Conversion to risk corridors in HUSKY seems less likely

As reported by Christine Stuart at CT News Junkie, in a meeting yesterday the Executive Committee of the Medicaid Managed Care Council considered HUSKY financing options outlined by DSS at the last Council meeting. The budget passed earlier this year includes $76 million in savings to move HUSKY from the current capitated system to a non-risk model where the state pays all medical bills and pays a fee to an outside company to administer the program. DSS favors a model that retains the current system with some, potential limits on profits and losses. Representatives from CMS on the phone emphasized that they do not favor any option and are not pushing CT into managed care. DSS also wants to extend whatever financing/managed care model is adopted for HUSKY to all Medicaid populations including the elderly and people with disabilities. All agreed that the current system is “broken” but without more information, they could not recommend any option. Most felt strongly that any new payment system should reward quality and value.
Ellen Andrews