Last week’s Medicaid Council meeting focused on the controversial
Strawman proposal for reforming CT’s health care system and the
implications for Medicaid. We reviewed continuing
progress in the program improving quality and access while controlling
costs. State spending on the program is down, despite strong enrollment growth,
and per person costs are stable saving the state many millions. The program is
also very efficient with only 5.2% of costs spent on administration. However,
despite this progress, consultants to the Health Care Cabinet have proposed
implementing downside
risk for CT’s Medicaid and state employee programs. Several Council members
spoke strongly against the proposal and in favor of building on current
success. Sen. Gerratana described her husband’s experience as a physician under
downside risk in Medicaid in the 90’s as a “nightmare.” Rep. Abercrombie
expressed frustration that policymakers concerned about rising health care
costs elsewhere, too often turn to CT Medicaid, where we don’t have a problem,
with “extremely concerning” policies because it is one of the only programs the
state controls. The Council agreed to send a letter to the Cabinet outlining
our concerns and opposition to the proposal.
