CT Health Reform update – hospital consolidation delay allows breathing room but weak SIM proposal for Medicaid is troubling

The Governor’s Executive Order to delay approvals of large hospital consolidations leads the CT Health Reform Dashboard updates this month. $185 million savings in the state’s share of Medicaid spending last year also leads the news. Medicaid redesign planning is still on track, working collaboratively with all voices at the table. However that good news was balanced by troubling news that SIM is pushing a costly and burdensome proposal for community oversight on Medicaid without evidence to support the prescriptive standards. Advocates and others are concerned that SIM’s proposal will jeopardize hard-earned quality, access and cost control progress in the program.