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’ past letters opposing OHS’s similar plan under the State Innovation Model to capitate primary care. The signers have three broad concerns— (1) that the model is deeply flawed and, despite enormous effort, has not worked in other states, (2) that Connecticut particularly may not need to, and is not positioned to, be successful in capitating primary care, and (3) that the process used by your office and consultants was designed to arrive at this pre-determined outcome. The signers also disagree with the assertion that the COVID-19 pandemic makes clear that capitation is the only way to support primary care.

A similar letter sent Wednesday by Connecticut’s three legal services agencies also urged OHS not to pursue primary care capitation, focusing on the potential harm to Medicaid members.

Both letters continue the long-standing offer to work with OHS to develop policies that would improve primary care and the health of all Connecticut residents.