CT health reform progress up to 15.2%

CT made impressive progress toward health reform in August. We moved from 13.7% of the way to 15.2% this month. Highlights include negotiation of a compromise Essential Health Benefit Package and CMS grant funding to the insurance exchange. The grant is very exciting – the state plans to use most of the funding for a new, comprehensive IT system. If we do this right, this could solve a lot of our systemic problems. Unfortunately we fell behind in limiting monopoly providers by approving the Yale-New Haven – St. Raphael’s merger raising serious concerns about access to care for New Haven area un and underinsured consumers, and about costs for all of us. But we are stepping up progress – it’s been a good month.