Cabinet meeting update

This month’s Cabinet meeting included updates on SIM, the insurance exchange and CT’s APCD. SIM leaders reported that with the delay offered by HHS the new deadline for the state health plan model is the end of this year. They expect to have a first draft for public release sometime in October. The testing grant application, for the $50 million, is expected to go out next year. They are working on revising the governance structure – no details on that – and will continue to visit with consumers and community groups for input. Cabinet members urged them in those visits to explain and seek input from consumers and advocates on the entire plan, including the proposed payment model that has raised concerns. They are also considering creating new standards for patient-centered medical homes, with possibly lower standards than NCQA certification, also raising concerns about quality. Most of the new changes and negotiations are happening in private meetings. The insurance exchange is finalizing preparations for Oct. 1^st when people can begin to sign up for coverage. Tamim Ahmed, the new Director of CT’s All Payer Claims Database, Access Health Analytics, laid out his short and long term goals. Members raised concerns about privacy and security, not selling data or analytics for commercial purposes, creating transparent processes for data access, and not prioritizing insurance exchange data needs over others such as population health and health equity. Draft APCD policies and procedures are open for public comment until Thursday.