CT health reform progress up slightly this month

CT’s progress toward health reform inched up this month to 25.7%, ending a four month decline. New Medicaid numbers confirmed that per person costs continue to decline, long after the initial savings from switching away from capitated insurers. The continued progress suggests that structural changes like patient-centered medical homes, quality incentives and intensive care management are working. In other good news, we got an additional, badly-needed six months to allow thoughtful Medicaid redesign, allowing CT to avoid costly past mistakes and preserve progress. Officials continue to consult with stakeholders in the design. Unfortunately the good news was balanced by Medicaid provider cuts, SIM’s efforts to force a poorly designed CCIP plan on Medicaid, the inability to find funding for the collaborative Health Neighborhood shared savings plan, and disappointing new Census numbers about CT’s uninsured rate. The CT health reform progress meter is part of the CT Health Reform Dashboard.