SIM - CT Health Policy

DSS publishes a consumer-friendly PCMH description

By Ellen Andrews | March 28, 2016 |

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…

Medicaid creating a committee to assess access to care

By Ellen Andrews | March 11, 2016 |

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…

Health Care Cabinet – RI, MA reforms reviewed, hospitals’ response to price presentation

By Ellen Andrews | March 8, 2016 |

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…

Article finds Medicaid managed care offers mixed results

By Ellen Andrews | January 26, 2016 |

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…

CT health reform progress meter not changed much

By Ellen Andrews | January 4, 2016 |

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…

Advocates offer comment on MQISSP design proposals to date

By Ellen Andrews | December 18, 2015 |

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…

Medicaid update: New data on high-cost, high-need members

By Ellen Andrews | December 14, 2015 |

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…

CT health reform progress meter ticks up slightly

By Ellen Andrews | December 7, 2015 |

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…

RFP open for state health planning grant

By Ellen Andrews | November 10, 2015 |

At today’s Health Care Cabinet, we heard about the RFP for health care planning made possible by passage of SB-811 this year. Section 17 of the law directs the Cabinet to compare mechanisms to improve health care value in Connecticut looking to other states and assessing what would work best here. The plan for the…

CT health reform progress up slightly this month

By Ellen Andrews | November 2, 2015 |

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…