CT’s APCD chooses data contractor, concerns remain

The Hartford Business Journal is reporting that CT’s developing all-payer claims database (APCD), run by AccessHealthCT, has chosen Onpoint Health Data to run their system. APCDs have enormous potential to improve population health, track problems, evaluate solutions and maximize scarce resources. Most New England states are ahead of CT in APCD development. However, concerns have been raised about consumer privacy and security of extremely sensitive information merged across all CT’s payers into a massive single source, availability of the data to only those who need it, and ensuring uses that do not harm competition, discriminate, or reduce necessary care. Concerns have also been raised about hosting the APCD within the insurance exchange, with potential conflicts of interest in use of data and relationships with insurers. CT’s APCD has been funded by federal funds through our state exchange grant and now new SIM funding is proposed to support the database.