SIM - CT Health Policy

Good news on CCIP – SIM’s plan for Medicaid

By Ellen Andrews | March 18, 2016 |

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…

Advocates’ letter urges delay of SIM plans for Medicaid

By Ellen Andrews | March 9, 2016 |

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…

CT Health Reform update – hospital consolidation delay allows breathing room but weak SIM proposal for Medicaid is troubling

By Ellen Andrews | March 1, 2016 |

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…

SIM’s CCIP proposal for Medicaid reform – poor process drives weak plan

By Ellen Andrews | February 23, 2016 |

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…

Medicaid update – plans to “transition” 17,688 HUSKY parents off the program, serious SIM/CCIP problems jeopardize Medicaid redesign

By Ellen Andrews | February 21, 2016 |

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…

Advocates urge SIM not to disrupt successful Medicaid PCMH program

By Ellen Andrews | December 28, 2015 |

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…

Ten SIM committee members sign alternative stronger ethics policy

By Ellen Andrews | September 18, 2015 |

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…

Advocates support SIM underservice, cherry picking protections

By Ellen Andrews | September 10, 2015 |

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…

Nine SIM committee members reject weak ethics policy

By Ellen Andrews | September 4, 2015 |

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…

SIM update, equity planning questions

By Ellen Andrews | August 16, 2015 |

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.…