At yesterday’s meeting, the Health Care Cabinet took a final
vote on controversial
recommendations to reform our state’s health system. The main concern that
garnered the most
disagreement and public
input was a recommendation to place all Medicaid and state employees in a downside
risk payment model within four years. While the measure still passed, the
vote was close at 11 to 8. Three members changed their votes to oppose the
measure – Frances Padilla of the Universal Health Care Foundation of
Connecticut, Josh Wojick of the State Comptroller’s Office and Dr. William
Handelman, former President of the CT State Medical Society. Rev. Bonita Grubbs
also voted against the measure, as she was not able to attend the previous
vote. They joined the four
previous no votes on the recommendation from OPM, DSS, DPH and the CT
Health Policy Project. The Cabinet’s vote in favor of downside risk on an aggressive
timeline stands in contrast to comments submitted by CT’s
Medicaid and Behavioral
Health oversight councils and the overwhelming majority of public input
received at the Cabinet’s public hearing which ran three to one against the
proposal. A minority
report opposing downside risk and other recommendations was added to the final
draft. Other proposals also garnered significant opposition including a tie
on whether to set targets for value-based purchasing contracts.
