report from the US Census finds that at 14% of residents uninsured, Danbury led CT municipal areas last year. Danbury’s rate was 60% higher than the Hartford area at 8.6%. Both the Hartford and New Haven municipal areas were below the state average of 10.2%. Among counties, Windham led the state at 14.1%,
- [CT uninsured rate up to 12%](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-uninsured-rate-up-to-12/) - The Census is reporting that CT’s uninsured rate rose from 10% in 2008 to 12% in 2009, an increase of 43,000 residents without coverage. Employer sponsored coverage levels held steady despite rising unemployment, possibly because of generous federal COBRA subsidies. While Medicaid numbers dropped during the study period, HUSKY enrollment grew and has grown faster
- [CT uninsured rates vary significantly by geography, income, race/ethnicity and citizenship](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-uninsured-rates-vary-significantly-by-geography-income-race-ethnicity-and-citizenship/) - New numbers from the Census find that last year minorities in CT were more likely to be uninsured, but not being a citizen raised your risk by more than four fold. CT residents with household incomes between $25,000 and $50,000 were most likely to be without coverage. Fairfield County led the state with 11% uninsured;
- [CTHPP brief: One in ten CT residents still uninsured last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cthpp-brief-one-in-ten-ct-residents-still-uninsured-last-year/) - Results of two new Census surveys found that the 2011 uninsured brief. The number of uninsured in CT is higher than the populations of five counties and exceeds the total populations of Hartford PLUS New Britain PLUS Stamford. Not surprisingly, Black, Hispanic and lower income state residents were more likely to be uninsured, but noncitizens
- [CT drops back to a C on health reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-drops-back-to-a-c-on-health-reform/) - This month Connecticut health care thought leaders gave our state a C on health reform, erasing the C+ bump in last month’s survey. Connecticut also earned a C for effort. Patient-centered medical homes join Medicaid as the bright spots, earning a B and C+, respectively. Medicaid is the only area that received any A grades
- [CT still earns a C+ on reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-still-earns-a-c-on-reform/) - Connecticut health care thought leaders give our state a C+ on health reform again this winter; grades have varied between C and C+ over the last year. Connecticut also again earned a C+ for effort in this survey. Among issue areas only Medicaid improved since last Fall. Five areas lost ground particularly health information technology
- [Connecticut back to a C on health reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-back-to-a-c-on-health-reform/) - Connecticut health care thought leaders give our state a C on health reform again this winter; down from a C+ earlier this year. Connecticut maintained our C+ for effort in this survey. Among issue areas only Medicaid improved again. Connecticut lost ground on the health insurance exchange, health insurance market reform, and public education. The overwhelming
- [Thoughtleaders give CT health reform a C+ again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thoughtleaders-give-ct-health-reform-a-c-again/) - In the first survey since the Affordable Care Act’s coverage expansions became effective, state health thoughtleaders’ perception of our state’s progress hasn’t changed much. CT again earned a C+ on health reform, and interestingly a somewhat lower C grade for effort in the latest survey. Among issue areas, CT continues to earn better marks for
- [Thoughtleaders give CT a B-/C+ on health reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thoughtleaders-give-ct-a-b-c-on-health-reform/) - In the latest survey, CT health care thought leaders give our state a B-/C+ grade on health reform, little changed from last year’s survey. CT’s grade for effort rose to a B- in this survey. Higher marks go to patient-centered medical homes and the health insurance exchange. Payment reform/quality improvement scored lowest. CT’s performance on
- [Thoughtleaders give CT a C+ on health reform this year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thoughtleaders-give-ct-a-c-on-health-reform-this-year/) - In the latest survey, CT health care thought leaders give our state a C+ grade on health reform, down from last year’s survey. CT’s grade for effort also dropped to a B-/C+ in this survey. Higher marks go to the health insurance exchange, Medicaid, and patient-centered medical homes, as for last year. Payment reform/quality improvement
- [Thoughtleaders give CT reform a C+, again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/thoughtleaders-give-ct-reform-a-c-again/) - CT thoughtleaders gave our state a C+ grade in health reform again this month in the CT Health Reform Thoughtleaders Survey. CT’s reform efforts have not varied much over the last four months, earning a C or C+ in each Thoughtleader Survey. CT also earned a C+ for effort this month, as in the past.
- [Mistrust in Connecticut health policymaking - Thoughtleaders, public weigh in on the problem and propose solutions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/mistrust-in-connecticut-health-policymaking-thoughtleaders-public-weigh-in-on-the-problem-and-propose-solutions/) - Connecticut health policymaking has trust issues. This year Connecticut health thoughtleaders rated trust among stakeholders at only 26 out of 100 possible points, with zero to ten being the most common response. Low trust scores were found in every stakeholder group. Research confirms that trust is an essential foundation to governing and reform; without it
- [CT Insurance Exchange standard plan proposal too expensive for consumers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-insurance-exchange-standard-plan-proposal-too-expensive-for-consumers/) - The draft standard plan proposal for the CT Health Insurance Exchange includes copays of $40 to $45 for a physician visit (CT 2011 average $23.79), $150 ER copays, and deductibles up to $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for families (CT 2011 average $1,331 and $2,500 respectively). Better, more affordable plans are currently available in CT
- [SIM update – good news but new concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-update-good-news-but-new-concerns/) - Last week’s SIM steering committee included some good news but new concerns. Based on public comment from independent advocatessupporting national standards for patient-centered medical homes and urging SIM to reconsider their decision to create a CT-specific standard, wasting time and resources to fix something that is not broken and working well. In response, the committee
- [Medicaid Council voices concerns about new SIM proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-council-voices-concerns-about-new-sim-proposal/) - In a special meeting yesterday, the majority of Medicaid Council members voiced concerns about the rushed, new SIM proposal for Medicaid. Legislators compared the new proposal to the failed HUSKY HMO proposal 20 years ago and made it clear that they are concerned about “going back down that road”. Concerns included the application’s aggressive pace of
- [SIM comments on financial incentives, consumer surveys](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-comments-on-financial-incentives-consumer-surveys/) - SIM has started floating their proposals to implement health care reform in CT and #2in particular is troubling for consumers. One proposal offered as a financing option by SIM staff would replace advanced payments for new, effective services such as care coordination and medication management with shared savings payments. This could create unfortunate incentives to
- [Advocates meeting with SIM staff](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-meeting-with-sim-staff/) - Yesterday’s meeting with advocates called by SIM staff included some good news but more challenges focusing on process over content. Advocates were encouraged that the SIM planners are now interested in getting input from both “real” consumers, especially from under-served populations, and from professional, independent advocates who follow complex policy proposals on behalf of Connecticut
- [SIM proposal draft – no commitment to deny payment to providers who deny care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-proposal-draft-no-commitment-to-deny-payment-to-providers-who-deny-care/) - During yesterday’s meeting, SIM leaders posted their first draft online of the administration’s plan to reform health care in CT. SIM is designed to radically transform how health care is delivered and paid for in our state across all payers – Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, self-insured employers, individuals and small businesses. Despite earlier encouraging conversations,
- [SIM forum with advocates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-forum-with-advocates/) - This morning, SIM leadership held a forum to explain their plan to advocates. Unfortunately few independent consumer advocates were given an opportunity to ask questions, including this one. Most of the time was taken by SIM committee members expressing their positions, describing their programs and experiences. Many of the questions came from providers and
- [Exchange Board and staff water down already watered-down affordability and access provisions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/exchange-board-and-staff-water-down-already-watered-down-affordability-and-access-provisions/) - In a surprise to advisory committee co-chairs, CT Health Insurance Exchange staff submitted four alternative policy proposals at today’s Board meeting – they were adopted virtually intact by the Board. The staff alternatives were contrary to the recommendations adopted Tuesday by the Consumer and Qualified Health Plan Advisory Committees, with Exchange staff at every meeting.
- [New uninsured brief posted](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-uninsured-brief-posted/) - Check our uninsured brief for more information on the drop in uninsured CT residents last year. See where the gains came from, where residents get coverage, why it matters, and why we need to continue the important work of reform.
- [CT Health Reform by the Numbers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-by-the-numbers/) - At least 60% of CT’s newly insured under national health reform will be coming into our Medicaid program, according to expert estimates. 40,000 to 60,000 of those are currently eligible but not enrolled. Nationally Medicaid is expected to make up only one third of new coverage. Even with reform, up to 197,000 CT residents will
- [Encouraging Medicaid spending projections](https://cthealthpolicy.org/encouraging-medicaid-spending-projections/) - CT expects our state share of Medicaid spending to drop, actually drop, by $247 million from this fiscal year to next, according to a new analysis. In fact, it is projected that it will take about two years to climb back to current year spending levels. While spending per capita dropped (and quality improved) in
- [CT’s Medicaid success: Access and quality are up, costs are down](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cts-medicaid-success-access-and-quality-are-up-costs-are-down/) - Since 2012, when CT’s Medicaid program shifted from a capitated payment model to a self-insured model based on care coordination, the program has enjoyed significant improvements in quality, access and cost control, as predicted. A new analysis finds that the number of providers participating the in the program is up 32%, person-centered medical homes are up
- [Fixing Medicaid: Healing CT’s Largest Health Care Program](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fixing-medicaid-healing-cts-largest-health-care-program/) - Access to care in CT’s public programs has always been a struggle; it is difficult to find a provider who takes Medicaid. In 2008 CT significantly raised Medicaid payment rates but a report by the CT Health Policy Project before, during and after the increase found that physician participation in the program didn’t improve. With
- [Medicaid outreach recommendations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-outreach-recommendations/) - Small grants, engaging an army of trusted community messengers, ubiquitous marketing, and robust monitoring will be critical to enrolling the estimated 130,000 newly eligible CT Medicaid members in January 2014, according to a report by the CT Health Policy Project. Best opportunities for outreach include providers, current HUSKY members, faith-based communities, connecting with employers and
- [Awaiting the Supreme Court: What Could it Mean for CT?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/awaiting-the-supreme-court-what-could-it-mean-for-ct/) - Policymakers and politicians, in CT and across the country, are eagerly awaiting/dreading tomorrow’s Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act. We’ve outlined a few possible scenarios and the potential impact on CT. All scenarios have an upside, and there is a way through for every possibility. No matter the decision, we are much farther
- [Exchange premiums up from this year, lots of variation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/exchange-premiums-up-from-this-year-lots-of-variation/) - Our analysis of the recently announced 2014 Access Health CT standard plan premiums finds that for five typical CT households covered by the two health insurers with premium history – Anthem and ConnectiCare – in all but one case, families will experience significant premium increases from this year. Premiums will rise between 30 and 163%.
- [Health Insurance Rate Shock: What Connecticut Can Do](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-insurance-rate-shock-what-connecticut-can-do/) - All indications are that Connecticut health insurance costs will rise significantly next year. Fortunately there are several tools available to policymakers to mitigate that trend for Connecticut consumers and small businesses who will be mandated to secure coverage as of January 1st. A new brief outlines state affordability options including a stronger state MLR limit, active
- [What can Charter Oak teach the CT health insurance exchange?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/what-can-charter-oak-teach-the-ct-health-insurance-exchange/) - A comparison finds lower consumer costs in the current Charter Oak plan than the Access Health CT (the CT Health Insurance Exchange) standard silver plan. Governor Rell created Charter Oak almost five years ago for the same purpose as the exchange – offering affordable, decent coverage options for CT’s uninsured. While Charter Oak premiums started out
- [Chartbook: Prescription drugs driving CT health costs across payers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/chartbook-prescription-drugs-driving-ct-health-costs-across-payers/) - According to a new Chartbook, prescription drugs are the largest driver of health costs in our state. We spend more per person on prescriptions than all states but Delaware and that number is rising faster here than most states. Charts regarding Medicaid spending have been corrected to reflect that pharmacy costs in the program have
- [Chartbook: CT drugs costs high and growing fast](https://cthealthpolicy.org/chartbook-ct-drugs-costs-high-and-growing-fast/) - 14.4% of our state’s economy was devoted to health care services in 2014, slightly below the US average, according to a new Chartbook on CT health spending. Based on newly released data from CMS actuaries, the analysis finds that CT health costs per person are not surprisingly high but we out-perform most other states in
- [Advocates document concerns with PCMH+ implementation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-document-concerns-with-pcmh-implementation/) - The Medicaid Study Group, a coalition of independent consumer advocates, have published an update on CT Medicaid’s new payment reform experiment, PCMH+, fact sheet and report. The program started January 1st with 137,037 members. Under the new shared saving payment model, large health systems (called ACOs in other states and programs), get half the health care savings
- [Shared savings math doesn’t add up, CCIP plans could undermine Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/shared-savings-math-doesnt-add-up-ccip-plans-could-undermine-medicaid/) - A new brief outlines the risk to taxpayers from Medicaid shared savings increasing health costs, as SIM is pressing. About half of Medicare ACOs spent more money on health care for members under shared savings last year. If Connecticut’s ACOs perform in Medicaid shared savings as they did for Medicare, CT taxpayers could lose as much
- [Déjà vu at Medicaid Council meeting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/deja-vu-at-medicaid-council-meeting/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on the controversialPCMH+ shared savings program reminding many observers of years of rosy DSS presentations about the very similar, failed HUSKY MCO program. PCMH+ started six months ago with 137,000 members. The concept is to give Accountable Care Organizations (large health systems) a reason to lower the total cost of
- [Medicaid update: PCMH+ limping along, bad news for HUSKY parents, and Medicare cuts loom](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-pcmh-limping-along-bad-news-for-husky-parents-and-medicare-cuts-loom/) - PCMH+, CT Medicaid’s experimental move back into financial risk that now impacts just over 100,000 people, survived the budget cuts – sort of. The PCMH+ budget was cut from $500,000 (state costs) last year to $300,000 this year, but the SIM federal grant has been devoting a lot of resources to the initiative. We have
- [Advocates’ Medicaid Study Group offers recommendations for Medicaid shared savings reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-medicaid-study-group-offers-recommendations-for-medicaid-shared-savings-reform/) - Over a dozen Connecticut independent consumer advocates representing diverse populations and issue areas spent the last several months diving deep into Medicaid shared savings and today released recommendations for our state’s program. The Medicaid Study Group formed early in 2015 in response to a request from the Co-Chairs of the Medicaid Council’s Care Management Committee to
- [Connecticut patient-centered medical home first adopters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-patient-centered-medical-home-first-adopters/) - Transforming a busy medical practice into a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) can be daunting but the benefits are worth it, according to a report by CTHPP intern Kim Kushner. With 113 NCQA recognized patient centered medical homes, CT is far behind surrounding states. Kim interviewed a solo practitioner, a safety net community health center and
- [Survey of CT ACOs – early yet, good intentions but uncertain future](https://cthealthpolicy.org/survey-of-ct-acos-early-yet-good-intentions-but-uncertain-future/) - Together with the Hartford Business Journal, the CT Health Policy Project conducted the first survey of CT ACOs finding some unexpected findings. ACOs are networks of providers across the continuum that coordinate high-quality care for people and receive a share of the savings they generate. ACOs are a foundation for efforts to reform health care
- [Advocates ask DSS yet again for a robust evaluation of risky experiment before expanding](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-ask-dss-yet-again-for-a-robust-evaluation-of-risky-experiment-before-expanding/) - Twenty-three independent advocates sent a letter today again urging the state to conduct common sense evaluation of the first wave of a risky new program before expanding the program, as promised. Advocates have learned that the planned evaluation will not be available until 2 months after the RFP for the second wave is finalized and released. In addition, current
- [Downside risk explainer and response to Strawman payment model proposal published](https://cthealthpolicy.org/downside-risk-explainer-and-response-to-strawman-payment-model-proposal-published/) - In response to questions, we’ve published two new documents about the most controversial part of the Health Care Cabinet’s Strawman proposal for health reform in Connecticut. To help in understanding how downside risk might work, and whether it works, in the context of other options, we’ve developed a fairly short downside_risk_explainer. To address points offered
- [Independent advocates seek answers about Medicaid experiment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/independent-advocates-seek-answers-about-medicaid-experiment/) - The Medicaid Study Group, a collaboration of CT independent consumer advocates, sent a list of critical questions about PCMH+ to DSS yesterday. PCMH+ is Medicaid’s controversial new payment experiment affecting over 100,000 people and scheduled for a massive expansion next year. Advocates have submitted questions in writing because we have not been able to ask questions
- [New Hartford HealthCare-Tufts insurance company raises concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-hartford-healthcare-tufts-insurance-company-raises-concerns/) - Wednesday, Hartford HealthCare and Tufts Health Plan announced the formation of a new, jointly-owned insurer, CarePartners of Connecticut, to sell Medicare Advantage plans to Connecticut residents for next year, pending CMS approval. Hartford HealthCare includes thousands of providers in home health care, rehab services, long term care, behavioral healthcare, and five hospitals, to date. In
- [Committee develops care plan best practices recommendations for Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/committee-develops-care-plan-best-practices-recommendations-for-medicaid/) - The Complex Care Committee of CT’s Medicaid Council has made recommendations to DSS for careplans in the Medicaid program. The importance of effective care plans has arisen often throughout the committee’s work diving deep into barriers to care for Medicaid members with complex health needs. Effective care plans ensure that people are driving decisions about
- [Corrected: Opt-ing out of PCMH+ isn’t easy, and that’s not evidence that PCMH+ works](https://cthealthpolicy.org/opt-ing-out-of-pcmh-isnt-easy-and-thats-not-evidence-that-pcmh-works/) - Correction – The notice sent to PCMH Plus consumers in December 2016 included the accurate phone number to call to opt-out of the program.
- [Advocates launch PCMHPlusFacts.org, giving HUSKY members balanced information on the controversial new program](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-launch-pcmhplusfacts-org-giving-husky-members-balanced-information-on-the-controversial-new-program/) - Today, independent consumer advocates launched a website, PCMHPlusFacts.org, to explain the facts about HUSKY’s experimental, new payment plan to run the program. The site was developed in response to the state’s erosion of federally required notices to consumers about their right to opt-out of the program. The state changed the notices at the last minute
- [CTNJ: Advocates must inform consumers of risks when the state won’t](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-advocates-must-inform-consumers-of-risks-when-the-state-wont/) - This week, independent advocates launched PCMHPlusFacts.org, a campaign to give HUSKY members balanced information about an experimental, new payment model expanding across the program. PCMH Plus has risks for consumers along with possible benefits, but HUSKY members aren’t aware of them or that they have the right to opt-out of the new payment model. Read more
- [Healthcare Cabinet finalizes recommendations to control drug costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-cabinet-finalizes-recommendations-to-control-drug-costs/) - At yesterday’s meeting, the state Healthcare Cabinet tweaked and finalized eight policy recommendations to lower prescription drug costs in Connecticut. Drugs are the largest driver of skyrocketing health costs. However, the Council acknowledged that, even if these recommendations are all adopted and implemented, a lot of work remains. The recommendations came from months of research
- [Webinar on new HIE for Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/webinar-on-new-hie-for-connecticut/) - For years, Connecticut providers and payers have been begging for a functional Health Information Exchange (HIE). An HIE allows providers delivering care to each patient to share information, notes, careplans and lab results. A functional HIE should help coordinate care, lower costs, avoid duplication and overtreatment, and make everyone's lives easier. Despite numerous attempts, many
- [Good news on Medicaid costs, but big problems with transportation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-news-on-medicaid-costs-but-big-problems-with-transportation/) - At Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting, DSS reported that per person costs in CT’s Medicaid program continue to provide relief to the state’s budget, dropping 1.6% from FY 2016 to 2017. Over the last five years, per person costs in the program are down 3.4%. In FY 2016 Medicaid consumed 22.7% of our state budget, compared
- [CTNJ: Poll says Healthcare, Insurance Costs Threaten Connecticut’s Standard of Living](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-poll-says-healthcare-insurance-costs-threaten-connecticuts-standard-of-living/) - Connecticut voters are worried about healthcare costs and don’t believe state government is doing enough, according to a new poll. Almost half of Connecticut voters named healthcare and insurance costs as a major problem in maintaining their current standard of living. Half of Connecticut voters also think the state doesn’t spend enough on Medicaid Read
- [Poll of CT voters finds healthcare/insurance costs threaten their standard of living, that CT doesn't spend enough on Medicaid and healthcare](https://cthealthpolicy.org/poll-of-ct-voters-finds-healthcare-insurance-costs-threaten-their-standard-of-living-that-ct-doesnt-spend-enough-on-medicaid-and-healthcare/) - A new poll of Connecticut voters for SEIU finds 46% cite healthcare/insurance costs as a major problem they face in maintaining their current standard of living. Behind only local property taxes, health costs are cited as a major problem by more voters than state income or sales taxes, housing costs, low wages, unemployment, personal debt,
- [November CT Health Reform Dashboard – status quo, again and again and again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/november-ct-health-reform-dashboard-status-quo-again-and-again-and-again/) - Like the last two months, November’s CT’s Health Reform Dashboardhas changed little. Growing and understandable mistrust remains at the core of problems in CT. Medicaid policy development and implementation is still mired in mistrust, incomprehensible and misleading consumer “notices”, rushing ahead without data, quality problems, and a lack of transparency while state officials refuse
- [CT trains lots of doctors but we don’t keep them](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-trains-lots-of-doctors-but-we-dont-keep-them/) - A new report on physician workforce finds that CT is a hub for training physicians, both medical school and residency training but we are falling behind in retaining those graduates. The report from the Association of American Medical Colleges finds that physician capacity in CT now is is good ranking 6thhighest among states in the
- [January 2018 - Connecticut drops to a C this year for health reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/january-2018-connecticut-drops-to-a-c-this-year-for-health-reform/) - Connecticut health care thought leaders lowered our state to a C grade for health reform this year, matching the lowest grades in five years. No thoughtleader rated our state an A this year. Connecticut’s grade for effort also dropped in this survey, down to C+. Health policy areas that lost the most ground included Medicaid,
- [Early look at exchange premiums finds Hartford premium trends modest compared to other US cities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/early-look-at-exchange-premiums-finds-hartford-premium-trends-modest-compared-to-other-us-cities/) - A Kaiser Foundation very early look at 2018 health insurance exchange monthly premium proposals, subject to change, across 21 US cities predicts that Hartford consumers will do well next year. The report compares early rate filings for a 40 year old non-smoker making $30,000/year choosing the second-lowest silver plan. Silver plans are the most popular.
- [The Future of Medicine in the Human Genome Genomics -- Making a difference in patients’ lives / By Mary Branham](https://cthealthpolicy.org/the-future-of-medicine-in-the-human-genome-genomics-making-a-difference-in-patients-lives-by-mary-branham/) - From CSG-ERC’s Annual Meeting in Connecticut Mapping the first human genome in 2000 cost about $4 billion; today, it costs about $1,000. The cost has come down because of investment, and because of the important role genomics is playing in medicine today, according to Dr. Murat Gunel, a professor of neurosurgery, genetics and neuroscience at
- [State health policymakers get the latest from DC and options to respond](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-health-policymakers-get-the-latest-from-dc-and-options-to-respond/) - At this week’s CSG-ERC Annual Meeting in CT, state policymakers from across the Northeast got updates from experts on the federal health care landscape, state options to adapt. CT’s Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman pulled it all together describing CT’s progress toward health reform. Mitchell Stein gave a detailed summary of federal activity including CHIP reauthorization
- [State policymakers hear how bioscience is generating jobs with health innovation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-policymakers-hear-how-bioscience-is-generating-jobs-with-health-innovation/) - The growing Bioscience industry holds great potential to improve the region’s economy and health , according to speakers at “Bioscience Initiatives: Improving Health and Growing the Economy” at this week’s CSG-ERC Annual Meeting in CT. Panelists included Mostafa Analoui, PhD, Executive Director, UConn Venture Development, Mike Hyde, Vice President, External Affairs, The Jackson Laboratory, and
- [DPH launches website comparing CT quality and cost of hospital and nursing home care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dph-launches-website-comparing-ct-quality-and-cost-of-hospital-and-nursing-home-care/) - Last week, CT’s Department of Public Health unveiled MONAHRQ, a web tool allowing consumers and other health care decision-makers to compare the quality, outcomes, utilization and costs of health care in our state. For example, Only three of CT’s 24 general hospitals are above average in patient ratings – Greenwich, Middlesex and Milford. Sadly, most
- [Survey of state legislators’ values for health reform finds strong differences by party but some encouraging overlap](https://cthealthpolicy.org/survey-of-state-legislators-values-for-health-reform-finds-strong-differences-by-party-but-some-encouraging-overlap/) - Both Democratic and Republican state legislators from across the US agree on the need to control health care costs, according to a new survey published in the American Journal of Public Health. However, other top priorities between the parties differ strongly. Republicans prioritized smaller government along with reducing costs while Democrats prioritize improving health equity
- [CMS finalizes important patient-friendly informed consent payment proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cms-finalizes-important-patient-friendly-informed-consent-payment-proposal/) - CMS has finalized their proposed Medicare rule (regulation) for how hospitals are paid that includes a new measure assessing the quality of hospital informed consent documents given to patients before elective procedures. (The relevant section, Potential Inclusion of the Quality of Informed Consent Documents for Hospital-Performed, Elective Procedures Measure starts hereon p. 373 of the
- [From the Book Club: An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back](https://cthealthpolicy.org/from-the-book-club-an-american-sickness-how-healthcare-became-big-business-and-how-you-can-take-it-back/) - This latest addition to the CT Health Policy Project Book Club should be required reading for everyone. I’ve been a health policy analyst for over twenty years and I learned something new on every page. I couldn’t read it in one shot – I kept throwing it down in disgust. The author is a former
- [September CT Health Reform Dashboard – little changing, and that’s not good](https://cthealthpolicy.org/september-ct-health-reform-dashboard-little-changing-and-thats-not-good/) - CT’s September Health Reform Dashboard update is about the same as last month. Medicaid policy development and implementation is still mired in mistrust, rushing ahead without data, quality problems, and a lack of transparency while state officials refuse to answer questions. Thankfully physicians and others are taking the reins and building a badly needed health
- [CT News Junkie Op-Ed: Is overtreatment really a thing?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-news-junkie-op-ed-is-overtreatment-really-a-thing/) - There is a growing consensus in health policy circles that overtreatment is the source of all problems in our health care system. Like most common beliefs, there is some truth to it. For example, clinical research is clear that stents inserted into the arteries of people not having a heart attack do nothing to prevent
- [State CHIP program that covers 17,331 CT children at risk without federal action](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-chip-program-that-covers-17331-ct-children-at-risk-without-federal-action/) - MACPAC estimates that, without federal extension of funding for the CHIP program, CT will run out of funds in February. Our state CHIP program, also called HUSKY Part B, provided subsidized coverage 17,133 children as of August 1st. Created by Congress in 1997, the CHIP program has provided coverage to 3.67 million children across the
- [Antibiotic prescribing down in CT but more needs to be done](https://cthealthpolicy.org/antibiotic-prescribing-down-in-ct-but-more-needs-to-be-done/) - Between 2010 and 2016, antibiotic prescriptions per person have declined 8% in CT, according to a report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The rate declined even faster (15%) for children. Unfortunately, CT’s rate is still higher than all but 16 other states. Overuse of antibiotics is blamed for contributing to the rise of
- [CT ranks 3rd highest among states in high-deductible health plans](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-3rd-highest-among-states-in-high-deductible-health-plans/) - Analysis of new federal data by SHADAC finds that most people (59.3%) in CT covered by employer-sponsored health plans were in high-deductible plans last year, up from 40% in 2013. For purposes of this study, high-deductible plans are defined as meeting the minimum deductible amount required for Health Savings Account eligibility ($1,300 for an individual
- [President’s plan to end cost sharing payments would cost CT plans $7 million this year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/presidents-plan-to-end-cost-sharing-payments-would-cost-ct-plans-7-million-this-year/) - An analysis by Avalere Health estimates that health plans in CT’s insurance exchange, Access Health CT, would lose $7 million in reimbursements this year unless Congress acts to restore payments. Nationally, plans stand to lose over $1 billion this year. Under the Affordable Care Act, low to moderate income Americans purchasing exchange coverage are protected
- [New CT insurer report card online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-ct-insurer-report-card-online/) - CT’s best kept secret, the latest CT health insurer report card is out. Part of the managed care reform law passed twenty years ago, the report allows consumers, policymakers and other stakeholders to compare health plans across dozens of key performance standards, customer satisfaction rates, provider participation by county, and claims denial rates. As in
- [CT Medicaid only state to earn A+ for access to HepC drugs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-only-state-to-earn-a-for-access-to-hepc-drugs/) - A new report finds that CT’s Medicaid program leads the US in access to new Hepatitis C medications. Hepatitis C affects 3.5 million Americans and causes more deaths than any other infectious disease. CT Medicaid imposes no liver damage, sobriety or prescriber restrictions to HepC drug access that are common in other states. The report
- [CT gets a C for pre-term births](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-gets-a-c-for-pre-term-births/) - A new report highlights CT’s disappointing performance in reducing pre-term births and ensuring our state’s newest citizens have a healthy start. Almost one in ten (9.4%) CT births happen before 37 weeks, ranking us 31st among states. Hartford County was worst at 10.1%; Litchfield was best at 7.7%. There is wide disparity in pre-term birth
- [One in ten CT adults has high medical needs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/one-in-ten-ct-adults-has-high-medical-needs/) - Understanding high-need adults with complex conditions and their barriers to care are key to developing solutions that improve health and control costs. High-need adults have at least two chronic diseases and a functional limitation in their ability to care for themselves or perform routine daily tasks. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund outlines in
- [Medicaid update – administrative conversion drives up call wait times](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-administrative-conversion-drives-up-call-wait-times/) - Friday’s Medicaid oversight council meeting focused on DSS’s conversion to ImpactCT, a new IT system to handle eligibility and enrollment. The hope is that moving more administrative functions online will streamline the process and reduce errors. Unfortunately, implementing the system is pulling staff away from their desks for 9 days of training, causing a sharp
- [New data finds CT leads nation in lowering Medicaid costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-data-finds-ct-leads-nation-in-lowering-medicaid-costs/) - New data from CMS actuaries finds that Medicaid per capita health care spending dropped 5.7% from 2010 to 2014, better than any other state. Of note, in 2012 CT Medicaid shifted away from capitated managed care organizations to run Medicaid. Unfortunately, the rest of the CT’s market is not performing as well as Medicaid –
- [Report estimates AHCA would cut $5.9 billion in Medicaid funds to CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-estimates-ahca-would-cut-5-9-billion-in-medicaid-funds-to-ct/) - Connecticut would lose $5.9 billion in Medicaid funding from 2019 to 2028 under the American Health Care Act passed by the House last month, according to a new report from the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Connecticut would likely not be in a position to fill that funding gap with state funds.
- [New to the Book Club -- Economic Ideas You Should Forget](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-economic-ideas-you-should-forget/) - The title alone pulls you in – Economic Ideas You Should Forget. Ideas and theories that everyone believes but aren’t true. 71 eminent economists and social scientists from around the world each contributed an economic theory that should be forgotten. Myths debunked include more choice is better, that economic growth increases well-being, and that CEO
- [CBO estimates that 22 million more Americans will become uninsured by 2026 under the Senate’s ACA replacement proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cbo-estimates-that-22-million-more-americans-will-become-uninsured-by-2026-under-the-senates-aca-replacement-proposal/) - Thursday morning Senate leaders published their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act and modified it earlier today. The Senate proposal closely follows the bill that passed the House in May. According to today’s Congressional Budget Office’s report, the Senate bill would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 15 million next year and
- [Sen. Blumenthal holds third hearing on Senate ACA repeal bill](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sen-blumenthal-holds-third-hearing-on-senate-aca-repeal-bill/) - In response to public concerns, Sen. Richard Blumenthal will hold a third emergency field hearing on the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act tomorrow, June 30th 10:00 to 11:30 am at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St. Earlier this week, CBO reported that the bill would make 22 million more Americans uninsured and cost state
- [Pervasive uncertainty affects CT Health Reform Dashboard](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pervasive-uncertainty-affects-ct-health-reform-dashboard/) - July’s CT Health Reform Dashboard reflects growing uncertainty at the state and federal levels. If passed, Congressional proposals to replace the ACA will shift massive costs onto CT and result in a sharp drop in coverage. State budget cuts threaten current services and coverage. Nevertheless, DSS is doggedly forging ahead with a questionable payment experiment
- [Lowest wage workers least likely to be offered health benefits at work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/lowest-wage-workers-least-likely-to-be-offered-health-benefits-at-work/) - Only 22% of Americas earning the lowest ten percent of wages are offered medical benefits by their employer, according to a new report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This compares with 93% of the top ten percent of earners who are offered medical benefits at work. Unfortunately, the lowest wage workers also pay
- [Sen. Blumenthal holding fifth hearing on ACA replacement bills](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sen-blumenthal-holding-fifth-hearing-on-aca-replacement-bills/) - Friday at 2pm Senator Blumenthal will convene an emergency field hearing to collect input from Connecticut residents on current proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. This is the Senator’s fifth hearing on the issue. The latest Senate version of the bill from Republican leaders was published today. The hearing will be held
- [Quality challenges remain in CT Medicaid PCMHs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/quality-challenges-remain-in-ct-medicaid-pcmhs/) - Also at Friday’s meeting, DSS reported on a selection of quality results from 2015, highlighting concerns. The results compared quality measures for patients receiving care from private practice and community health center Patient-Centered Medical Homes. In other programs, PCMHs have improved quality performance over non-PCMH practices. There remains a lot of room for improvement. Only
- [CT health provider capacity varies significantly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-provider-capacity-varies-significantly/) - A new mapping and data tool from CMS allows web visitors to visualize the density of a range of health care providers relative to the number of consumers. The updated Market Saturation and Utilization Tool uses Medicare claims data and can be sorted by state or county. Policymakers can use the Tool for health services
- [August CT Health Reform Dashboard – Medicaid concerns grow but continuing hope for drug costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/august-ct-health-reform-dashboard-medicaid-concerns-grow-but-continuing-hope-for-drug-costs/) - CT’s August Health Reform Dashboardremains mixed. Medicaid policy development and implementation remains mired in mistrust, rushing ahead without data, quality problems, and a lack of transparency while state officials refuse to answer questions. The new state HIT plan is travelling the same troubled path from the past but thankfully physicians and others are just getting
- [CT Medical Society standing up an HIE for the state](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medical-society-standing-up-an-hie-for-the-state/) - Miscommunication is blamed for thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in costs. One part of miscommunication involves providers not being able to access records for patients they are treating. Numerous state groups working to reform CT’s broken health care system over the last decade have urged policymakers to develop a Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- [April CT Health Reform Dashboard – temporary relief at federal level but troubling payment model returns (again and again and again)](https://cthealthpolicy.org/april-ct-health-reform-dashboard-temporary-relief-at-federal-level-but-troubling-payment-model-returns-again-and-again-and-again/) - CT’s April Health Reform Dashboard is somewhat more settled than last month – but that’s not a good thing. Efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, plus cap Medicaid spending, were temporarily suspended, but are moving again at the federal level in the House. Despite the repeated lessons of history in CT, proponents
- [Study raises concerns about ACO “savings” and gaming the system](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-raises-concerns-about-aco-savings-and-gaming-the-system/) - A new study published in Health Affairs raises doubts about the effectiveness of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to both improve the quality of American health care while controlling costs. The study found very high physician turnover rates at a large Medicare ACO and that high cost patients were concentrated among a small minority of
- [CTNJ: CT health policy has trust issues](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-ct-health-policy-has-trust-issues/) - An OP-ED today in CT News Junkie describes the sorry level of mistrust in CT health policymaking. “Mistrust is pervasive in Connecticut policymaking and it’s blocking progress.” Luckily we know how to fix it – if only we have the sense.Read the piece
- [FDA committee tackles how to assess drugs that target serious infections but affect small populations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fda-committee-tackles-how-to-assess-drugs-that-target-serious-infections-but-affect-small-populations/) - Last week’s meeting of the FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee was unusual. We didn’t address the merits of a single new drug the FDA is considering for approval but how to fairly assess drugs that target a single bacterial species causing very serious and deadly infections but that affect small populations. Getting sufficient numbers of
- [Courant Op-Ed: Plan to ‘Fix’ State Medicaid Program Flawed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/courant-op-ed-plan-to-fix-state-medicaid-program-flawed/) - From Saturday’s Hartford Courant, “These are lean times and we need our government to be smart about where it puts its resources. We don't need our limited taxpayer dollars spent "fixing" things in our Medicaid program that aren't broken.” The article points out the state’s backward plan, PCMH +, to apply a risky experiment, meant to slow
- [Regional state policymakers urge Congress to preserve successful state-federal Medicaid partnership](https://cthealthpolicy.org/regional-state-policymakers-urge-congress-to-preserve-successful-state-federal-medicaid-partnership/) - Yesterday, the Council of State Governments’ Eastern Regional Conference (CSG/ERC) sent a letter calling on Congressional leaders to protect and support the 50-year, successful state-federal Medicaid partnership. CSG/ERC is comprised of state policymaker members from eleven Northeastern states from Maine to Maryland as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and five eastern Canadian
- [CT health prices higher than US average and growing faster](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-prices-higher-than-us-average-and-growing-faster/) - Health care prices in Connecticut are higher and rising more quickly than the US average, according to the Healthy Marketplace Index. The Index is a map-based tool from the Health Care Cost Institute that compares local prices for inpatient, outpatient and physician services across the US for 2012, 2013 and 2014. The researchers found significant
- [May CT Health Reform Dashboard – Medicaid U turn, federal relief premature](https://cthealthpolicy.org/may-ct-health-reform-dashboard-medicaid-u-turn-federal-relief-premature/) - CT’s May Health Reform Dashboard is unsettled again. Mistrust remains at the core of problems in CT. Medicaid policy development and implementation have taken a very disappointing turn away from collaboration, transparency, and data for reasons that don’t make any sense (there are a few theories). Just a few of the persistent problems in PCMH+,
- [CT rates well among states in public health emergency preparation, but room for improvement](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-rates-well-among-states-in-public-health-emergency-preparation-but-room-for-improvement/) - This year CT earned 7.3 points out of 10 possible in the latest assessment of preparedness for community health emergencies, a small increase from 7.2 over last year. But CT did better than the US average at 6.8. The National Health Security Preparedness Index has measured states’ ability to respond to health security threats such
- [Health Care Cabinet tackles drug costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-tackles-drug-costs/) - At yesterday’s meeting, CT’s Health Care Cabinet agreed to create four working groups to develop recommendations and options to control drug spending in the state. We also reviewed a report from CT’s APCD on the Top 50 Highest Total Cost Drugs in CT. The Cabinet has been taking a deep dive into rising prescription drug
- [New state health comparison tool shows challenges and opportunities for CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-state-health-comparison-tool-shows-challenges-and-opportunities-for-ct/) - In good news, CT is 11th best among states in the number of people who had no trouble finding a doctor in 2015 according to State Health Compare. But CT is also 17th worst among states in the percent of residents with high medical cost burdens. Depending on how you look at it, it may
- [2016 estimate finds CT uninsured rates going down](https://cthealthpolicy.org/2016-estimate-finds-ct-uninsured-rates-going-down/) - Early estimates of health coverage finds that 3.9% of CT residents were uninsured last year, well below the US average of 9%, according to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey. CT’s uninsured rate fell by 7.2% between 2013 and 2016, very close to the national 8.0% drop. Last year 41.6% of state residents had public
- [Health care has highest job opening rate in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-has-highest-job-opening-rate-in-us/) - At 5.2% in March, the health care and social assistance sector had the highest rate of job openings in the US labor market, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However the rate of hiring in health care and social assistance was only average. At 19.3 million the health care and social assistance sector had
- [President’s budget proposal includes large cuts to state Medicaid funding, among other health programs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/presidents-budget-proposal-includes-large-cuts-to-state-medicaid-funding-among-other-health-programs/) - President Trump’s FY 2018 budget proposalincludes $610 billion in mandatory savings over the next decade by instituting state Medicaid block grants or per capita caps starting in FY 2020. This goes beyond cuts included in the American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives three weeks ago, that is estimated to cost Connecticut
- [CBO estimates that AHCA would cause 23 million more uninsured in ten years](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cbo-estimates-that-ahca-would-cause-23-million-more-uninsured-in-ten-years/) - In more federal health news, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released their analysis of the impact of the House’s American Health Care Act yesterday. CBO predicts that 23 million more Americans would lose health coverage in the next decade, 14 million just next year, if the AHCA becomes law. The law would reduce the federal
- [MD drug anti-gouging bill passes into law, CT Senate passes drug benefits fairness bill](https://cthealthpolicy.org/md-drug-anti-gouging-bill-passes-into-law-ct-senate-passes-drug-benefits-fairness-bill/) - On Friday, a Maryland billto control generic drug prices passed into law without the Governor’s signature. Maryland’s Attorney General Frosh championed this first-in-the-nation anti-gouging bill. The issue was raised in response to extreme price increases in older drugs such as EpiPen, naloxone, and Daraprim. The bill requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to notify the Attorney General
- [June CT Health Reform Dashboard – concerns remain but some hope for drug costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/june-ct-health-reform-dashboard-concerns-remain-but-some-hope-for-drug-costs/) - CT’s June Health Reform Dashboard remains unsettled. Mistrust remains at the core of problems in CT. The new state HIT environmental scan mentions the need for trust a dozen times. Medicaid policy development and implementation remains mired in mistrust, rushing ahead without data, and a lack of transparency. The state budget remains dreary and signals
- [CT insurers’ 2018 rate requests as much as 52% increase -- public hearing, comment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-insurers-2018-rate-requests-as-much-as-52-increase-public-hearing-comment/) - As part of the health insurance rate review process, CT’s Insurance Department will hold a public hearing June 14th in Hartford on insurers’ double-digit rate requests for next year. In the morning, the hearing will address Anthem’s requests averaging 33.8% increases and affecting 35,000 policyholders. In the afternoon, the hearing will consider ConnectiCare’s average 17.5%
- [Unlike most of US, non-medical vaccine opt-outs for children rising in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/unlike-most-of-us-non-medical-vaccine-opt-outs-for-children-rising-in-ct/) - New analysis by the CDC finds that while the percentage of families opting out of school-required vaccines for kindergartners for non-medical reasons is dropping nationally, Connecticut’s rate continues to rise. The percent of Connecticut kindergarteners without vaccines rose from 0.8% in 2009/2010 to 1.7% in 2015/2016. Connecticut is one of only eleven states with rising
- [Maryland explores state options to control pharmacy costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/maryland-explores-state-options-to-control-pharmacy-costs/) - Like many states, Maryland is considering state policy options to control rising prescription costs. Tuesday, the state’s Senate Finance Committee heard from 13 invited experts about possibilities. Committee Chair, Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton, opened the briefing stating that controlling prescription drug costs is “one of the biggest issues that we’ll deal with this year.” Ellen
- [Complex Care Committee hears about serious problems with new technology for home health visits](https://cthealthpolicy.org/complex-care-committee-hears-about-serious-problems-with-new-technology-for-home-health-visits/) - Friday’s meeting of MAPOC’s Complex Care Committee focused on problems with DSS’s new Electronic Verification System to ensure accountability in provision of home care to Medicaid members. Implementation of the troubled, costly, mandated system began January 1st and is scheduled to be completed February 1st. All stakeholders, including consumer advocates and home health agencies, repeated
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard update reflects Medicaid concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-update-reflects-medicaid-concerns/) - February’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update reflects growing concerns about CT’s Medicaid program. Problems with the new EVV system threaten consumer access to home care, provider sustainability and privacy rights. The experimental PCMH+ program began a month ago, but no information on the program has been shared and plans for evaluation too little and too
- [Governor proposes new health reform planning agency, and more cuts to HUSKY parents](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governor-proposes-new-health-reform-planning-agency-and-more-cuts-to-husky-parents/) - The Governor’s state budget proposal, released today, includes $5.8 million in rearranged funding and staff for a new Office of Health Strategy, effective July 2018, to “enhance coordination and consolidate accountability for the implementation of the state’s health care reform strategies.” The office will combine OHCA (formerly a separate agency, but now part of DPH
- [Just under half of CT’s private sector workers have employer health insurance; CT 8th highest among states in high-deductible plans](https://cthealthpolicy.org/just-under-half-of-cts-private-sector-workers-have-employer-health-insurance-ct-8th-highest-among-states-in-high-deductible-plans/) - Between 2014 and 2015, 48.7% of private sector workers in CT were enrolled in coverage at work, according to a new analysis by SHADAC. That rate is a combination of the percent of private establishments that offer health coverage (86.3%), the percent of workers who are eligible (78.0%), and the percent who accept, or “take
- [Sen. Blumenthal meets with CT health leaders to discuss effective drug cost control](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sen-blumenthal-meets-with-ct-health-leaders-to-discuss-effective-drug-cost-control/) - Thursday Senator Blumenthal met with over a CT dozen health leaders at Charter Oak Health Center in Hartford to learn more about the drivers of rising drug costs, the impact on the health of state residents, the burden on public and private sector budgets across the state, and what can be done. He heard that
- [New report finds adults in Medicaid expansion states like CT have better access to care, fewer financial barriers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-report-finds-adults-in-medicaid-expansion-states-like-ct-have-better-access-to-care-fewer-financial-barriers/) - A new report from the CDC provides the first analysis of the population-based impact of the Affordable Care Act. The analysis used data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a state-based ongoing survey of adult Americans about health risk behaviors, chronic conditions, health care access and use of preventive care. As for previous
- [CT stuck at C+ grade for health reform, Mistrust is high and pervasive](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-stuck-at-c-grade-for-health-reform-mistrust-is-high-and-pervasive/) - Connecticut health care thought leaders again gave our state a C+ grade for health reform last month, but our GPA dropped from 2.4 to 2.2. Connecticut’s grade for effort didn’t change from last year still at a B-/C+ (GPA 2.5) in this survey. Connecticut continues to earn higher marks for Medicaid and the health insurance
- [Health reform dashboard reflects uncertainty, good and bad trends](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-reform-dashboard-reflects-uncertainty-good-and-bad-trends/) - March’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update reflects good, bad and uncertain policy movement in CT and DC. Most troubling is the level of mistrust among stakeholders in our state’s health system first recognized formally by out-of-state consultants to the Health Care Cabinet. This problem undermines even well-intentioned efforts to make progress, that otherwise would receive
- [Latest ACA replacement expected to cost CT up to $1 billion/year and increase premiums for residents](https://cthealthpolicy.org/latest-aca-replacement-expected-to-cost-ct-up-to-1-billion-year-and-increase-premiums-for-residents/) - An analysis by CT’s Office of Policy and Management estimates that the House Republicans’ American Health Care Act (AHCA) would severely stress the state’s budget far into the future. Extra costs would start at $6.8 million next fiscal year and rise to $1 billion after 2020 when fully implemented. Policymakers are now trying to fill
- [CT seventh in nation in Medicaid payments for opioid addiction treatment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-seventh-in-nation-in-medicaid-payments-for-opioid-addiction-treatment/) - While the opioid epidemic impacts all income levels, Medicaid is the largest source of behavioral health care and opioid addiction treatment. However that rate varies considerably by state, according to an analysis by STAT News. Connecticut Medicaid pays for 44.3% of opioid agonist (buprenorphine) prescriptions compared to the national average of 24.2%. Connecticut is just
- [Medicaid Council update – PCMH + and national Medicaid proposals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-council-update-pcmh-and-national-medicaid-proposals/) - Friday’s MAPOC meeting started with an update about the shared savings experiment that covers 137,037 members and started January 1st. Contracts have been finalized with nine ACOs. enrollment % of total NEMG/Yale 7,509 5.5% St. Vincent's 18,086 13.2% Fairhaven HC 7,811 5.7% Cornell Scott-Hill HC 13,781 10.1% Generations Family HC 8,000 5.8% Southwest CHC
- [Analysts predict CT would lose $7 billion under the American Health Care Act](https://cthealthpolicy.org/analysts-predict-ct-would-lose-7-billion-under-the-american-health-care-act/) - A new analysis by the Urban Institute finds that per capita caps on federal Medicaid spending under the American Health Care Act (AHCA) would reduce federal Medicaid funding to states by $457 billion or 9.8% from 2019 through 2028. If the bill passes, Connecticut stands to lose $7 billion or 10.9% of federal Medicaid funds.
- [Large majority of CT hospitals and health systems making money](https://cthealthpolicy.org/large-majority-of-ct-hospitals-and-health-systems-making-money/) - Last year, 23 of CT’s 28 hospitalsand half the 20 health systems made money last year. Collectively, CT’s 28 hospitals’ net margins (profits) totaled $877,878,858 last year. The biggest total winners were Dempsey/UConn at $286 million and Yale-New Haven netting $160 million. Waterbury Hospital lost the most money -- $16.5 million or 7.6% of revenue.
- [Doctor compensation continues to grow, Northeastern physicians about in the middle, Canadians higher](https://cthealthpolicy.org/doctor-compensation-continues-to-grow-northeastern-physicians-about-in-the-middle-canadians-higher/) - US physicians average $294 thousand in compensation this year, up from $206K in 2011 according to Medscape’s 2017 Physician Compensation Report. Mirroring the US average, physician payment in the Northeast averaged $296K. Canadian physicians are the only nationality paid more than Americans, on average. Specialists make 46% more than primary care physicians, and their compensation
- [FDA panel barely approves new antibiotic for pneumonia](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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,
- [DSS plans for high-cost, high-need members focuses on behavioral health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Poor choice of monitor in YNHH-L+M deal undermines accountability](https://cthealthpolicy.org/poor-choice-of-monitor-in-ynhh-lm-deal-undermines-accountability-2/) - 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
- [Poor choice of monitor in YNHH-L+M deal undermines accountability](https://cthealthpolicy.org/poor-choice-of-monitor-in-ynhh-lm-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
- [Healthcare Cabinet gets an earful on reform proposals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard responds to eroding accountability in hospital oversight and Medicaid consumer rights](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-responds-to-eroding-accountability-in-hospital-oversight-and-medicaid-consumer-rights/) - This month’s Health Reform Dashboardupdate once again reflects more attempts to unravel progress in CT. Medicaid leads the concerns with the success of new ACOs at the last minute in blowing up federally required consumer notices that were carefully negotiated over months, so that consumers will need a college education to understand the risks of
- [Health Care Cabinet finalizes controversial report recommendations for reform with tight votes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-finalizes-controversial-report-recommendations-for-reform-with-tight-votes/) - At yesterday’s meeting, the Health Care Cabinet took a final vote on controversialrecommendations to reform our state’s health system. The main concern that garnered the most disagreement and public input was a recommendation to place all Medicaid and state employees in a downside risk payment model within four years. While the measure still passed, the
- [CSG, ERC pass resolutions to preserve Medicaid state-federal partnership](https://cthealthpolicy.org/csg-erc-pass-resolutions-to-preserve-medicaid-state-federal-partnership/) - At our meetings in Virginia last week, both the Nationaland Eastern Region Council of State Governments passed resolutions urging federal policymakers to support and continue the successful Medicaid state-federal partnership and “avoid the imposition of new burdens on state budgets.” The resolutions are in response to signals from the incoming federal administration and Congress to
- [CT among highest states in opioid-related hospital visits but rising more slowly than most states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-among-highest-states-in-opioid-related-hospital-visits-but-rising-more-slowly-than-most-states/) - In 2014, Connecticut’s per capita rate of opioid-related ED visits was 37% higher than the national average and our inpatient visit rate was 28% higher according to a new report by AHRQ. While those rates grew between 2009 and 2014 in almost every state, Connecticut’s growth rates were among the lowest in the nation. Opioid-related
- [ICD-10 holiday fun from STAT News](https://cthealthpolicy.org/icd-10-holiday-fun-from-stat-news/) - Holiday humor from STAT News includes a piece outlining ICD-10 medical codes for typical holiday health problems. If you’re looking for them, STAT has the codes for holiday injuries (contact with electric knife, struck by turkey), stress of waiting for Santa (behavioral insomnia of childhood, encounter for examination of eyes and vision with abnormal findings),
- [Dashboard update reflects deep uncertainty at state and federal levels](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dashboard-update-reflects-deep-uncertainty-at-state-and-federal-levels/) - January’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update reflects CT’s changing health care landscape. Uncertainty is fueled by a significant state budget deficit and, at the federal level, the ACA repeal and radical plans to change Medicaid. The Health Care Cabinet’s attempts at reform are mercifully over. It’s unclear how much of the very contentious report will
- [CT hospital Medicare hospital-acquired condition penalties much higher than US average for third year in a row](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-hospital-medicare-hospital-acquired-condition-penalties-much-higher-than-us-average-for-third-year-in-a-row/) - Next year fourteen of Connecticut’s 31 hospitals will be penalized by Medicare for poor rates of potentially avoidable complications, according to an analysis by Kaiser Health News. While this is down from eighteen this year, it is almost three times higher than the US average. Seven Connecticut hospitals have been penalized under this program every
- [CT ranks third among states in health this year, up from sixth from last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-ranks-third-among-states-in-health-this-year-up-from-sixth-from-last-year/) - This year’s America’s Health Rankings finds that overall Connecticut residents are healthier than all but two other states. We benefit from low smoking and infectious disease rates and high rates of childhood immunization. However we need to work on air pollution, excessive drinking, rising obesity rates, and our disparities based on educational level are embarrassing.
- [Cabinet begins to tackle prescription costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cabinet-begins-to-tackle-prescription-costs/) - CT’s Health Care Cabinet began drilling down into rising prescription drug costs and state options to stem the rise. We heard from Ameet Sarpatwari, consultant to NASHP on their report for states, and Tom Brownlie of Pfizer and Jenny Bryant of PhRMA. Dr. Sarpatwari outlined high US spending on drugs and the consequences for consumers’
- [PCMH + evaluation plans – weak review and too late to matter](https://cthealthpolicy.org/pcmh-evaluation-plans-weak-review-and-too-late-to-matter/) - Wednesday DSS unveiled their initial plans to evaluate PCMH +, the new experimental HUSKY shared savings program that just started January 1st with 160,000 members. HUSKY’s previous experience with financial risk was a universally acknowledged failure. Contrary to promises for a meaningful evaluation of the program before moving another 200,000 members into the program next
- [Letter urges public input into Cabinet reform plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/letter-urges-public-input-into-cabinet-reform-plan/) - Serous concerns have been raised by diverse stakeholders about the Health Care Cabinet’s Strawman proposal for health reform. Among the proposal’s very ambitious plans are merging a dozen state agencies that touch on health under one person, close “alignment” of Medicaid and the state employee plan, creation of a new agency to oversee and regulate
- [Comments and alternatives to the Health Care Cabinet’s draft proposal for reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/comments-and-alternatives-to-the-health-care-cabinets-draft-proposal-for-reform/) - As directed in a law passed last year, the Health Care Cabinet is considering a draft Strawman proposal drafted by consultants for comprehensive, statewide health care reform in Connecticut. Many concerns have been raised about the very ambitious proposal which includes merging all state agencies that touch health care, ACOs with downside risk, an 1115
- [Census finds 211,000 CT residents without coverage last year, down 35,000 from 2014](https://cthealthpolicy.org/census-finds-211000-ct-residents-without-coverage-last-year-down-35000-from-2014/) - New Census health coverage numbers finds that CT’s uninsured rate went down to 6% last year, a significant drop from 9.4% two years ago before ACA implementation. That rate puts CT ahead of the entire US at 9.4% and ahead of our neighbor NY at 7.1%; we are well above MA’s uninsured rate at 2.8%
- [Medicaid update – HUSKY parents’ fate, access monitoring plan, eligibility systems update and first look at Medicaid impact of controversial Health Care Cabinet proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-husky-parents-fate-access-monitoring-plan-eligibility-systems-update-and-first-look-at-medicaid-impact-of-controversial-health-care-cabinet-proposal/) - This month’s Medicaid Council meeting began with ongoing concerns about what happened to HUSKY parents cut off the program at the end of July. There were lots of numbers but of the original 18,903 slated for the cut in last year’s budget at least 7,713 were lost to HUSKY or AccessHealthCT coverage. Almost 4,000 more
- [CTNJ highlights concerns with Cabinet reform proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-highlights-concerns-with-cabinet-reform-proposal/) - “It’s not everyday that healthcare advocates and the Department of Social Services agree, but that’s what’s happening in a debate on how to save money and make sure residents, especially those on Medicaid, get the care they need”, according to today’s CT News Junkie. The article gives a very understandable description of the Health Care
- [Kaiser Medicaid and state marketplace implementation brief highlights CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/kaiser-medicaid-and-state-marketplace-implementation-brief-highlights-ct/) - Three years into ACA expansions, the Kaiser Foundation has highlighted how four states, including CT, are streamlining eligibility and enrollment. Researchers used focus groups and case studies to find that eligibility and enrollment systems worked well through the expansion and while Medicaid enrollment grew quickly in the beginning, it has now stabilized. While marketplace enrollment
- [Connecticut ranks 4th in nation for health of women and children](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-ranks-4th-in-nation-for-health-of-women-and-children/) - The newest report by America’s Health Rankings finds that women and children in Connecticut are healthier than women and children in all but three other states. While we rank best in outcomes for children, we are 48th in clinical care for infants. Our strengths include cervical cancer screening, the lowest rate of smoking in pregnancy
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard – Troubling Cabinet reform proposal would move CT backward](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-troubling-cabinet-reform-proposal-would-move-ct-backward/) - October’s CT Health Reform Dashboardupdate reflects the controversy surrounding the Health Care Cabinet’s controversial proposal for state health reform. The current proposal would move CT back into failed payment models and would break the administration’s promise to Medicaid members. Other concerns include a vague hospital consolidation deal that leaves a lot of accountability to administrative
- [CT Medicaid ACOs announced](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-acos-announced/) - Provider networks authorized to negotiate for participation in PCMH+ (formerly MQISSP), CT Medicaid’s new shared savings program, have been announced. The winners are: Northeast Medical Group, St. Vincent's Medical Group, Community Health Center, Inc., Cornell Scott-Hill Health Corporation, Fair Haven Community Health Clinic, Inc., Southwest Community Health Center, Generations Family Health Center, Inc., OPTIMUS Health
- [Health Care Cabinet continues to debate reform plan; Medicaid commitment on downside risk reversed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-continues-to-debate-reform-plan-medicaid-commitment-on-downside-risk-reversed/) - Yesterday’s Health Care Cabinet meeting started with a statement by the Lieutenant Governor stating that the commitment made last year not to implement downside risk in Medicaid was time-limited to end with the state’s SIM grant in 2019. However that was never conveyed to advocates and, in fact, the state made a clear commitment, without
- [Medicaid Council weighs in on Health Care Cabinet reform proposal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-council-weighs-in-on-health-care-cabinet-reform-proposal/) - Last week’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on the controversial Strawman proposal for reforming CT’s health care system and the implications for Medicaid. We reviewed continuing progress in the program improving quality and access while controlling costs. State spending on the program is down, despite strong enrollment growth, and per person costs are stable saving the
- [New England health policymakers meet to consider the future of hospitals](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-england-health-policymakers-meet-to-consider-the-future-of-hospitals/) - Last weekend NESCSO, the Millbank Fund and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services convened a group of twenty-two state executive and legislative branch health policymakers in Portsmouth, NH to consider the future of hospitals in the region. All six New England states were represented. Hospital roles are evolving quickly with national and
- [Almost one in six CT adults smokes cigarettes, rate steady and disparities persist](https://cthealthpolicy.org/almost-one-in-six-ct-adults-smokes-cigarettes-rate-steady-and-disparities-persist/) - According to new numbers for 2014 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US. Tobacco use is blamed for 480,000 premature deaths and over $300 billion in direct healthcare costs each year. Unfortunately CT is not immune; 15.4% of adults in
- [Coalition calls for transparency, public input on Yale L+M deal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/coalition-calls-for-transparency-public-input-on-yale-lm-deal/) - A broad coalition of consumer advocates, including the CT Health Policy Project, community leaders, caregivers, labor representatives, and providers has called on OHCA to engage the public and consider the community when implementing the unusual deal allowing Yale to purchase L+M hospital and physician group. In a letter to DPH, the coalition praised price caps
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard responds to efforts to undermine constructive policies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-responds-to-efforts-to-undermine-constructive-policies/) - This month’s Health Reform Dashboardupdate reflects more attempts to unravel progress in CT. Medicaid leads the concerns with broken promises on downside risk and attempts to weaken critical consumer notices about shifting provider incentives, potential underservice, and how to protect yourself. OHCA’s approval of YNHH’s acquisition of L&M health system will require a lot
- [Troubling Cabinet vote for downside risk on Medicaid and state employees, but there will be a public hearing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Medicaid update – HUSKY parents’ time running out, home health and dental get different cuts, autism services moving](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-husky-parents-time-running-out-home-health-and-dental-get-different-cuts-autism-services-moving/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council touched on several critical issues. We got an update, of sorts, on the fate of HUSKY parents facing the loss of coverage in three weeks. 20% of the 13,811 at-risk parents have either re-qualified for Medicaid (the large majority) or signed up for an AccessHealthCT plan. 3,877 parents from the original number
- [Community voices fears about proposed YNHH acquisition of L&M](https://cthealthpolicy.org/community-voices-fears-about-proposed-ynhh-acquisition-of-lm/) - OHCA’s public hearing about Yale-New Haven Health System’s plans to buy Lawrence & Memorial Monday in New London ran over 6 hours and had to be continued to later this month to finish. Public comment was split between those favoring the deal and others with concerns. A coalition of community groups, labor and consumer advocates,
- [Health Care Cabinet starts work on recommendations for reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-starts-work-on-recommendations-for-reform/) - Yesterday the Health Care Cabinet gave consultants initial feedback on their “straw man” recommendations to improve health care and control costs in CT. The Cabinet has spent the last several months exploring leading state reforms preparing for our December report to the General Assembly. Members expressed concerns about the proposed consolidation of all state health
- [CT second lowest in US in premature deaths, but also among most costly states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-second-lowest-in-us-in-premature-deaths-but-also-among-most-costly-states/) - Second only to New Hampshire among states, Connecticut residents are avoiding premature deaths preventable with better health care. However, no Connecticut community ranked in the top 10% across health indicators in the Commonwealth Fund’s 2016 Local Health System Scorecard. While we do very well in Healthy Lives measures, we have a great deal of work
- [OHCA hears more from community about harm from YNHH-L&M deal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ohca-hears-more-from-community-about-harm-from-ynhh-lm-deal/) - Tuesday OHCA got another earful from community members, providers and experts as they continued the public hearing on Yale-New Haven’s application to acquire L&M hospital and medical group. Intervenors, including the CT Health Policy Project, continued our testimony about likely price increases and loss of services in the New London community if the deal is
- [Twenty-six advocates support DSS decision to evaluate Medicaid reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/twenty-six-advocates-support-dss-decision-to-evaluate-medicaid-reform/) - Wednesday 26 independent consumer advocates wrote the Lieutenant Governor supporting DSS’s decision to evaluate outcomes after the first wave of 200,000+ members into the new Medicaid shared savings program, MQISSP. The advocates support DSS’s prudent plan to assess the impact, good and bad, and make revisions before moving more people into the untested program. Enlightened
- [August CT Health Policy Webquiz: Top salaries at CT hospitals and health systems](https://cthealthpolicy.org/august-ct-health-policy-webquiz-top-salaries-at-ct-hospitals-and-health-systems/) - Test your knowledge of top salaries at CT’s hospitals and health systems. Take the August CT Health Policy Web Quiz.
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard – SIM ethics problems growing, hospital mergers threaten](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-sim-ethics-problems-growing-hospital-mergers-threaten/) - August’s CT Health Reform Dashboardupdate is again very active – and not in a good way. Thousands of working HUSKY parents lost coverage this week. SIM ethics problems continue to plague reform efforts. Efforts to bypass DSS’s prudent evaluation of the new, untested, very ambitious Medicaid reform plan are disturbing. Consultants for the Health Care
- [Updated CT Health System Primer online](https://cthealthpolicy.org/updated-ct-health-system-primer-online/) - Our Basics of CT’s Health System has been updated for 2016. It addresses private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, the uninsured, health care financing, reform and where CT stands. The primer is part of our resource collection available at cthealthbook.org.
- [Lots of hospital quality news, CT not excelling](https://cthealthpolicy.org/lots-of-hospital-quality-news-ct-not-excelling/) - In the last few days several sources have released hospital quality rankings and measures. The bottom line -- CT’s hospitals have a lot of work to do. CMS released their long-awaited five star system for hospital ratings, but no CT hospitals received five stars. In fact, only one earned four stars (Backus), 17 received
- [CSG-ERC annual meeting in Quebec: States seek relief from rising prescription drug costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/csg-erc-annual-meeting-in-quebec-states-seek-relief-from-rising-prescription-drug-costs/) - The rising cost of health care is hitting hard across North America, both in houses of government and at home, around the kitchen table, where the cost of vital prescription drugs can too often make or break a household budget. From 2001 to 2011, health care spending by states jumped a staggering $5.1 billion across
- [Reform is hard and Econ 101 doesn’t work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/reform-is-hard-and-econ-101-doesnt-work/) - An article published today in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights the challenges in health reform and why the usual, simple fixes aren’t working. The article by Richard Bohmer, The Hard Work of Health Care Transformation, explains why changing financial incentives or governance structures aren’t sufficient to effect change. The status quo is very
- [New to the Book Club: Creating Scientific Controversies](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-creating-scientific-controversies/) - It’s a shame that this book is written in the style of a textbook rather than for the general public, because we all need to hear David Harker’s message. Created scientific controversies surround issues where there is broad scientific agreement but the public’s perception is that there is uncertainty and doubt. The false controversies can
- [Different polls, different questions – but people are worried about health care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/different-polls-different-questions-but-people-are-worried-about-health-care/) - A new poll, Inform CT Consumer Confidence Survey, finds that almost two thirds of CT residents are worried about health insurance affordability, up 12% in the last year. A new Gallup poll found that Americans’ perceptions of the health care and drug industries are the lowest among all sectors except the federal government. That means
- [CSG-ERC brief on VT’s drug price transparency law](https://cthealthpolicy.org/csg-erc-brief-on-vts-drug-price-transparency-law/) - In recent years drug costs have grown far faster than other health care services, last year growing 8.1% compared to overall health spending growth of 4.8%. Forty five new drugs were approved in the US last year, up from 41 the year before and 27 in 2013. Those increases are straining government budgets, squeezing out
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard – Cabinet reform proposal concerns, Medicaid evaluation affirmed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-cabinet-reform-proposal-concerns-medicaid-evaluation-affirmed/) - September’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update reflects the controversy surrounding the Health Care Cabinet’s ambitious and controversial proposal for state health reform. But in good news, DSS and the advocates’ call for a proper evaluation of Medicaid reform, and using it to improve and adjust the program, have been affirmed. Concerns about SIM ethics and
- [GAO reports find individual insurance markets concentrated in most states in 2014, but largest in CT losing market share](https://cthealthpolicy.org/gao-reports-find-individual-insurance-markets-concentrated-in-most-states-in-2014-but-largest-in-ct-losing-market-share/) - Recent news about insurers leaving AccessHealthCT, CT’s health insurance exchange, have raised concerns about lowering competition and rising prices for health insurance. CT is not alone. Prior to 2014 health insurance markets in most states were highly concentrated, according to the US General Accounting Office. However, the largest individual coverage insurer in CT, Anthem/Wellpoint, has
- [September webquiz -- C section rates in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/september-webquiz-c-section-rates-in-ct/) - Test your knowledge of C-Section rates in CT. Take the September CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [CT insurance exchange premiums high, but growing slower than national and regional averages](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-insurance-exchange-premiums-high-but-growing-slower-than-national-and-regional-averages/) - A new analysis by the Urban Institute finds that insurance exchange premiums for the lowest-cost Silver plan in CT averaged 0.7% growth annually over the last two years. This is well below growth at the national and regional averages of 5.5% and 4.2% respectively. While they aren’t rising as quickly, CT premiums started out much
- [46% of Americans can’t afford a $400 emergency; CT average individual deductible up to $1,547](https://cthealthpolicy.org/46-of-americans-cant-afford-a-400-emergency-ct-average-individual-deductible-up-to-1547/) - A new survey by the Federal Reserve finds that almost half (46%) of Americans last year reported that an unexpected expense of $400 would be a challenge and they would have to put off the bill, borrow from family or friends or sell something to pay it. Many who experienced a financial hardship, especially low-income
- [New Haven Register Forum: ICER part of solution in addressing drug effectiveness, cost](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-haven-register-forum-icer-part-of-solution-in-addressing-drug-effectiveness-cost/) - From yesterday’s New Haven Register: The news is full of recent drug companies’ breathtaking price hikes. A new study by Reuters finds that prices for four of the top 10 U.S. drugs more than doubled since 2011, and prices for the other six rose more than 50 percent. These drugs treat common problems such as arthritis, asthma
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard – lots of uncertainty, hard work ahead](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-lots-of-uncertainty-hard-work-ahead/) - Summer used to come with down time, but June’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update is anything but quiet. 17,688 HUSKY parents are scheduled to lose coverage at the end of next month. Serious concerns have been raised about the notices to members that miss critical information to help them plan for their health. Based on
- [June web quiz: Health Risk Factors in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/june-web-quiz-health-risk-factors-in-ct/) - Test your knowledge of health risks among adults in CT. Take the June CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Calls for HUSKY parents notice to include help for uninsured](https://cthealthpolicy.org/calls-for-husky-parents-notice-to-include-help-for-uninsured/) - Today’s CT New Junkie highlights the lack of information to 17,688 working parents scheduled to lose HUSKY coverage July 31st. Based on prior experience, it is expected that some will qualify for Medicaid in other categories, a smaller number will purchase coverage from AccessHealthCT, but many will lose coverage altogether. Notices from the state to
- [CT Insurers want enormous rate hikes in 2017](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-insurers-want-enormous-rate-hikes-in-2017/) - Insurers in CT have asked the Dept. of Insurance for permission to raise premiums significantly next year, both on the exchange, AccessHealthCT, and off. Insurers want to raise individual AccessHealthCT premiums on average by 26.8% (Anthem with 56,700 covered lives), 14.3% (ConnectiCare Benefits covering 47,597 lives) and 12.21% (HealthyCT with 16,274 covered lives). Those averages
- [27 minutes average ER wait time for Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/27-minutes-average-er-wait-time-for-connecticut/) - Governing magazine reports that in 2014 the average Emergency Room patient in Connecticut waited 27 minutes for care. That wait is similar to neighboring states but well below Maryland with the longest wait at 46 minutes, and well above Colorado and Utah where patients waited only 16 minutes. The article cites CMS Hospital Compare Data.
- [FDA committee split on benefits of C. difficile treatment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fda-committee-split-on-benefits-of-c-difficile-treatment/) - Last week, the FDA’s Antimicrobial Advisory Committee drilled deep into evidence on the safety and effectiveness of Bezlotoxumab, a drug intended to reduce recurrence of C. difficle infections. The evidence was extensive – slides with data tables and charts numbered at least 1,855. Half a million Americans suffered from serious C. diff infections and 29,000
- [Medicaid Council hears about promising homelessness partnership](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-council-hears-about-promising-homelessness-partnership/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting highlighted a new federal Medicaid-Housing Partnership opportunity for CT. The collaborative application by CT Medicaid and six other agencies and non-profits was one of eight states awarded. Under new federal guidance, Medicaid can cover tenancy sustaining and transition services, such as help with identifying a home, application assistance, help with moving,
- [Healthcare Cabinet sets state agency context for recommendations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/healthcare-cabinet-sets-state-agency-context-for-recommendations/) - At yesterday’s meeting, the Healthcare Cabinet heard from ten state agencies that all touch on health. They were asked to report on how they were saving money, improving the quality of care, and innovating to improve the health of state residents. DSS got twice as much time as everyone else, with good reason. Among the
- [Medicaid reform application released – good interest at bidder’s conference](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-reform-application-released-good-interest-at-bidders-conference/) - CT Medicaid’s plan for payment reform marked a milestone last week with release of the RFPfor provider networks and community health centers to participate. Most of the independent consumer advocates’ Medicaid Study Group recommendations are included, but not all. Pros include protective attribution, no downside risk, smart quality incentives to reward improvement, re-investing savings in
- [CSG-ERC offers Medicaid reform resources for state policymakers, including underservice protections](https://cthealthpolicy.org/csg-erc-offers-medicaid-reform-resources-for-state-policymakers-including-underservice-protections/) - Medicaid is now the largest coverage program in the nation, consuming over a quarter of state budgets, and that share is rising at an unsustainable rate. State Medicaid programs are working on reforms to shift from a system that rewards volume with no regard to quality to a better system that builds value. Next week
- [Practical info for HUSKY parents losing coverage you won't get anywhere else](https://cthealthpolicy.org/practical-info-for-husky-parents-losing-coverage-you-wont-get-anywhere-else/) - Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut has posted practical advice for the 17,688 working parents about to lose HUSKY coverage at the end of next month. Budget issues forced state lawmakers to cut parents’ eligibility. Preparing for the likelihood that many of them will become uninsured, SLSCT has drafted very consumer-friendly fact sheets in Englishand Spanish
- [Hartford Courant highlights SIM conflicts of interest impact, ethics law loophole](https://cthealthpolicy.org/hartford-courant-highlights-sim-conflicts-of-interest-impact-ethics-law-loophole/) - Today’s Hartford Courant includes a deep dive into instances of steering committee members getting grants and changing policies to benefit their interests. Unfortunately SIM falls into a loophole in CT law that exempts its members from the state Code of Ethics for Public Officials. A bill to close that loophole cruised through legislative committees but
- [CT teaching hospitals received $8.3 million from drug and device manufacturers last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-teaching-hospitals-received-8-3-million-from-drug-and-device-manufacturers-last-year/) - New data shows that nineteen teaching hospitals and 11,016 physicians in CT received payments from drug and device manufacturers last year. Open Payments, the searchable federal data source, was created by the Affordable Care Act which requires that drug and device manufacturers disclose payments to physicians and teaching hospitals. While every CT hospital received some
- [State policymakers hear about successes and challenges in Medicaid reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/state-policymakers-hear-about-successes-and-challenges-in-medicaid-reform/) - Wednesday’s Medicaid Reform meeting hosted by CSG-ERC Health Policy Committeehighlighted the variety of approaches states are taking to address their unique challenges. All states are committed to move away from volume-based payment models toward building value. All states were also committed, and have devoted significant resources, to quality improvement and delivery reform to build programs
- [New HUSKY parents numbers show a lot of work needed before July 31st](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-husky-parents-numbers-show-a-lot-of-work-needed-before-july-31st/) - No one knows why, but the number of HUSKY parents expected to lose coverage at the end of this month dropped from 17,688 to 13,811. That’s probably good news (depending on whether those four thousand already lost coverage and why), but as of late last week, only 15% had either been able to re-enroll in
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard – SIM ethics problems grow, an insurer lost, HUSKY parents losing coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-sim-ethics-problems-grow-an-insurer-lost-husky-parents-losing-coverage/) - July’s CT Health Reform Dashboard update is very active. SIM ethics problems are back in the news, with the death of a bill that would have closed the legal loophole that exempts SIM appointees. The state insurance department has suspended HealthyCT, our state’s only non-profit, homegrown insurer. This is troubling on many levels including reducing
- [July CT Health Policy Webquiz: Medicare cost variation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/july-ct-health-policy-webquiz-medicare-cost-variation/) - Test your knowledge of Medicare cost variation. Take the July CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Health Care Cabinet considers Oregon and Maryland’s reforms](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-considers-oregon-and-marylands-reforms/) - At this month’s Health Care Cabinet meeting, we heard about health reforms in Oregon and Maryland with a focus on how/if their successful strategies could be applied in Connecticut. Oregon consolidated state health purchasing under one new state agency, implemented an ambitious Medicaid waiver with a total annual cap on cost increases, assistance for PCMH
- [Connecticut’s Medicaid redesign update-- Pros and Cons](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticuts-medicaid-redesign-update-pros-and-cons/) - Connecticut’s Medicaid program has earned national recognition for combining improved access to high quality care with an impressive record of cost control. Shifting the program from a financial risk payment model to care coordination through person-centered medical homes (PCMHs) four years ago is widely credited with that success. Last year the administration began developing
- [Private employer costs higher in New England, but health costs are less of the total](https://cthealthpolicy.org/private-employer-costs-higher-in-new-england-but-health-costs-are-less-of-the-total/) - According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, New England employers paid the highest total compensation per worker in December 2015 averaging $38.14/hour, well above the US average of $31.70. Health insurance and other benefit costs were also high in New England but not as a percent of total compensation. At $2.93/hour health insurance was
- [Connecticut most costly for nursing home care, above US average for all LTSS costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-most-costly-for-nursing-home-care-above-us-average-for-all-ltss-costs/) - A new survey of Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) costs by Lincoln Financial finds that Connecticut was among the costliest states in the nation last year. Connecticut ranked highest for nursing home care (both private and semi-private rooms) and in the top five for assisted living arrangements. Home health care was slightly less costly,
- [Legislative Dems newest budget rejects most of Governor’s newest cuts](https://cthealthpolicy.org/legislative-dems-newest-budget-rejects-most-of-governors-newest-cuts/) - In the latest budget proposal for the next two years, Democrats in legislative leadership have rejected many of the Governor’s most recent cuts. The newest legislative proposal rejects the Governor’s plan to cut another 8,700 working parents off HUSKY. Because of cuts passed last year, 17, 688 working parents will lose coverage as of July
- [CT Reform Dashboard update – opportunities for progress, but some concerns linger](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-reform-dashboard-update-opportunities-for-progress-but-some-concerns-linger/) - Lots of changes this month in CT’s Health Reform Dashboard. The inability to finalize the state budget leaves coverage for 8,700 HUSKY parents in limbo. This is in addition to the 17,688 working parents who are already scheduled to lose HUSKY this summer. Despite this, the Health Care Cabinet continues its collaborative work to study best
- [Governor offers third budget proposal -- Still cuts another 8,700 working parents’ HUSKY coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governor-offers-third-budget-proposal-still-cuts-another-8700-working-parents-husky-coverage/) - In the ongoing tense budget negotiations, yesterday the administration offered yet another budget proposal in response to the legislature’s latest version. However the Governor and legislature are still reportedly over $100 million apart. The new proposal retains the Governor’s plan to cut 8,700 more HUSKY parents from coverage. In a classic case of misdirection, that
- [Health care prices higher in Connecticut but not as bad as you’d think](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-prices-higher-in-connecticut-but-not-as-bad-as-youd-think/) - A new report finds that health care prices are higher in Connecticut than the rest of the US ranking us14th among states. Alaska had the highest average prices in the nation; Florida’s prices averaged the lowest. The reportby the Health Care Cost Instituteaveraged 2015 prices for common treatments across and within 41 states and the
- [Nine in ten CT residents have a usual source of care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nine-in-ten-ct-residents-have-a-usual-source-of-care/) - A new CDC report finds that in 2014, all but 10.1% of Connecticut residents had a usual source of medical care. The same report found great variation among states but, on average, 17.3% of Americans lacked a usual source of care. Vermont led the country with only 2.8% of residents that report they do not
- [Palliative care webinar offers opportunities to improve life for seriously ill people -- and save money](https://cthealthpolicy.org/palliative-care-webinar-offers-opportunities-to-improve-life-for-seriously-ill-people-and-save-money/) - Today’s webinar with Dr. Diane Meier from the Center to Advance Palliative Care was moving as well as offering a very promising policy option for CT’s Medicaid program. Palliative care offers great potential to improve and extend the lives of people with serious illness, allowing them to get care at home if they wish, while
- [CT Health Care Cabinet considers WA reform strategies, CT stakeholder input](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-care-cabinet-considers-wa-reform-strategies-ct-stakeholder-input/) - At last week’s meeting, the Health Care Cabinet heard about lessons from Washington state’s successful reforms. Washington has consolidated health care planning across both the public and private sectors. The structure isn’t the key – what’s surprising is that they can get to a thoughtful consensus through power-sharing. Like many states, they are working on
- [Rich/Poor Life Expectancy Gap Depends on Where You Live](https://cthealthpolicy.org/rich-poor-life-expectancy-gap-depends-on-where-you-live/) - The richest 1% of Americans live 14.6 years longer, on average, than those with the lowest 1% of incomes and that gap is growing. While this disparity is well-known, the reasons are not well-understood. The Health Inequality Project is working to change that. Publishing their results in JAMA, researchers from across academia joined forces to
- [Drug forum looks for state options to control costs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/drug-forum-looks-for-state-options-to-control-costs/) - Yesterday’s forum on rising drug costs at the Capitol included the expected messages from the expected sources but the real news was in the second panel that offered solutions. The CT State Medical Society and the State Comptroller’s Office sponsored the forum. Dr. Jacobs, President of CSMS, laid out the problem. One medication that supports
- [Medicaid update – HUSKY parents cut implementation, wait times improve](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-husky-parents-cut-implementation-wait-times-improve/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on DSS and AccessHealthCT’s plans to alert 17,688 working parents that their HUSKY benefits will end August 1st. The cut was passed in last year’s state budget and 1,215 parents lost coverage last year, but the large majority qualified for another year of HUSKY under federal law. In good news,
- [New to the Book Club: The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic – and How it Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-the-ghost-map-the-story-of-londons-most-terrifying-epidemic-and-how-it-changed-science-cities-and-the-modern-world/) - Every first year public health student hears the story of London’s 1854 cholera epidemic, Dr. John Snow, his map, and the Broad Street pump handle -- but there is so much more to that story. The Ghost Map describes in terrifying detail the disgusting details of life in an over-populated Victorian city, the devastating disease
- [Health Care Cabinet – RI, MA reforms reviewed, hospitals’ response to price presentation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-cabinet-ri-ma-reforms-reviewed-hospitals-response-to-price-presentation/) - Today’s Health Care Cabinet meeting was as fascinating as last month’s. We heard again from the consultants working with the Cabinet to develop a plan to reform CT’s health care system. This time they focused on reforms in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Rhode Island is also facing hospital consolidation, but with more geographic overlap than
- [Medicaid creating a committee to assess access to care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-creating-a-committee-to-assess-access-to-care/) - Prompted by new federal regulations, at today’s Medicaid Council meeting DSS announced the creation of a Medicaid Medical Care Advisory Committee that will track quality and access to care in the program. The committee will advise on an Access Monitoring Plan, due out July 1st, to ensure that Medicaid members’ access to care is similar
- [Advocates’ concerns to preserve PCMHs in Medicaid reform rejected](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-concerns-to-preserve-pcmhs-in-medicaid-reform-rejected/) - Last week independent advocates sent a letter to DSS urging them to preserve and support person-centered medical homes (PCMHs) in Medicaid redesign, but unfortunately our concerns were dismissed by the administration. PMCHs are the only reform that has extensive support in the literature as improving both access to quality care and success in controlling costs.
- [Good news on CCIP – SIM’s plan for Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/good-news-on-ccip-sims-plan-for-medicaid/) - As recommended by independent advocates and others at from the Care Management Committee, DSS and SIM have agreed to make SIM’s Community and Clinical Integration Program (CCIP) optional for Medicaid provider networks, at least for the first year. Advocates and others on the committee were concerned that the plan was too prescriptive, very expensive, and
- [Wall Street Journal article celebrates CT Medicaid success after move away from private insurers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/wall-street-journal-article-celebrates-ct-medicaid-success-after-move-away-from-private-insurers/) - On page 3 this weekend, the Wall Street Journal highlighted CT Medicaid’s success controlling costs and improving care by bucking the usual trend. Four years ago CT moved away from private insurers to run the program ourselves – and that has made all the difference. “’Been there, done that and it didn’t work,” says Robert
- [Happy 6th Birthday to the Affordable Care Act](https://cthealthpolicy.org/happy-6th-birthday-to-the-affordable-care-act/) - Regardless of whether the ACA is meeting expectations or not, it bears some reflection six years after passage -- what’s been accomplished and what remains to be done. If you have forgotten what’s in the 906 pages, re-read the Act here.
- [CEPAC meeting next Thursday in CT – come watch smart people debate and vote on the effectiveness of palliative care interventions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cepac-meeting-next-thursday-in-ct-come-watch-smart-people-debate-and-vote-on-the-effectiveness-of-palliative-care-interventions/) - The March meeting of CEPAC, New England’s comparative effectiveness council, will be in Hartford next Thursday, the 31stat the Bushnell. CEPAC is an independent council of clinicians, academics and consumer advocates who take a deep dive into research around treatments for specific conditions, sorting out and voting on clinical effectiveness, but also which are worth
- [DSS publishes a consumer-friendly PCMH description](https://cthealthpolicy.org/dss-publishes-a-consumer-friendly-pcmh-description/) - For last week’s MAPOC Consumer Access Committee meeting, DSS developed a clear and simple descriptionof Person Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs). The presentation focuses on what person-centered means – both provider and member responsibilities. Members learn what they can expect from providers, and what is expected of them. “Care is organized around you” balanced with “Support
- [Connecticut scores well in health care quality, but near the middle in disparities](https://cthealthpolicy.org/connecticut-scores-well-in-health-care-quality-but-near-the-middle-in-disparities/) - The latest National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report from HHS finds significant improvement in access to health care across groups in 2014, likely due to the Affordable Care Act. Released earlier this month, the annual report tracks over 250 measures of quality and disparities in health care. Along with other northeastern states, Connecticut performed well
- [CT remains costly for Long Term Services and Supports while demand grows](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-remains-costly-for-long-term-services-and-supports-while-demand-grows-2/) - A new survey by Genworth Financial finds that costs for Long Term Services and Support in Connecticut are among the highest in the nation, and rising. At $146,000 for a semi-private room and $158,775 for a private room, median annual costs of nursing home care were more expensive in Connecticut last year than any other
- [CT remains costly for Long Term Services and Supports while demand grows](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-remains-costly-for-long-term-services-and-supports-while-demand-grows/) - A new survey by Genworth Financial finds that costs for Long Term Services and Support in Connecticut are among the highest in the nation, and rising. At $146,000 for a semi-private room and $158,775 for a private room, median annual costs of nursing home care were more expensive in Connecticut last year than any other
- [CEPAC meeting affirms the value of outpatient palliative care, but more research is needed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cepac-meeting-affirms-the-value-of-outpatient-palliative-care-but-more-research-is-needed/) - At yesterday’s meeting in Hartford, CEPAC took a deep dive into the clinical and cost effectiveness of palliative care delivered in outpatient settings. From CEPAC’s report, “Palliative care is a management approach that provides symptom relief and comfort care to patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses, with the goal of improving quality of life for both patients
- [CON taskforce members appointed](https://cthealthpolicy.org/con-taskforce-members-appointed/) - Governor Malloy has announced the appointmentsto the Certificate of Need Taskforce. The taskforce was created in a February Executive Order halting mergers and takeovers of large hospital systems for one year to allow a review of CON rules and process. Consolidation in Connecticut’s hospital market has raisedsignificant concerns about the lack of competition, rising prices
- [April Health Affairs features CT state employee VBID plan results](https://cthealthpolicy.org/april-health-affairs-features-ct-state-employee-vbid-plan-results/) - An evaluation of CT’s state employee Health Enhancement Program (HEP) published in Health Affairs found improved access to primary care, reductions in ED use, but has not produced savings. HEP is an early adopter of the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model, linking consumer costs to the value of care. Implemented in 2011, HEP encourages preventive
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard update: mixed Medicaid progress, a few good signs elsewhere](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-update-mixed-medicaid-progress-a-few-good-signs-elsewhere/) - Both good and bad news for consumers in planned Medicaid reforms influenced CT Health Reform Dashboard this month. In good news, DSS and SIM agreed to make the well-intentioned but poorly-designed CCIP program optional for Medicaid networks applying to participate in shared savings. A Wall Street Journal article reported on the success of CT’s Medicaid
- [Approps budget restores many health and human service cuts](https://cthealthpolicy.org/approps-budget-restores-many-health-and-human-service-cuts/) - The budget approved by the Appropriations Committee yesterday restores many of the health and human services cuts in the Governor’s proposed budget. Long supported by advocates and financial analysts, the Appropriations Committee also proposed de-collapsing the massive Medicaid line item. The Committee’s budget separates out payments to hospitals and community health centers, giving more transparency
- [April web quiz: Medicare disparities in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/april-web-quiz-medicare-disparities-in-ct/) - Test your knowledge of Medicare disparities in CT. Take the April CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Northeastern physicians lowest paid in US](https://cthealthpolicy.org/northeastern-physicians-lowest-paid-in-us/) - According to Medscape’s 2016 Physician Compensation Survey, at $266,000 physicians from Northeastern states have the lowest incomes in the US. Medscape reports that uneven distribution between physicians and patients drives compensation levels. Just over half (52%) of US physicians believe that their compensation is fair. Specialists tend to make more than primary care doctors; highest
- [New to the Book Club -- Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-hand-to-mouth-living-in-bootstrap-america/) - Sometimes raw and even offensive, in Hand to MouthLinda Tirado describes for middle class readers what it is like to live in working class America. Tirado is an educated white married mother of two who needs two jobs, in addition to her husband’s two jobs, to make ends meet. She describes in vivid detail why
- [Health care not immune from gender wage gap, but the size depends on your job](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-care-not-immune-from-gender-wage-gap-but-the-size-depends-on-your-job/) - American women workers make 82.5 cents for every dollar men do, according to 2014 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. However that ratio varies considerably by industry from 91.3 in construction to 56.7 cents in legal positions. In health care support positions, women so better than average American women but still 87.9% of
- [CEPAC coming to Connecticut – effectiveness of palliative care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cepac-coming-to-connecticut-effectiveness-of-palliative-care/) - The March meeting of CEPAC, New England’s comparative effectiveness council, will be in Hartford on the 31stat the Bushnell. CEPAC is an independent council of clinicians, academics and consumer advocates who take a deep dive into research around treatments for specific conditions, sorting out and voting on clinical effectiveness, but also which are worth the
- [Radiologists’ cuts discussed at Medicaid committee meeting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/radiologists-cuts-discussed-at-medicaid-committee-meeting/) - Friday’s MAPOC Complex Care Committee included a presentation on the cut to radiologists’ rates this last session. Representatives of the Radiological Society of Connecticut outlined the across-the-board cuts effective last April that dropped payments for interpreting images from 100% to 57.5% of Medicare rates, lower than rates paid by other states. The physicians are concerned
- [Article finds Medicaid managed care offers mixed results](https://cthealthpolicy.org/article-finds-medicaid-managed-care-offers-mixed-results/) - Echoing CT’s experience, researchers writing in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy found little evidence that states’ rush to move Medicaid members into risk-based commercial managed care plans has saved money or improved quality. Currently half of all Medicaid members nationally are enrolled in these plans. States moving to commercial managed care
- [Benefits of sponsoring out-of-state trips for policymakers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/benefits-of-sponsoring-out-of-state-trips-for-policymakers/) - A new Health Affairs blog highlights the benefits of learning trips for state health policymakers working on systemic change. The author, President of New Jersey’s Nicholson Foundation, notes that out-of-state trips are very effective in fostering new perspectives on problems and finding innovative solutions. “The Nicholson Foundation is dedicated to addressing the complex needs of
- [CT Health Reform Dashboard redesign](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-dashboard-redesign/) - Two years after the main Affordable Care Act expansions were implemented and almost six years after it became law, we’ve re-designed our CT Health Reform Dashboard to reflect the changing challenges and opportunities. Most of the 125 tasks and decision points in the original progress meter have been set in place. New opportunities to reform
- [February web quiz: costs on CT’s health insurance exchange](https://cthealthpolicy.org/february-web-quiz-costs-on-cts-health-insurance-exchange/) - Test your knowledge about costs of plans and MLRs on CT’s health insurance exchange. Take the February CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Two in three CT physicians had an electronic health record in 2014; well below US average](https://cthealthpolicy.org/two-in-three-ct-physicians-had-an-electronic-health-record-in-2014-well-below-us-average/) - In 2014, only 67.5% of CT office-based physicians had a certified electronic health record (EHR) system according to a new CDC brief.Nationally 74.1% of office-based physicians had certified EHRs in 2014, up from 67.5% the year before. Only five other states had lower EHR participation levels. On the bright side, CT physicians who did have
- [Governor’s budget proposal – it could be way worse](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governors-budget-proposal-it-could-be-way-worse/) - Today the Governor announced his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year that starts July 1st. The very, very good news is that Medicaid is largely untouched – no new cuts to providers, no more people losing coverage, and minimal service limits (orthodontia). This is smart because current reforms in the program are working to
- [New to the Book Club: Fighting for Life, by S. Josephine Baker, 1939](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-fighting-for-life-by-s-josephine-baker-1939/) - In the 1890s New York’s Lower East Side was the most densely populated square mile on the planet, with largely immigrant residents. A third of children born there died before their fifth birthday often due to epidemics of diarrhea, smallpox, typhus, child labor, poor sanitation, and other preventable conditions. But by 1911 the child death
- [Fascinating Health Care Cabinet meeting on hospital markets, concentration, costs and the magic of VT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fascinating-health-care-cabinet-meeting-on-hospital-markets-concentration-costs-and-the-magic-of-vt/) - This week’s Health Care Cabinet meeting was fascinating. We first heard about the impact of hospital consolidations in CT. We heard a moving story about a Spanish-speaking woman suffering a mild stroke who had to be airlifted from Windham to Hartford because since Hartford Hospital’s acquisition of Windham Hospital, there is no longer a neurologist
- [CT Medicare members have saved over $285 million on prescription drugs under the ACA; almost half a million received free preventive care last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicare-members-have-saved-over-285-million-on-prescription-drugs-under-the-aca-almost-half-a-million-received-free-preventive-care-last-year/) - Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) thousands of elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries in CT have saved millions of dollars on prescription drugs and free preventive care, according to new numbers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The ACA includes discounts for Medicare Part D beneficiaries on their prescription drugs that increase
- [Medicaid update – plans to “transition” 17,688 HUSKY parents off the program, serious SIM/CCIP problems jeopardize Medicaid redesign](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-plans-to-transition-17688-husky-parents-off-the-program-serious-sim-ccip-problems-jeopardize-medicaid-redesign/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on implementation of last year’sbudget provision that will end coverage for 17,688 HUSKY parents on July 31stof this year. DSS reported on efforts to assure that people still eligible for Medicaid in other categories do not lose coverage. Of the 1,215 parents who lost coverage last year due to the
- [SIM’s CCIP proposal for Medicaid reform – poor process drives weak plan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sims-ccip-proposal-for-medicaid-reform-poor-process-drives-weak-plan/) - Public comments from the CT Health Policy Project raise deep concerns about SIM’s proposal for Medicaid reform requirements could undermine hard-won successes in the program and may not achieve the goals. The Community and Clinical Integration Plan (CCIP) is SIM’s plan for community-based resources to support Medicaid advanced networks that will be sharing in savings
- [Governor orders delay, time to study CON approvals for massive hospital mergers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/governor-orders-delay-time-to-study-con-approvals-for-massive-hospital-mergers/) - Yesterday Governor Malloy issued an Executive Order halting state Certificate of Need approvals for hospital mergers that would cover more than 20% of total CT hospital spending until Jan. 15, 2017. The delay will allow for a “fair and through” review of the CON process by a new taskforce. Concerns about the current CON process
- [CT Health Reform update – hospital consolidation delay allows breathing room but weak SIM proposal for Medicaid is troubling](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-update-hospital-consolidation-delay-allows-breathing-room-but-weak-sim-proposal-for-medicaid-is-troubling/) - The Governor’s Executive Order to delay approvals of large hospital consolidations leads the CT Health Reform Dashboardupdates this month. $185 million savings in the state’s share of Medicaid spending last year also leads the news. Medicaid redesign planning is still on track, working collaboratively with all voices at the table. However that good news was
- [March web quiz: Medicaid costs in CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/march-web-quiz-medicaid-costs-in-ct/) - Test your knowledge of Medicaid costs in CT. Take the March CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [FDA flu vaccine meeting – lots of smart people doing important work, tons of wonk fun](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fda-flu-vaccine-meeting-lots-of-smart-people-doing-important-work-tons-of-wonk-fun/) - Today’s FDA meeting to vote on what subtypes next year’s flu vaccine will include was fascinating. As more than one participant said, our heads hurt by 10am. There is a lot of work by people all over the globe that goes into figuring out what nature has planned nine months from now. (An important example
- [CT health reform progress meter ticks up slightly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-meter-ticks-up-slightly/) - December’s CT health reform progress meter ticked up very slightly this month. Medicaid redesign planning is still on track, working collaboratively with all voices at the table. New Medicaid quality data confirms the program’s improvements and the number of person-centered medical homes in the program passed 100. However that good news was balanced by troubling
- [Report details dangers of hospital consolidation, especially YNHH and L&M](https://cthealthpolicy.org/report-details-dangers-of-hospital-consolidation-especially-ynhh-and-lm/) - A new report by a coalition of labor and consumer advocacy groups including the CT Health Policy Project, calls for caution and more study before the state approves pending hospital consolidations. Concentration in CT’s health care system is being driven by new, untested shared savings payment reform models being adopted in Medicare, Medicaid and private
- [CT tied for fifth among states in health system performance](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-tied-for-fifth-among-states-in-health-system-performance/) - CT’s health system performs better than 45 other states according to the 2015 Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard on State Health System Performance. We improved on eight metrics, but lost ground on four. States are ranked on 42 indicators such as avoidable hospitalizations, health risk behaviors, childhood vaccinations, and hospital patients discharged with information to
- [Medicaid update: New data on high-cost, high-need members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-new-data-on-high-cost-high-need-members/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on CT’s participation in a national technical assistance program to identify and meet the needs of high-cost, high-need patients. This population has received a great deal of attention from policymakers as the best opportunity to both improve access and quality of care as well as control costs. The concept offers
- [Medicaid update: New data on high-cost, high-need members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-new-data-on-high-cost-high-need-members-3/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on CT’s participation in a national technical assistance program to identify and meet the needs of high-cost, high-need patients. This population has received a great deal of attention from policymakers as the best opportunity to both improve access and quality of care as well as control costs. The concept offers
- [Medicaid update: New data on high-cost, high-need members](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-update-new-data-on-high-cost-high-need-members-2/) - Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on CT’s participation in a national technical assistance program to identify and meet the needs of high-cost, high-need patients. This population has received a great deal of attention from policymakers as the best opportunity to both improve access and quality of care as well as control costs. The concept offers
- [December web quiz: CT Medicaid quality](https://cthealthpolicy.org/december-web-quiz-ct-medicaid-quality/) - Test your knowledge about the improvements in quality of care in Connecticut’s Medicaid program. Take the December CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Advocates offer comment on MQISSP design proposals to date](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-offer-comment-on-mqissp-design-proposals-to-date/) - As requested, the Medicaid Study Group has drafted comments to DSS on current design proposals for MQISSP, CT’s Medicaid reform plan. The Medicaid Study Group, with over twenty independent consumer advocates, has taken a deep dive into the health reform literature and the experience of Medicaid reforms in other states, and providing feedback and recommendations
- [British medical humor for the holidays](https://cthealthpolicy.org/british-medical-humor-for-the-holidays/) - Formerly known as the British Medical Journal, the BMJ Christmas issue is out with critical additions to the scientific literature such as a study of doctors’ coffee purchasing at work (surgeons drink the most, hierarchical position is positively correlated with high consumption and generosity in paying for others’ coffee) and the growing frequency of quotes
- [Advocates urge SIM not to disrupt successful Medicaid PCMH program](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-urge-sim-not-to-disrupt-successful-medicaid-pcmh-program/) - In a letter to SIM steering committee members, the Medicaid Study Group urged support for DSS’s decision to build Medicaid reforms on the successful person-centered medical home program. Specifically the Group applauded DSS’s decision to only include members served by certified PCMHs in the new, untested shared savings model being planned for Medicaid. The Medicaid
- [Hartford Business Journal 2016 economic outlook including health care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/hartford-business-journal-2016-economic-outlook-including-health-care/) - The Hartford Business Journal is looking ahead to next year for trends, predictions and stories to watch in CT’s economy. Health care contributors included Matt Katz of the CT State Medical Society, Elliot Joseph of Hartford Healthcare, John O’Connell of the CM Smith Agency and Ellen Andrews of the CT Health Policy Project. Trends included
- [CT health reform progress meter not changed much](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-meter-not-changed-much/) - This month’s CT health reform progress meter ticked down very slightly this month, continuing its hover around the same 25% mark. Medicaid redesign planning is still on track, working collaboratively with all voices at the table. More Medicaid quality data confirms the program’s improvements including exciting news on health equity for high-cost, high-need members. However
- [CT teen birthrate down 11% last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-teen-birthrate-down-11-last-year/) - New data on births rates from the CDC finds that last year, as in 2013, CT had the third lowest teen birth rate among states. In both 2013 and 2014, MA and NH had the lowest and second lowest teen birth rates, respectively, across all states. CT’s 2014 teen birth rate dropped by 10.9% from
- [Only 15% of CT Medicaid smokers are getting medications to help quit](https://cthealthpolicy.org/only-15-of-ct-medicaid-smokers-are-getting-medications-to-help-quit/) - An article in this month’s Health Affairs estimates that only 15% of CT’s 102,000 Medicaid adults who smoke are getting medications to help them quit. While this is better than the 10% US average, there is a lot of room to improve. 31% of adults in our state’s Medicaid program smoke, about twice the rate
- [January web quiz: CT’s health system performance](https://cthealthpolicy.org/january-web-quiz-cts-health-system-performance/) - Test your knowledge about the performance of CT health system. Take the January CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Medicaid still saving $ hundreds of millions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-still-saving-hundreds-of-millions/) - Four years after shifting from managed care organizations to a care-management focused program, CT’s Medicaid program continues providing significant relief to the tight state budget. At today’s Medicaid Council meeting we learned that per person spending was down 5.9% from FY 2014 to 2015, saving the state $360 million just last year compared to no
- [A little perspective -- health care is expensive, but less than housing or transportation](https://cthealthpolicy.org/a-little-perspective-health-care-is-expensive-but-less-than-housing-or-transportation/) - In 2013 Americans of all ages devoted more of total household spending to housing and transportation than health care, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For most age groups that year, health care spending was also behind food and pensions/Social Security. Spending on health care peaked for ages 65 to 74 at $5,188/person; children spent
- [How CT can save $1 billion](https://cthealthpolicy.org/how-ct-can-save-1-billion/) - Per person costs in CT’s Medicaid program fell, actually went down, by 5.9% last year. If the rest of CT’s state budget could match that performance, we would have a $1 billion surplus. Following is my list for how we could spend it (this was fun). · Reverse the HUSKY parents cut · Reverse the
- [Consultants hired to study options for CT to improve value in health care purchasing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/consultants-hired-to-study-options-for-ct-to-improve-value-in-health-care-purchasing/) - Bailit Health has been hired to work with the Healthcare Cabinet for a study to identify successful practices in other states and make recommendations to the General Assembly by Dec. 1st. Researchers will collect successful cost containment practices from other states and identify factors that are driving health care cost growth in CT. Recommendations will
- [Briefing focuses on CT nurses’ role in improving population health](https://cthealthpolicy.org/briefing-focuses-on-ct-nurses-role-in-improving-population-health/) - The CT Nursing Collaborative-Action Coalition held a briefing today on Building a Culture of Health in Hartford with the CT League for Nursing and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Sue Hassmiller from RWJ briefed the audience on the critical role of prevention and population-based services in improving health and the central role of nurses in
- [CT health reform progress down 4th month in a row](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-down-4th-month-in-a-row/) - Unfortunately CT’s progress toward health reform is down again this month to 25.6%, dropping for the fourth month in a row. Medicaid’s rushed return to a risky financial model and recent provider cuts led the concerns. However Medicaid officials continue to consult with stakeholders in the design. Higher premiums on CT’s health insurance exchange added
- [October web quiz: Potential CT impact of the Cadillac tax](https://cthealthpolicy.org/october-web-quiz-potential-ct-impact-of-the-cadillac-tax/) - Test your knowledge of Connecticut employer health plans that may be subject to the ACA’s Cadillac tax. Take the October CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Administration agrees to more time to design Medicaid reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/administration-agrees-to-more-time-to-design-medicaid-reform/) - Monday the administration announced that they will delay the redesign of CT’s Medicaid program by at least six months. In a letter sent last week by twenty one independent consumers advocates, concerns were raised about the rush back into a risky financial model that could cost increase state costs. Advocates were particularly concerned about jeopardizing
- [CT MFP program success featured in Health Affairs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-mfp-program-success-featured-in-health-affairs/) - An article in this month’s Health Affairs describes CT Medicaid’s successful Money Follows the Person program. The study by UConn and DSS authors found that participants transitioning from institutional care to community settings reported better quality of life and life satisfaction that continued well after the transition. Some needed to return to the hospital or
- [CT Medicaid spending down 4.2% from FY 14 to FY 15](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-spending-down-4-2-from-fy-14-to-fy-15/) - Happily CT’s Medicaid program is bucking the state budget trend. State spending on CT’s Medicaid program fell 4.2% between state fiscal year (FY) 2014 and 2015, largely due to higher federal reimbursements, according to an analysis by the Office of State Comptroller. Between FYs 2009 and 2015, Medicaid averaged 4.1% annual increases, lower than the
- [NJ conference on Medicaid ACOs – deep commitment to applying lessons learned](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nj-conference-on-medicaid-acos-deep-commitment-to-applying-lessons-learned/) - A CT contingent ventured to NJ last week for their 4thAnnual MedicaidPayment Reform Summit. The conference was sponsored by the QI Collaborativewhich is working with the state and private foundations to support accountable care in NJ’s Medicaid program. We heard from Jeff Brenner of the Camden Coalition about their impressive results in serving high-need, high-cost consumers
- [Half of CT’s remaining uninsured eligible for subsidies or Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/half-of-cts-remaining-uninsured-eligible-for-subsidies-or-medicaid/) - A new analysis by Kaiser finds that 47% of CT’s remaining uninsured are eligible for subsidized coverage. The latest Census report found that CT’s uninsured rate dropped by 2.5% from 2013 to 2014., but 6.9% of state residents are still without coverage. While 87,000 more residents gained coverage in the first year of the ACA
- [Anthem, Aetna and CIGNA have 82.5% of CT health insurance enrollment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/anthem-aetna-and-cigna-have-82-5-of-ct-health-insurance-enrollment/) - As always, this year’s managed care report card from CT’s Insurance Dept. is fascinating. Anthem has 44% of total enrollment. Anthem is seeking to buy CIGNA for $54 billion; together they have 64% of CT enrollment. Aetna has 18.5% of enrollment, ConnectiCare has 9.2%, and Oxford/United Health Care has 6.8%. Enrollment is very low
- [CTNJ Op-Ed on CT’s ACA progress covering the uninsured](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-on-cts-aca-progress-covering-the-uninsured/) - Yesterday’s op-ed in CT News Junkie focused on CT’s mixed results in covering the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act. Read more
- [Community Care Teams addressing high-cost Medicaid member needs](https://cthealthpolicy.org/community-care-teams-addressing-high-cost-medicaid-member-needs/) - Friday’s MAPOC Complex Care Committee meeting focused on Community Care Teams (CCTs) that collaborate across social service to help people with complex health problems. So far, seven CT communities are developing or already operating CCTs that focus on frequent ED visitors. The CCT teams include hospitals, behavioral health and primary care providers with community resources
- [25 CT hospitals decline to respond to Leapfrog quality survey](https://cthealthpolicy.org/25-ct-hospitals-decline-to-respond-to-leapfrog-quality-survey/) - Only five CT hospitals reported quality and patient safety data to the Leapfrog Group this year – Bristol, Backus, Dempsey, Stamford and Windham hospitals. The hospitals that did report performed very well in general. Released this morning, the 2015 Leapfrog survey covers nineteen areas including maternity care, high risk surgeries, hospital acquired conditions and resource
- [CT health reform progress up slightly this month](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-up-slightly-this-month/) - CT’s progress toward health reform inched up this month to 25.7%, ending a four month decline. New Medicaid numbers confirmed that per person costs continue to decline, long after the initial savings from switching away from capitated insurers. The continued progress suggests that structural changes like patient-centered medical homes, quality incentives and intensive care management
- [November web quiz: CT health coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/november-web-quiz-ct-health-coverage/) - Test your knowledge of health care coverage in Connecticut. Take the November CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Funds available to pay medical bills for Hartford area residents](https://cthealthpolicy.org/funds-available-to-pay-medical-bills-for-hartford-area-residents/) - There are funds available to cover Hartford area residents’ medical bills that aren’t being spent. Responding to requests, Nelson and Elsie Brainard started the fund in 1957 to help people “of modest means” facing unemployment and bankruptcy because of high medical bills. The Fund now spends hundreds of thousands each year covering bills, but as
- [After moving public testimony, FDA committee advises stronger warnings on fluroquninolons](https://cthealthpolicy.org/after-moving-public-testimony-fda-committee-advises-stronger-warnings-on-fluroquninolons/) - Last Thursday two FDA Advisory Committees heard hours of moving public testimony on Fluoroquinolon—Associated Disability (FQAD). We also heard doubts about the effectiveness of this class of antibiotics that is prescribed over 30 million times in the US each year. FQs were first approved by the FDA many decades ago, before better effectiveness tests. New
- [Fate of terminated HUSKY parents troubling, implications for families staying together](https://cthealthpolicy.org/fate-of-terminated-husky-parents-troubling-implications-for-families-staying-together/) - At Friday’s Medicaid Council meeting we learned that 167 of the 1,215 HUSKY parents that lost coverage last year were able to buy insurance from the health insurance exchange. Unfortunately 32 former HUSKY parents initially signed up for insurance through AccessHealthCT, but later lost coverage because they didn’t pay their premiums. It is not clear
- [22,166 CT residents sharing $1.8 million in ACA premium rebates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/22166-ct-residents-sharing-1-8-million-in-aca-premium-rebates/) - Over $469 million in 2014 insurance premium rebates will soon be going back to US consumers including 22,166 CT residents, according to CMS. CT rebates will average $177 per family. Since 2011, under the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to spend at least 80% of individual and small group insurance premiums on medical care
- [Op-Ed -- CT Medicaid: Don’t Mess With What’s Working](https://cthealthpolicy.org/op-ed-ct-medicaid-dont-mess-with-whats-working/) - In an unusual twist, two prominent legal aide attorneys highlight Medicaid’s exceptional performance in improving quality, expanding access to care and controlling costs in a New Haven Register op-ed yesterday. CT’s Medicaid program is remarkable in actually lowering the cost of care for members, while improving the care they receive. Legal aid’s role is not
- [CT still lags most states in Medicare hospital readmission rates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-still-lags-most-states-in-medicare-hospital-readmission-rates/) - According to Kaiser Health News, ninety percent of CT’s acute care hospitals will be assessed a penalty by Medicare because of high readmission rates, starting October 1st. 54% of US hospitals will be penalized this year for the percent of Medicare patients with certain conditions who return to the hospital within 30 days, down slightly
- [Testimony FOI never got to hear](https://cthealthpolicy.org/testimony-foi-never-got-to-hear/) - Last week the Freedom of Information Commission held a hearing on my request for SIM documents related to their Consumer Advisory Board’s (CAB’s) votes on appointments to SIM committees. Those committees are making very important decisions about CT’s $30 billion health care system and ethical questions have been raised about committee members receiving substantial SIM
- [CTNJ op-ed: Insurers blocking underservice protections, again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-insurers-blocking-underservice-protections-again/) - Consumer protections had a good start in Connecticut’s latest health reform plan. But, as always, the devil is in the details. Unfortunately insurers are working to sabotage those protections to benefit their bottom line. Read more
- [SIM update, equity planning questions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-update-equity-planning-questions/) - At Thursday’s SIM steering committee meeting in public comments, SB Chaterjee raised concerns about DPH’s planning to address health equity. Important planning meetings occur in closed meetings, without public notice or minutes. (Sound familiar?) Questions were also raised about how federal funds have been spent and the required conflict of interest policy is not available.
- [Cadillac tax will affect 13.6% of single premiums in CT in 2018](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cadillac-tax-will-affect-13-6-of-single-premiums-in-ct-in-2018/) - Under the Affordable Care Act, in 2018 high cost employer-sponsored health plans will begin paying a hefty 40% tax, termed the Cadillac tax, on the value of the plan over specified threshold levels. A new report by the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 13.6% of CT single premium plans and 11.9% of CT family plans
- [CT health reform progress down again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-down-again/) - Unfortunately CT’s progress toward health reform dropped again this month to 26.2% this month, adding to last month’s dip. Growing ethics and transparency problems at SIM led the concerns. CT hospital’s continuing poor performance on Medicare readmissions, consolidation and loss of services across hospitals added to the drop. In good news, if adopted SIM’s underservice
- [September web quiz on Medicare hospital readmissions in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/september-web-quiz-on-medicare-hospital-readmissions-in-connecticut/) - Test your knowledge of Medicare hospital readmissions in Connecticut. Take the September CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Nine SIM committee members reject weak ethics policy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/nine-sim-committee-members-reject-weak-ethics-policy/) - In a letter sent yesterday, nine members of various SIM committees rejected the weak ethics policy promoted by SIM leaders. The weak policy does little to limit conflicts of interest, such as those that tainted the awards of SIM’s first grants. Instead they urged SIM to limit conflicts of interest and adopt the State Code
- [Issue Brief: Attribution and Why It Matters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/issue-brief-attribution-and-why-it-matters/) - A new brief describes attribution, a key component of payment reform. Attribution done wrong in a shared savings payment model can create incentive to cherry pick out less lucrative or difficult patients and disrupt existing provider-patient relationships. Attribution is the process of defining the population that a provider network is responsible for managing under a
- [Advocates support SIM underservice, cherry picking protections](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-support-sim-underservice-cherry-picking-protections/) - Connecticut’s SIM plan acknowledges that risks of inappropriate under-treatment and cherry-picking are higher in new shared savings payment models. Advocates were successful in getting a provision included in the SIM final plan that prohibits payment of shared savings to provider networks that systematically deny needed care or cherry pick patients to generate those savings. The
- [CT median insurance premiums often higher on exchange than off](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-median-insurance-premiums-often-higher-on-exchange-than-off/) - According to an analysis by the US Government Accountability Office of health insurance premiums, CT consumers paid more on our exchange than off, for many plan choices both last year and this year. This is unusual among states; nationally the best deals are usually found on health insurance exchanges. Median monthly silver-level premiums for a
- [ACOs not saving for Medicare, model could cost CT Medicaid almost $100m/year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/acos-not-saving-for-medicare-model-could-cost-ct-medicaid-almost-100m-year/) - CMS’s vast shared savings experiment for Medicare has disappointed again in its second year. The plan was to encourage providers to assemble into health care systems, called Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), to coordinate care and keep people well. The incentive was that the systems share half (or more) of the resulting savings. The only problem
- [Ten SIM committee members sign alternative stronger ethics policy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ten-sim-committee-members-sign-alternative-stronger-ethics-policy/) - Ten brave SIM committee members signed a stronger ethics policy in place of SIM’s weaker policy. Advocates were given until this Wednesday to sign SIM’s policy or they would “not be able to participate as members in future meetings of the advisory groups.” The alternative policy agrees to also abide by the State Code of
- [$103 million in new budget cuts Medicaid, mental health services](https://cthealthpolicy.org/103-million-in-new-budget-cuts-medicaid-mental-health-services/) - On Friday, the administration announced $103 million new budget cuts in response to lagging revenues. The biggest cut is $63.5 million in Medicaid, reportedly focused on hospitals. Community providers raised concerns about the impact of the cuts, including $7.4 million in behavioral health funding and $5 million from services for people with developmental disabilities,
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Let’s Halt the Rush to Risky Medicaid Experiment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-lets-halt-the-rush-to-risky-medicaid-experiment/) - Today’s CT News Junkie includes an opinion piece urging caution and more time for thoughtful deliberation in moving 200,000 HUSKY members into a very new, untested payment model that is costing more for Medicare. CT’s Medicaid program is a success story – improving quality, increasing providers, and lowering costs – but that success is fragile.
- [Independent advocates call for more study on Medicaid payment shift](https://cthealthpolicy.org/independent-advocates-call-for-more-study-on-medicaid-payment-shift/) - A letter signed by twenty one independent consumer advocates calls on the state to halt the SIM-driven Medicaid’s rush into a return to shared savings, a risky payment model. Dozens of issues remain to be addressed to protect the 770,000 people who rely on the program before the deadline of October 5th. The rush is
- [CT health reform progress dips again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-dips-again/) - Unfortunately CT’s progress toward health reform dropped again to 27.5% this month, undermining last month’s gain. News that the state’s uninsured rate may not have dropped much, sharp increases in insurance premiums, SIM’s ethics, transparency and underservice council issues and budget cuts, especially HUSKY parents, all contributed to the decline. Bright spots include restoration of
- [July web quiz on CT hospital quality](https://cthealthpolicy.org/july-web-quiz-on-ct-hospital-quality/) - Test your knowledge of Connecticut hospital quality. Take the July CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [SIM ethics concerns intensify with first grants choice](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-ethics-concerns-intensify-with-first-grants-choice/) - Monday the Lieutenant Governor’s office announced the award of SIM’s first grants from federal funds; two of the four recipients are represented on theSIM Steering Committee. The members represent Northeast Medical Group (Yale-New Haven affiliate) and St. Vincent’s Health Partners. This would have been prohibited under the state’s Code of Ethics but for a loophole
- [CT earns an F on heath price transparency laws, again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-earns-an-f-on-heath-price-transparency-laws-again/) - CT joined all but five states nationally earning an F grade for public reporting of health prices according to Catalyst for Health Care Reform’s 2015 Report Card on State Price Transparency Laws. The report assesses state laws, regulations and public websites to make health care prices public, allowing consumers to base purchasing decisions on the
- [Medicaid phone wait times drop significantly](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-phone-wait-times-drop-significantly/) - At last week’s Medicaid Council meeting we heard about strong progress toward reducing phone wait times. Average wait times dropped 52% from April to May while abandoned calls fell 42%. By the last week of June, average wait times were down to 11 minutes from 57 minutes in March. The improvements resulted in 6,466 more
- [New tool allows comparison of local surgeons’ safety record](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-tool-allows-comparison-of-local-surgeons-safety-record/) - Patients considering surgery often check their hospitals’ quality rating, but the your surgeon’s safety rating can be even more important. Half of US hospitals have surgeons with both high and low complication rates. ProPublica’s new Surgeon Scorecard allows patients to compare the safety record of surgeons by hospital. ProPublica used Medicare data to calculate surgeon’s
- [Study finds CT early Medicaid expansion reduced hospital uncompensated care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/study-finds-ct-early-medicaid-expansion-reduced-hospital-uncompensated-care/) - A new study published in this month’s Health Affairs finds that CT hospital Medicaid revenue grew by 7 to 8% after CT took advantage of the ACA’s early Medicaid expansion option in 2010. The study also finds that uncompensated care costs to CT hospitals were one third lower than they would have been without the
- [SIM underservice protections get a cool reception, weak ethics policy adopted](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-underservice-protections-get-a-cool-reception-weak-ethics-policy-adopted/) - Thursday the Equity and Access Council delivered to the SIM Steering Committee a draft report with recommendationsto avoid underservice in SIM’s planned payment reforms. Advocates were successful in getting a provision in the SIM final plan that prohibited payment of shared savings to provider networks that systematically denied needed care to generate those savings. The
- [Care delivered by CT family members worth $5.9 billion, but capacity is uncertain](https://cthealthpolicy.org/care-delivered-by-ct-family-members-worth-5-9-billion-but-capacity-is-uncertain/) - In 2013 almost half a million CT residents provided 427 million hours of unpaid critical health care services to family members according to an updatedreport by AARP. The value of that care was $5.9 billion, about what CT spends on Medicaid in total. Family care is expanding and becoming a vital piece of our health
- [Growing percent of AccessHealth CT members are not using their coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/growing-percent-of-accesshealth-ct-members-are-not-using-their-coverage/) - A new survey by AccessHealth CT found that 36% of their customers had not used their health coverage, compared to 26% last year. One in four (28%) don’t have a primary care provider. Enrollment in qualified health plans is now 96, 966, down 13,129 from the open enrollment period earlier this year. The biggest reason
- [Where We Live: Medicaid is 50 and Looking Good](https://cthealthpolicy.org/where-we-live-medicaid-is-50-and-looking-good/) - Fifty years ago this week, Lyndon Johnson signed Medicaid into law. On today’s show, WNPR’s Where We Livecelebrated the program that covers one in five CT residents with comprehensive care and brought $3.3 billion in federal funds to our state. More efficient than private insurance, leading the state in quality improvement as it cares for
- [New to the Book Club: The Myths of Modern Medicine: The Alarming Truth about American Health Care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-to-the-book-club-the-myths-of-modern-medicine-the-alarming-truth-about-american-health-care/) - The Myths of Modern Medicine: The Alarming Truth about American Health Care by John Leifer is very readable. The book organizes the problems in modern American health care into ten myths, that are accessible to any reader, but not dumbed down. The myths are simple and straightforward, without all the usual waffling. The descriptions not
- [Happy Birthday, Medicaid -- Connecticut has a lot to be thankful for](https://cthealthpolicy.org/happy-birthday-medicaid-connecticut-has-a-lot-to-be-thankful-for/) - Fifty years ago today President Johnson signed the Medicaid program into law. The program now covers one in five Connecticut residents with efficient, quality care. Since switching from a capitated, insurer-based program to a self-determined, care-focused program in January 2012, costs are stable (down slightly) per person, quality is up (fewer people are going to
- [Advocates offer help with payment reform study for CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-offer-help-with-payment-reform-study-for-ct/) - Among the many important provisions in SB-811, is Section 17 directing the state Health Care Cabinet to conduct a study of successful payment reform models from other states. The Cabinet is to report back to the General Assembly with recommendations for policy changes that will provide a framework to control health care costs, reward value-based
- [CT health reform progress down again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-down-again-2/) - Unfortunately CT’s progress toward health reform dropped again this month to 26.4.5% this month, adding to last month’s dip. News that the only about half of AccessHealthCT consumers are even using the coverage they pay dearly for, increasing concerns about SIM’s ethics and grants to insiders, SIM’s cool reception to consumer protections in risky
- [Advocates’ guide to underservice recommendations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/advocates-guide-to-underservice-recommendations-2/) - SIM is seeking to radically transform our state’s $30 billion health system and has chosen a shared savings payment model for those reforms. Advocates are concerned about incentives to deny necessary care under the new payment model, as happened in the past. SIM’s Equity and Access Council was charged with developing protections to limit and
- [August web quiz on family caregiving in Connecticut](https://cthealthpolicy.org/august-web-quiz-on-family-caregiving-in-connecticut/) - Test your knowledge of family caregiving in Connecticut. Take the August CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [New Gallup survey finds CT uninsured rate down more than half](https://cthealthpolicy.org/new-gallup-survey-finds-ct-uninsured-rate-down-more-than-half/) - Contrary to early CDC numbers, a new survey by Gallup finds that CT’s uninsured rate dropped from 12.3% in 2013 to 5.0% for the first half of this year. CT’s drop was similar to other states that chose to both expand Medicaid and create a state-based health insurance exchange. Rhode Island is tied with Oregon
- [Ten CT hospitals paid over $1 million to an employee last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ten-ct-hospitals-paid-over-1-million-to-an-employee-last-year/) - Ten CT hospitals paid over $1 million each in total compensation to 19 employees last fiscal year, according to a new DPH report. The lowest paid top employee was at Essent-Sharon (CT’s only for-profit hospital to date) and the highest was at Yale-New Haven topping out at $3.5 million. Sharon Hospital had four millionaires on
- [Ethics Commission recommends SIM adopt conflict of interest policy, pursuing change in the law to close “loophole”](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ethics-commission-recommends-sim-adopt-conflict-of-interest-policy-pursuing-change-in-the-law-to-close-loophole/) - At yesterday’s meeting, the state Ethics Commission issued an opinion that, due to a giant loophole in the law, SIM committee and Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) members are not subject to the Code of Ethics for Public Officials but acknowledged significant potential for conflicted interests and so recommend that SIM adopt such a policy voluntarily.
- [CTNJ reports on SIM conflict of interest in grant applications](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-reports-on-sim-conflict-of-interest-in-grant-applications/) - Today’s CT News Junkie highlights the ethics loophole that has allowed a SIM steering committee member to apply for SIM funds to his organization. The loophole in the law, identified by the Citizen’s Ethics Board, is that appointees of the Lieutenant Governor are not subject to the Public Official’s Code of Ethics. The Code
- [87-page health bill goes to Governor’s desk](https://cthealthpolicy.org/87-page-health-bill-goes-to-governors-desk/) - The House and Senate have passed SB-811, now on it’s way to the Governor. The bill includesprice and consumer cost notices and websites to help consumers shop for services, sets some limits on facility fees charged by hospitals and outpatient providers, adds to the factors and studies required in considering hospital purchases, and limits bills
- [CT health reform progress moving up again](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-moving-up-again/) - After five months’ decline, CT’s progress toward health reform rebounded to 27.8% this month. Medicaid’s decision to cover new Hepatitis drugs, six months of breathing room for Medicaid reform development, Senate leadership on health care transparency, and promising comments from the Ethics Board about SIM were responsible for the gains. Uncertainty about the budget and
- [20,000 to 25,000 HUSKY parents lose coverage under state budget deal](https://cthealthpolicy.org/20000-to-25000-husky-parents-lose-coverage-under-state-budget-deal/) - According to a CT Mirror report, the budget approved by the legislature and Governor today eliminates coverage for up to 25,000 HUSKY parents with household incomes over 150% of the federal poverty level. The deal exempts pregnant women. While tragic for those families, the Governor’s proposal would have cut more parents and pregnant women at
- [Eight CT health plans request over 10% premium increases for 2016](https://cthealthpolicy.org/eight-ct-health-plans-request-over-10-premium-increases-for-2016/) - A search of CT health insurer rate review submissions on ratereview.healthcare.gov finds eight plans seeking approval of over 10% increases in premiums for next year. The Affordable Care Act requires that insurers planning significant rate increases must submit those proposals for government review. The same search found only two CT plans proposed increases over 10%
- [June web quiz on CT Medicaid/CHIP enrollment](https://cthealthpolicy.org/june-web-quiz-on-ct-medicaid-chip-enrollment/) - Test your knowledge of Medicaid and CHIP enrollment in Connecticut. Take the June CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Best practices guide on integrating behavioral health into primary care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [SIM punts on ethics](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [CT News Junkie reports on SIM ethics debate](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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.”
- [Where We Live – Hospital CEO pay: How much is too much?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Webinar online – Caring for high-need patients – Lessons for CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Early numbers show CT uninsured rate dropped only 2.1% last year](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Budget implementer makes significant changes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/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
- [Tolland County healthiest in CT; New Haven County least healthy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/tolland-county-healthiest-in-ct-new-haven-county-least-healthy/) - According to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, overall residents of Tolland County are the healthiest in our state, but there is wide variation between measures. For instance Tolland County scored lowest among CT counties in physical environment with the highest rate of drinking water violations and long commutes driving alone. Tolland County is lowest in
- [20 independent advocates share concerns about SIM’s plans for Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/20-independent-advocates-share-concerns-about-sims-plans-for-medicaid/) - Yesterday twenty independent consumers, advocates and providers sent a letter to the Lieutenant Governor expressing our grave concerns about the “current plans for widespread precipitous changes” in Medicaid’s payment model. The letter outlines concerns about re-imposing financial risk, this time on providers of care, that creates incentives to deny needed care. States with far more
- [Only 36% of CT physicians have any shared savings arrangements, correcting questionable SIM estimates from 2013 driving expansive policy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/only-36-of-ct-physicians-have-any-shared-savings-arrangements-correcting-questionable-sim-estimates-from-2013-driving-expansive-policy/) - UConn’s new SIM survey of CT physicians found that currently only 36% of CT physicians participate in any shared savings or ACO program. There is no information on whether shared savings are a significant part of revenues in even the minority of physicians who are in this payment model. Not surprisingly, shared savings is slightly
- [MAPOC committee beginning work on shared savings program redesign](https://cthealthpolicy.org/mapoc-committee-beginning-work-on-shared-savings-program-redesign/) - The MAPOC committee that is working with DSS to redesign Medicaid under the SIM directives met Wednesday to begin the process of designing a shared savings plan. The plan will be called theMedicaid Quality Improvement and Shared Savings Program (MQISSP). In good news, DSS was able to secure from SIM a delay of six months
- [Weeds you should understand](https://cthealthpolicy.org/weeds-you-should-understand/) - A great NY Times Upshot article describes, in normal English, the difference between mortality and survival rates. They do sound the same, but aren’t. The article starts out with two cancer studies seem to have reached opposite conclusions. (These things really bug me because it leads people to throw up their hands and doubt all
- [Some possible, potential, small, but encouraging good state revenue news](https://cthealthpolicy.org/some-possible-potential-small-but-encouraging-good-state-revenue-news/) - With big disclaimers, the CT Mirror is reporting very early indications are that CT is having a good tax season. It may be premature, but right now it looks like April tax receipts are up slightly above even the very optimistic projections in the Governor’s budget. Hopefully this gives the state some room to reject
- [National health disparities summit coming to CT](https://cthealthpolicy.org/national-health-disparities-summit-coming-to-ct/) - June 12th and 13th the UConn Health Center will host the National Health Disparities Elimination Summit. Dr. Louis Sullivan, former HHS Secretary, CEO& Chairman of the Sullivan Alliance and President Emeritus of Morehouse School of Medicine, will be the keynote speaker. The conference is sponsored by UConn, the CT Institute for Clinical and Translational Science,
- [Backgrounder on Hartford health needs for Malta House of Care](https://cthealthpolicy.org/backgrounder-on-hartford-health-needs-for-malta-house-of-care/) - Last week CTHPP gave a presentation for the Malta House of Care on health care needs in Hartford and health care trends. Malta provides free primary care to Hartford’s uninsured with volunteer providers and a mobile van that travels to neighborhoods in need. Given seismic shifts in the health care environment that affect both their
- [CT exchange plans violating ACA women’s coverage protections](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-exchange-plans-violating-aca-womens-coverage-protections/) - Researchers found eight violations in 2014 and thirteen violations this year of Affordable Care Act women’s coverage provisions by plans offered in CT’s insurance exchange. The new report by the National Women’s Law Center analyzed benefits and offerings of ACA-required services women need among marketplace plans in fifteen states. Violations in CT included breastfeeding supports
- [CT health reform progress moving backward again this month](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-moving-backward-again-this-month/) - CT’s progress toward health reform dropped from to 27.0% this month mainly because of SIM setbacks again, but the Appropriations Committee’s vote to reverse many proposed budget cuts is a ray of hope to maintain Medicaid’s progress. A six-month delay to SIM’s rush into risky shared savings models is a good start to begin thoughtful
- [CT Medicaid/CHIP programs lost 11,019 members between January and February](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-medicaid-chip-programs-lost-11019-members-between-january-and-february/) - A new CMS report found that enrollment in CT’s Medicaid and CHIP programs dropped by 11,019 (-1.5%) from January to February of this year. This is very usual, especially among states that have chosen to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Among expansion states, Medicaid/CHIP enrollment averaged 0.98% growth; even non-expansion states saw an average 0.43%
- [May web quiz on CT adult health risk factors](https://cthealthpolicy.org/may-web-quiz-on-ct-adult-health-risk-factors/) - Test your knowledge of health risks among CT adults. Take the May CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [CT conference on SIM payment reforms in other states](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-conference-on-sim-payment-reforms-in-other-states/) - Yesterday the CT Health Foundation hosted an interesting conference highlighting SIM plans from leading states – VT, OR, MN, and ME. The conference started and ended with reports from CT’s DSS about our significant Medicaid successes in improving quality and access while controlling costs – and how that progress was only possible when we shifted
- [CAB continues closed meetings to make decisions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cab-continues-closed-meetings-to-make-decisions/) - Yesterday’s SIM Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) meeting to choose consumer representatives to SIM committees was again held in secret. An FOI complaint is pending over their lack of transparency. This time applicants were notified that their applications were being reviewed but less than 24 hours before the meeting. One applicant requested, as allowed under state
- [Appropriations Committee restores most of the Governor’s proposed health care cuts](https://cthealthpolicy.org/appropriations-committee-restores-most-of-the-governors-proposed-health-care-cuts/) - Today the Appropriations Committee released their budget, restoring most of the deep Medicaid cuts the Governor proposed in February. The committee rejected the Governor’s proposal to cut 34,000 working parents and pregnant women from HUSKY coverage. The committee also restored funding, accounting for inevitable delays, for the innovative health neighborhoods pilots to coordinate care for
- [March web quiz on CT employer coverage](https://cthealthpolicy.org/march-web-quiz-on-ct-employer-coverage/) - Test your knowledge of employer coverage trends in CT. Take the March CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [SIM bill hearing in Public Health next Wednesday](https://cthealthpolicy.org/sim-bill-hearing-in-public-health-next-wednesday/) - HB- 6938, AAC the Delivery of Quality Health Care and Modernization of Health Care Facilities, will have a public hearing next Wednesday March 11th at 10:30 at the LOB in Room 1D. SIM is planning to radically transform health care for every state resident, including moving 200,000 Medicaid members back into a financial risk model
- [Students try to testify](https://cthealthpolicy.org/students-try-to-testify/) - A CT Mirror Op-Ed describes the challenges facing CSCU students who tried to testify at the Appropriations Committee hearing on the Governor’s budget. Insiders forget how unfriendly the process is, even for organized students supported by their professors. Hopefully they don’t give up.
- [CT 2015 insurance exchange enrollment – the numbers are in](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-2015-insurance-exchange-enrollment-the-numbers-are-in/) - Two thirds of CT residents who secured coverage through AccessHealthCT’s portal this year were eligible for Medicaid, according to the latest federal enrollment report. Another 29% were eligible for financial assistance to buy coverage from a private insurer, and just under 6% bought coverage without subsidies. Of the 109,839 people who selected health plans on
- [More good Medicaid news](https://cthealthpolicy.org/more-good-medicaid-news/) - At today’s Medicaid Council meeting we heard about the impressive new resources and supports for members and providers in the Medicaid and dental programs. New members receive a user-friendly welcome packet and a health needs assessment to connect them to the resources they need. The new HUSKY website is mobile-ready and impressive with comprehensive information
- [Health reform update – the power of price transparency, more SIM concerns](https://cthealthpolicy.org/health-reform-update-the-power-of-price-transparency-more-sim-concerns/) - At an important Public Health Committee hearing Wednesday, Senate leaders from both parties testified together on a slate of seven bills that would make a great start to reforming health care in our state. Among other things the bills address facility fees, price variation that has no relation to quality, hospital consolidation oversight, EMR assistance
- [CT exchange premiums still fourth highest in US, negotiating premiums could help](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-exchange-premiums-still-fourth-highest-in-us-negotiating-premiums-could-help/) - A new analysis by the Urban Institute comparing health insurance exchange premiums across the US finds that CT’s 2015 premiums are the fourth highest in the US, as they were last year. The study compares average monthly premiums for 40-year old, non-smoking state residents -- $348 in CT. Like last year, our premiums are higher
- [Cutting HUSKY parents increases the total cost of care by $500 per person](https://cthealthpolicy.org/cutting-husky-parents-increases-the-total-cost-of-care-by-500-per-person/) - The Governor’s budget proposal to cut 34,000 working parents from the HUSKY program into AccessHealthCT will increase the total cost of care for those parents by $500/year according to a new analysis by the CT Health Foundation. While the state will save $2,400 per person annually, two thirds of the cost shift will fall on
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: McDonald’s rejects chicken fed antibiotics](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-mcdonalds-rejects-chicken-fed-antibiotics/) - An Op-Ed today in CT News Junkie celebrates McDonald’s for refusing to sell food from chickens fed antibiotics. 23,000 Americans die each year from antibiotic-resistant superbug infections. Over use and inappropriate use of antibiotics has led many bacteria to become resistant (superbugs), rendering critical antibiotics useless. Experts are concerned that development of new antibiotics is
- [Medicaid MCOs not working in Missouri, inhibiting expansion, MO could learn from CT’s experience](https://cthealthpolicy.org/medicaid-mcos-not-working-in-missouri-inhibiting-expansion-mo-could-learn-from-cts-experience/) - Legislators are reluctant to expand Missouri’s Medicaid program because the managed care organization (MCO)-led program not as efficient as the traditional fee-for-service (FFS) program, according to a Kaiser Health News article. In a January presentation to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, agency representatives noted that while hospital admissions are lower in the population cared for
- [Integrating behavioral health into primary care focus of next CEPAC meeting](https://cthealthpolicy.org/integrating-behavioral-health-into-primary-care-focus-of-next-cepac-meeting/) - The next CEPAC meeting will review the latest research on best practices to effectively integrate behavioral health into primary care practice. Up to 70% of physician visits include a behavioral health component. Patients with chronic conditions are more likely to experience mental illness as well and costs for these patients can be two to three
- [Guest blog:  It's Not Patients’ Fault!](https://cthealthpolicy.org/guest-blog-its-not-patients-fault/) - No, really, it's not our fault. According to a study published last month by JAMA Oncol, it is a myth that escalating health costs are driven by patients “demanding” tests and treatments. It simply is not happening. Rather, it would appear that responsibility for factors ranging from poor communication, to “defensive medicine”, to deliberate overpricing
- [Deficit grows, Medicaid revenues below expectations – Let’s hope for good news from April tax receipts](https://cthealthpolicy.org/deficit-grows-medicaid-revenues-below-expectations-lets-hope-for-good-news-from-april-tax-receipts/) - Legislative and administrative deficit estimates for this year vary by $52.8 million, about 0.3% of the total General Fund. However that small difference may be enough to trigger another deficit mitigation plan of cuts by the Governor. However any plan for cuts wouldn’t come until May, and the legislative session ends June 3rd – it
- [CTNJ Op-Ed: Health Neighborhood cuts misguided](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ctnj-op-ed-health-neighborhood-cuts-misguided/) - An Op-Ed in today’s CT News Junkie focuses on the Governor’s proposal to cut funding for innovative health neighborhood pilots to serve state residents eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. This program will improve the quality of care for Medicaid’s most costly aged and disabled members, providing significant savings to the state’s budget. The program
- [Unfortunate SCOTUS decision limits Medicaid provider rights](https://cthealthpolicy.org/unfortunate-scotus-decision-limits-medicaid-provider-rights/) - A decision yesterday by the US Supreme Court reversed a Ninth Circuit decision and ruled that providers do not have the legal right to sue a state Medicaid program under the federal Medicaid act. Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center involved an Idaho clinic suing the state because rates were too low to ensure adequate access
- [CT health reform progress moving backward](https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-health-reform-progress-moving-backward/) - CT’s progress toward health reform dropped from 29.0% to 27.4% this month mainly because of SIM setbacks and state budget cuts. Both implemented and new proposed cuts to Medicaid provider rates threaten significant progress over the last three years. Cuts to the promising health neighborhood project and a rush into risky shared savings models threaten
- [A Better Idea for SIM-Medicaid: Coordinate Care for High-Need, High-Cost Patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/a-better-idea-for-sim-medicaid-coordinate-care-for-high-need-high-cost-patients/) - Independent consumer advocates and others have raised grave concerns about Connecticut’s State Innovation Model (SIM) plans to radically change financial incentives in our state’s Medicaid program. The experience of other states offers a proven alternative, targeting resources toward high-need, high-cost patients, that would protect the impressive success we’ve achieved in the last three years. This
- [April web quiz on premiums in CT’s exchange](https://cthealthpolicy.org/april-web-quiz-on-premiums-in-cts-exchange/) - Test your knowledge of premiums in CT’s health insurance exchange. Take the April CT Health Policy Webquiz.
- [Big improvement -- almost three out of four CT physicians accepting new Medicaid patients](https://cthealthpolicy.org/big-improvement-almost-three-out-of-four-ct-physicians-accepting-new-medicaid-patients/) - A new analysis by the Centers for Disease Control finds that 72.5% of CT office-based physicians accepted new Medicaid patients in 2013, better than the US average of 68.9%. This is a big improvement over a different survey in 2011 finding that only 60.7% of office-based physicians in CT were accepting new Medicaid patients –

## Pages

- [Home](https://cthealthpolicy.org/) - Improving Connecticut's Health Through Information Stats & Data May 7, 2024 US News: CT is 3rd best in US for healthcare Click Here Apr 25, 2024 Book Club – Super Forecasting: The Art and Science of Predicting Click Here Apr 17, 2024 CTNJ: Top Lawmakers Respond To Idea Of Managed Care For Medicaid Patients Click
- [Advocacy Tool Box Home](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/) - Connecticut Health Advocacy Toolbox Were the last words you said, "That's just not right. There ought to be a law"? Good. That's how it starts. You could be right, there probably should be a law. But maybe there is a law, and it isn't being enforced. Or maybe there is a law creating
- [Advocacy vs Lobbying](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/advocacy-or-lobbying/) - The Difference Between Advocacy and Lobbying Important - we are not attorneys and this is not a legal opinion It can be difficult to speak truth to power. Circumstances, however, have made doing so increasingly necessary. ― Aberjhani Advocacy is a general term that includes lobbying and a great deal more. Lobbying has a very
- [Advocacy toolbox list of pages](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/toolbox-page-list/) - Toolbox pages: Scan by issue area Health Advocacy Home page Where it starts If you only have five minutes Advocacy doesn't have to take a lot of time, and it doesn't have to cost anything. Who We Are and Why We Did This Our ulterior motive - to build an army of independent consumer advocates.
- [This is how I do Twitter](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/kathy-f-twitter-advice/) - This is How I Do Twitter -- YMMV (Your mileage may vary) Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels Advice for advocates using twitter from Kathy Flaherty, Executive Director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project Follow Kathy at @ConnConnection Think about accessibility - do not tweet images without including alt-text. Use camel case
- [News](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/news/) - News In the Press - 2026 May 28 Analysis: Public Health is the Bedrock of our Health System, We Sould Treat it Better, CT News Junkie Apr 1 Crucial Medicaid Coverage for Family Caregivers at Risk, AARP Mar 10 Analysis: A Bad Deal for Connecticut Just Got Worse, CT News Junkie Feb 23 Advice
- [HR-1 & CT Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/hr1-ct-medicaid/) - More Info Recent Blog Posts HR-1 & CT Medicaid For more info (noMCO - talking points, How does CT Medicaid compare) HR-1 Impact on Connecticut Blurb from Recommendations report For more info - link to report State HR-1 Planning Blurb Next MAPOC Care Management Committee Meeting For more info - link to MAPOC Get Involved
- [Common Advocates' Mistakes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/common-advocactes-mistakes/) - Common Advocates' Mistakes Mistakes are part of the dues that one pays for a full life. -- Sophia Loren Tips to avoid some classic traps. 1. Learn the system first. Too many advocates don't learn about the history and culture of the system they want to influence. Their naiveté can doom a good idea and
- [Tips no advocate should forget](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/tips-not-forget/) - Tips No Advocate Should Forget Never grow a wishbone . . . where your backbone ought to be. -- Clementine Paddleford 1. Always be polite. This is all about creating relationships - you don't want people running away when they see you coming. Several years ago, I had the misfortune of speaking to a group
- [Public Opinion](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/public-opinion/) - Changing Public Opinion The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right. -- Thomas Jefferson, 1787 Your issue may be too controversial for legislation. Legislators rarely drive opinion but they respond to it. You may need to change public perception or raise an
- [Effective Communications](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/effective-communications/) - Effective Communication The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. -- Mark Twain Clear communications are critical to successful advocacy. The perfect fact sheet, with just the right arguments, that's easy to read, and gives legislators the perfect solution will do no good
- [If You Only Have 5 Minutes](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/five-minutes/) - If You Have Five Minutes - You Can Make a Difference It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about? ― Henry David Thoreau Advocacy doesn't have to take a lot of time, and it doesn't have to cost anything. Contact your legislator If you
- [Working With Campaign](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/working-with-campaigns/) - Working With Political Campaigns How you can support candidates that support your issues It is far easier to inform elected officials about the importance of your issue if candidates who share your concerns get elected. Helping your legislative champion get elected or re-elected is an important way to show your appreciation and your support. Political
- [Social media for advocates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/social-media/) - Social media for advocates Know that it's OK to just read and learn from other people. Follow a variety of people including people you don't 100% agree with. -- Kathy Flaherty Social media has become an important tool for advocates. It can be a powerful way to connect with other people advocating on your
- [Champions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/champions/) - Champions Experience is the worst teacher, it gives the test before presenting the lesson. -- Vernon Law The advocacy process can be very complex and much of it is hidden from view. Often you need an insider to act as your champion inside the system. Ideally, your champion will be someone who: • Is influential
- [Latest Action](https://cthealthpolicy.org/latest-action/) - Take Action Help Medicaid members keep healthcare benefits under threat As federal Medicaid cuts and red tape barriers loom, DSS is urging HUSKY and SNAP recipients to update their contact information. The federal budget bill, HR-1, passed in July, included significant cuts to both HUSKY and SNAP. It is expected that thousands of Connecticut residents
- [Answers to Your Questions](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/faq/) - Answers to Your Questions and Most Requested Resources How do I start to advocate? There are many places to start and many ways to advocate effectively. If you learned about an issue or problem from someone or online, they may have given you an action step. If you need more information on an action step,
- [Advocacy Explained](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/advocacy-explained/) - Advocacy Explained What is advocacy and why should I care? Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt Government affects practically every part of your life - the quality of the air you breathe, the safety of your car, the taxes you pay, the quality of your child's education,
- [Freedom of Information](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/freedom-of-information/) - Freedom of Information Laws Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it. -- Mark Twain You have the right under law to access information about how your government works. This is a little understood but very powerful tool for advocates. First, check that the information is not already online. A lot
- [Recommended Reading](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/recommended-reading/) - Recommended Reading A few books and articles that advocates may find useful and/or entertaining. Books The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things that Last , Jimmy Wales, 2025 Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering, Malcolm Gladwell, 2024 Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces that
- [Who We Are & Why We Did This](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-mcos-for-husky/who-we-are-why-we-did-this/) - More Info Recent Blog Posts View All Posts No MCOs for HUSKY Who We Are & Why We Did This NoHuskyMCOs.org is sponsored by the CT Health Policy Project. Since 1999, we have been working to improve access to affordable, quality healthcare for every state resident. The Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization
- [No MCOs for HUSKY](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-mcos-for-husky/) - More Info Recent Blog Posts View All Posts No MCOs for HUSKY In 2024, Governor Lamont was considering a plan to have private insurance managed care plans (MCOs) run Connecticut's Medicaid program. From 1996 through 2011, Connecticut Medicaid was run by MCOs and it was deeply troubled. The program ended under pressure from advocates, providers,
- [Research -- Finding & Using Data](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources/under-construction/finding-using-data/) - Research - Finding & Using Data I'd rather be approximately right than exactly wrong. -- John Maynard Keynes It is critical to remember that you are not trying to convince yourself. You are looking for the piece of information that will move the person you need. You are already a true believer. You need to
- [Donate](https://cthealthpolicy.org/get-involved/donate/) - Donate to the CT Health Policy Project Support independent, thoughtful healthcare advocacy Connecticut faces serious problems with our healthcare system. We pay too much, get too little and too many are completely left out. Connecticut can do better. For almost twenty years, the Connecticut Health Policy Project has been a trusted source of independent, fact-based
- [Connecticut's Budget Process](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/connecticuts-budget-process/) - Connecticut's Budget Process Throwing money at a problem has a bad rep - it's like firefighters throwing water on a fire. -- Congressman Barney Frank Connecticut's budget process can seem intimidating, but it needn't be. The budget drives most of Connecticut's state policies, especially in health care. Advocates are well advised to pay attention and
- [Administrative Advocacy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/administrative-advocacy/) - Administrative Advocacy Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash I congratulated a DSS official on her promotion and asked "Isn't it great being up there where the buck stops?" Her answer: "I'm not sure where the buck stops. I don't really think that it's here. But I have seen it roll over us at times." Once your bill passes
- [Legislative Process](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/legislative-process/) - Navigating the Legislative Process Connecticut's General Assembly, our legislature, is very accessible and transparent making advocacy relatively easy in our state. Legislators are in session from early January to early June in odd-numbered years, and from early Feburary to early May in even-numbered years. Committees are meeting in person but have a remote option for
- [Tools & Templates](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/tools-templates/) - Tools & Templates Tools & Templates It may not be the problem that's the problem. Rather, the problem might be the tool that I'm using to try and solve the problem. -- Craig D. Lounsbrough This is a skip ahead page for those who know what they are looking for. These are specific tools and
- [Health Policy Class Resources](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/health-policy-class-resources/) - Guided Study: Foundations of Connecticut Health Policy Fall 2025 Sponsored by the CT Health Policy Project This course will cut through Connecticut's confusing health policy landscape with an overview of health policy structures impacting state residents. Students will have the opportunity to critically analyze basic concepts, principles, and consequences of health delivery and payment in
- [Navigating the Capitol and LOB](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/navigating-capitol/) - Navigating the Capitol and Legislative Office Building Connecticut's State Capitol and Legislative Office Building are now fully open to the public. Directions to the Capitol and Legislative Office Building (LOB) Aerial view of Capitol and LOB with public entrances Map of the LOB The Capitol building's address is 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford and the Legislative
- [Regulations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/regulations/) - Regulations "But if all the roads arrive in the same place at the same time, then aren't they all the right way?" asked Milo. "Certainly not," he shouted, glaring from his most upset face. "They're all the wrong way. Just because you have a choice, doesn't mean that any of them has to be right."
- [Advocacy Decision Tree: Enforcement](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/decision-tree/decision-tree-enforcement/) - Advocacy Decision Tree: Enforcement If there is a Connecticut state law that addresses your issue/problem and it isn't being enforced, there are several advocacy options available. We assume you are not describing a criminal or emergency issue. If either is the case, contact the appropriate law enforcement or emergency authorities. Contact the agency that is
- [Advocacy Decision Tree: Is There a Law?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/decision-tree/decision-tree-search-statutues/) - Advocacy Decision Tree: Is There a Law? The best way to learn if there is already a law addressing your issue is to call your State Senator or Representative. Check here to find your state legislators and their contact information. They have staff who can search easily, or they may already know. You can also
- [Advocacy Decision Tree: Federal, State or Local?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources/under-construction/decision-tree-federal-state-local/) - Advocacy Decision Tree: Federal, State or Local? To decide which level(s) of government can help with your problem: Answering this question may involve some research. For help, go to Research tips for the decision tree. Did you learn about your issue from a government source or something that referenced a government program, e.g. a notice
- [Advocacy Decision Tree: Government or Private?](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/decision-tree/decision-tree-government-or-private/) - Advocacy Decision Tree: Government or Private? Is your issue a governmental issue or a purely private issue where government can't help? Answering these questions, may require some research. For help, go to Research tips for the decision tree. Does your issue concern a government program, e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act insurance plans? If Yes,
- [Advocacy Decision Tree: Research Tips](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/decision-tree/decision-tree-research/) - Advocacy Decision Tree: Research Tips Some resources to help answering the questions in the decision tree. Contact your state and US legislators - even if this is not about legislation, staff can direct you to the appropriate office and can, in some circumstances, intervene on your behalf Connecticut's US Senators: Senator Richard Blumenthal Senator Christopher
- [Advocacy Decision Tree](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/decision-tree/) - Advocacy Decision Tree New Congressman William Hughes of New Jersey held a town meeting to keep in touch with people back home. He explained that he is a federal legislator, "I don't take care of your potholes, I don't pick up your trash." A woman asked a question about why her trash wasn't being picked
- [Coalitions and Collaborations](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/coalitions/) - Collaborations and Coalitions: Working with Like-Minded People Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. -- Verna M. Kelly Many advocates find that combining many voices is more effective - not only because you are more likely to be heard, but it's more efficient
- [Legislators](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/legislators/) - Legislators Contrary to popular perception, legislators do not make a lot of money (as legislators at least) and do not have legions of staff at their disposal. By and large, they are committed public servants who make significant personal and financial sacrifices at a job with long hours, hard work, and lots of angry feedback.
- [Legislative Staff](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/legislative-staff/) - The Importance of Legislative Staff Posted prominently as you enter the Finance Committee offices in the LOB: Humility to seniors is duty, to peers is courtesy, to inferiors is nobleness. -- Poor Richard's Almanac Legislators rely heavily on their staff - for policy research, to help constituents, to keep the legislative process running, and administrative
- [More Evidence](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-mcos-for-husky/more-evidence/) - More Info No MCOs for HUSKY -- What Does The Evidence Say? News, Research, History of MCOs in HUSKY Talking points Summary of the evidence on MCOs in HUSKY and other states. Medicaid MCOs and cost savings -- What the evidence says Despite dozens of independent studies, there is no evidence that MCOs save money
- [Get Involved](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-mcos-for-husky/get-involved/) - More Info Recent Blog Posts View All Posts No MCOs for HUSKY Get Involved Sign up for Updates Get the latest news and updates on No MCOs for HUSKY. Sign Up Fact Sheets English Spanish Short version - English Short version - Spanish Many thanks to Emily Martinez-Clark for translation and so much more. Draft
- [Contacting Elected Officials](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/contact-officials/) - How to Contact Elected Officials If you are a constituent, living in their district, be sure to say so To call the Governor: Local phone number (Hartford area): 860-566-4840 Toll-free: 800-406-1527 To contact your legislators: Click here to find your legislators using your address. Fill in Town first, Street Name second, and the number of
- [Tips for Talking with Reporters](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/reporters/) - Tips for Talking With Reporters If you are successful in creating relationships with the media and become a "source" on your issue, you will get calls for interviews. Call them back promptly. Ask when their deadline is. It is best if you already know what kind of story the reporter tends to do, what kind
- [Tips for Public Speaking](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/public-speaking/) - Tips for Public Speaking Once a particular senator read a speech to a lunch group and succeeded in boring everyone. Afterwards, a feisty old lady came up to him and said, "How do you expect us to remember your speech when you can't remember it yourself?" -- From All Politics is Local by Tip O'Neill
- [Fact Sheets and Action Alerts](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/fact-sheets/) - Fact Sheets and Action Alerts The point of a fact sheet or action alert is to inform the reader about an issue (or counter misinformation) and get them to do something. More information than is needed to convince the reader wastes their time and risks losing their attention. Make it as easy as possible for
- [Op-eds and Letters to the Editor](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/oped-letters-to-editor/) - Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience. -- Mao Zedong Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor can be very useful tools for advocates to get your message out. Op-Eds and letters to the Editor are short articles not written by staff in a newspaper's Editorial Section. Letters are
- [Testify at a hearing](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/testify-hearing/) - How to Testify at a Public Hearing What looks large from a distance - up close ain't never that big. -- Bob Dylan Since COVID the legislature is allowing the public to testify either in person or remotely. Testimony is given via Zoom. To testify online, you will need to register for and download the
- [Engaging Policymakers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/engaging-policymakers/) - Engaging Policymakers On an occasion of this kind it becomes more than a moral duty to speak one's mind. It becomes a pleasure. -- Oscar Wilde Policymakers want to hear from you. In surveys, we've found that policymakers, especially elected officials, are very eager to hear real-world voices. They trust you more than professional lobbyists.
- [How a Bill Becomes a Law](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/bill-becomes-law/) - How a Bill Becomes a Law The beginning Bills can be proposed by individual members of the legislature or by committees. The legislators who propose a bill are called its "sponsors". Other legislators can "sign onto" a bill as co-sponsors to indicate their support. Bills can only be proposed early in the session. Your
- [Celebrating](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/celebrations/) - Celebrating Nothing is really work unless you'd rather be doing something else. -- Peter Pan Advocacy is hard work. Celebrating your successes is not optional - it is just as important as evaluating your efforts. Even if it seems that there is nothing to celebrate - find something -- things could always be worse. As
- [Who We Are](https://cthealthpolicy.org/who-we-are/) - Who We Are Our Work Since 1999, the CT Health Policy Project has been working to improve access to affordable, quality healthcare for every state resident. The Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization working across issue areas to improve healthcare. We provide balanced information on health policy options to consumers, policymakers, media, payers,
- [Get Involved](https://cthealthpolicy.org/get-involved/) - Get Involved Whether you'd like to come to an event, donate, or join in on our book club. There is always a way to get involved with the CT Health Policy Project. Newsletter Sign Up * indicates required Email Address * First Name
- [Resources](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/) - Resources
- [Blog](https://cthealthpolicy.org/no-mcos-for-husky/blog/)
- [Who We Are and why we did this](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/who-we-are/) - Who We Are and Why We Did This The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. -- Thomas Edison The Health Advocacy Toolbox is a project of the Connecticut Health Policy Project, with generous support from the Connecticut Health Foundation. Founded
- [Taskforces](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/taskforces/) - Joining a State Taskforce, Board, Commission, Council or Other Planning Group A leader is a man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don't want to do and like it. -- Harry Truman You should do it. It is a great opportunity to get your voice (and your clients' and
- [Blog](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/) - Blog
- [Visiting with a policymaker](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/visiting-policymaker/) - Visiting With a Policymaker Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example. -- Mark Twain In a face-to-face meeting with a policymaker you can fully explain your concerns and they can ask questions. In a good discussion they will get a better
- [Capacity Building](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/capacity-building/) - Capacity Building
- [CT Health Reform](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/ct-health-reform/) - CT Health Reform
- [Smart Savings](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/smart-savings/) - Smart Savings
- [Care Delivery](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/care-delivery/) - Care Delivery
- [Medicaid](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/medicaid/) - Medicaid/Husky
- [Stats & Data](https://cthealthpolicy.org/stats-data/) - Stats & Data
- [Contact Us](https://cthealthpolicy.org/contact-us/) - Contact Us CT Health Policy Project Phone: (203) 427-8242 Leave Us A Message
- [Book Club](https://cthealthpolicy.org/get-involved/book-club/) - Book Club Feb 14, 2021 Book Club — Counting: How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters Click Here Sep 7, 2020 Book Club — The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind Click Here Aug 17, 2020 Book Club: Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism Click Here May 13, 2020 Book Club: Everything
- [CT Health Reform Report Card](https://cthealthpolicy.org/stats-data/ct-health-reform-report-card/) - CT Health Reform Report Card Feb 23, 2021 CTNJ: Real Conversation Would Beget Lower Health Care Costs Click Here Feb 2, 2021 Half of CT hospitals not compliant with new requirement to post negotiated prices for care Click Here Jan 2, 2021 CT got fewer vaccines than other states, but did far better at getting
- [Our Work](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/) - Our Work Mar 2, 2021 OP-ED | Making the Public Option Better Click Here Feb 10, 2021 Governor's budget includes drug cost control and exchange subsidies, but misses other health priorities Click Here Dec 30, 2020 Top Stories of 2020 Click Here Our Stats Mar 3, 2021 AccessHealthCT report offers roadmap to address disparities Click
- [Writing to Policymakers](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/writing-policymakers/) - Writing to policymakers Letters can be a very important tool in advocacy. This also applies when submitting or giving public testimony. Public officials expect to receive mail from constituents. They rely on real-world input to help decide how they will vote. Letters are one of the best ways to communicate your message. You have time
- [Privacy Policy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/privacy-policy/) - Privacy Policy Revised 10/6/2020 The CT Health Policy Project is committed to protecting the privacy and security of visitors to our websites and to our email subscribers. Outlined below is our online privacy policy for information collected through our websites and email lists. We aim to make you feel safe when visiting our websites and
- [How to Work With a Lobbyist](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/lobbyist/) - How to Work With a Lobbyist Both legislative and regulatory processes can be complex. To move even simple proposals, it is very helpful to work with a professional lobbyist. They know all the traps, the political dynamics, the history of what’s been tried in the past, which policymakers to approach first, and they monitor constantly
- [Calling a Policymaker](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/calling-policymaker/) - Calling Policymakers Public officials expect to get calls from the public -- most have staff dedicated to the task. They rely on calls and letters to help them make the best decisions. Look up their office phone numbers. Click here to find contact info Prepare for the call. Write down the issue you are calling
- [Tracking a Bill](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources-2/advocacy-tool-box/bill-tracking/) - Tracking a Bill Once you’ve identified a bill for advocacy, you need to follow its route through the process. The legislature’s website has created a system for the public to track bills. First, sign up for an account here. Once you are logged in, you can enter the bill into your system, decide how often
- [Resources empty](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources/)
- [Advocacy Tool Box Under Construction](https://cthealthpolicy.org/resources/under-construction/) - Advocacy Tool Box Coming Soon Our Advocacy Tool Box is being updated with new content and resources to help consumers and advocates navigate Connecticut’s often confusing health policy landscape. Updates will include more on administrative advocacy with agencies, how to search and navigate statues, working with the media, tips for busy advocates, and a
- [New amazing page](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/test/) - Something fun here! EVEN MORE SMART FUN SAVINGS! sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf kjasd sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf kjasd sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf kjasd sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf kjasd sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf kjasd sdkjfh asdkjfh kajsdhfkj asdhfk hasdkjfh kjasdhf kjasdf
- [Privacy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/privacy/) - Health Information Privacy Policy Connecticut policymakers are making critical decisions about the privacy of sensitive health information and patient's rights to control who accesses their medical records. The new electronic environment offers exciting benefits but greater risks. The CT Health Policy Project is working to guard consumers' rights and inform the public about important decisions
- [In Their Own Words](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/) - In Their Own Words In the summer of 2003, thousands of low-income working parents in Connecticut lost HUSKY health care coverage due to state budget cuts. This report follows eight of those families for their first year without HUSKY. Elizabeth, a New Haven substitute teacher, stopped taking the blood pressure medications she couldn't afford and,
- [About](https://cthealthpolicy.org/about/) - About CT Health Policy Our Work The Connecticut Health Policy Project is a non-profit, non-partisan research and educational organization dedicated to improving access to affordable, quality health care for all Connecticut residents. The Connecticut Health Policy Project believes that empowered, informed consumers are the best engine to improve Connecticut's health care system for all. Provide
- [Our Take](https://cthealthpolicy.org/stats-data/our-take/) - Our Take A short description of this category will be placed here. Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.
- [Legislation & Policy](https://cthealthpolicy.org/blog/legislation-policy/) - Legislation & Policy A short description of this category will be placed here. Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.
- [Events](https://cthealthpolicy.org/get-involved/events/) - Events Add Event Here Add Event Here
- [Patient-Centered Medical Home Webinars](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/care-delivery/patient-centered-medical-home-webinars/) - Care Management Patient-Centered Medical Home Webinars
- [Patient-Centered Medical Home Resources](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/care-delivery/patient-centered-medical-home-resources/) - Care Management Patient-Centered Medical Home Resources Resources from the CT Health Foundation – How PCMHs can improve health equity Resources from the CT Health Foundation - How PCMHs can improve health equity Brief Report Resources or More than you wanted to know about patient-centered medical homes Introduction: National Partnership for Women and Families, Medical Home
- [PCCM: A New Option For HUSKY](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/care-delivery/pccm-a-new-option-for-husky/) - Care Management Primary Care Case Management (PCCM): A New Option For HUSKY February 1, 2009, in just a small part of the state, HUSKY began offering a new option to families and health care providers desperate for an alternative to the troubled HMOs. Primary Care Case Management (PCCM), called HUSKY Primary Care in Connecticut, is
- [Frances](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/frances/) - In Their Own Words Frances, East Hartford There is almost no wall space in Frances' living room that isn't covered with a picture of her family. She has six children, most living nearby, and eleven grandchildren. She is a very involved grandmother – she raised one granddaughter, Michelle, from the age of six. Michelle just
- [Leslie](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/leslie-2/) - In Their Own Words Leslie, New Milford It is very difficult to get Leslie to talk about her own health and losing HUSKY for herself and her husband. The conversation keeps coming back to her son, David. Leslie had David later in life and he is clearly her joy, the center of her life. David
- [Monica](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/monica-2/) - In Their Own Words Monica, Branford Monica is a nurse by training. She worked for years as a home care nurse, advocating for her patients within the dysfunctional health care system. So she wasn’t surprised when the state cut off thousands of HUSKY parents without warning, including she and her husband – in fact, she
- [Rita](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/rita/) - In Their Own Words Rita, Middletown The first time I visited Rita at her home, I had an old address. When I called her from my car, she had her husband drive over and guide me to their new apartment. Rita she is always working on helping someone else with their problems – making and
- [Marie & John](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/marie-john/) - In Their Own Words Marie & John, West Haven Marie responded to a postcard mailed to licensed hairdressers and barbers in CT asking if they were uninsured or about to lose HUSKY. Her husband, John works in a barbershop full time but without health benefits for himself or his family. She called to get help
- [Sherri](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/sherri/) - In Their Own Words Sherri, Stratford No one enters Sherri’s home through the front door. Everyone comes in the back through the kitchen – which is the center of activity. As you enter, you pass the inflatable pool and water toys and a clothesline full of today’s laundry. Her porch is crowded with pots of
- [Joe & Susan](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/joe-susan/) - In Their Own Words Joe & Susan, Groton Joe and his wife Susan haven’t lost HUSKY, at least not yet. Over the course of the year, they received notices three different times that they would be terminated for different reasons, but due to very persistent advocacy, mostly by Joe, they still have coverage. One letter
- [Elizabeth](https://cthealthpolicy.org/our-work/in-their-own-words/elizabeth-2/) - In Their Own Words Elizabeth, New Haven Elizabeth's answering machine message has a traditional greeting in Irish. She taught me how to say several phrases in Irish. She sings in Gaelic and plays four instruments - piano, harpsichord, flute and violin. Her home is one floor of a house her grandfather built in 1896. She

## Categories

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## Tags

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