CT Reform Dashboard update – opportunities for progress, but some concerns linger

Lots of changes this month in CT’s Health Reform Dashboard. The inability to finalize the state budget leaves coverage for 8,700 HUSKY parents in limbo. This is in addition to the 17,688 working parents who are already scheduled to lose HUSKY this summer. Despite this, the Health Care Cabinet continues its collaborative work to study best practices from other states to develop reform recommendations for the legislature. Many decisions about Medicaid’s redesign into shared savings are made. There are pros and cons but the state incorporated a great deal of stakeholder input, including many of the independent advocates’ recommendations. The CON taskforce has begun its work to preserve a competitive, healthy market in our state and the insurance exchange is planning to shift their focus from enrollment to making coverage affordable and meaningful.