Provider consolidation, facility fee forum testimony

At 2:30 today at the Legislative Office Building, the Office of State Comptroller will hold a forum and public hearing on increasing consolidation in CT’s health care system and the growing impact of facility fee charges. Invited speakers include hospitals and insurers. At 4pm the public will have a chance to comment. The CT Health Policy Project’s testimony focuses on the cost to consumers of both trends, both out-of-pocket costs and indirect but significant costs in higher premiums, higher taxes and lost wages. There is little justification for the rising use of facility fees and no evidence that consolidation fosters care integration or higher value care. The testimony also notes that unfortunately SIM policies have been developed to foster consolidation in the market. The testimony also offers policy recommendations to promote competition, value-based purchasing, and to mitigate rising costs.