Democrats outline three scenarios to save $2.8 billion

Emphasizing that they do not endorse the cuts, the Appropriations Committee described the types of cuts necessary to fill the remaining $2.8 billion budget gap without additional revenues. Across the three budget versions reductions include cutting Medicaid provider rates by 10% for nursing homes and 20% for all others, Medicaid co-pays, eliminating adult pharmacy in Medicaid, eliminating DSH grants to hospitals, eliminating SAGA, eliminating Charter Oak, cutting Alzheimer’s respite care, and eliminating state funded home care. These cuts are in addition to, not instead of, the cuts in the Governor’s budget proposal. Leadership praised the committee for giving a “more accurate picture of what the Governor’s budget would have looked like had she balanced the budget” but was clear that the cuts are “unacceptable.”
Ellen Andrews

Health Care Advocate’s Office saved CT patients $5.07 for every $1 spent on the office last year

The annual report of our state Office of Healthcare Advocate (OHA) describes the importance of this office and what CT consumers could lose if the Governor is successful in eliminating it. The number of patients getting help from the office has grown every year reaching 2,143 last year. Those cases returned over $5 million to CT consumers from insurance companies due to OHA’s efforts. The most common problem OHA helps with is consumers being denied treatment or service. Cases highlighted in the report include a nurse needing a heart transplant, coverage of a lifesaving immunization for a child with complex health needs, and ensuring that a high school student with leukemia received the care he needed from the right hospital. Not only does OHA help individual consumers, the office has also been active in correcting public policies that are hostile to consumers such as creating a definition of medical necessity in state law, public program accountability, and prohibiting insurers from revoking coverage just when a consumer becomes ill.

CT’s Dept. of Insurance, with far more staff and resources than OHA, returned $3 million to CT consumers last year across the industry including auto, life, homeowner’s, accident and health insurance.
Ellen Andrews

US Supreme Court rejects federal pre-emption of state law in VT drug case

In a 6 to 3 vote, the Supreme Court Wednesday held that federal law does not pre-empt the right of patients to sue in state court over a federally regulated medication. The case involved a VT musician who lost her arm after Phenergan, an anti-nausea drug, was administered by “IV push” rather than “IV drip”. Both Wyeth, maker of Phenergan, and the FDA were aware of the dangers of administering the drug through IV push, but the FDA did not prohibit the practice and Wyeth never sought prohibition on the label. A VT jury awarded Ms. Levine $6 million. Wyeth argued that because the drug is regulated and was approved by the FDA, that Levine had no right to sue in state court. The Supreme Court disagreed in this case closely watched by the pharmaceutical industry. For more background on the case click here and here.
Ellen Andrews

How to live to 101

Susan Campbell’s column in yesterday’s Courant highlighted Mary Labieniec, age 101 from Kensington. Mary shares her eleven tips to a long and healthy life. Some are expected – stay active, don’t smoke and don’t drink (too much). She is a big fan of well water and she warns about house guests. But she also eats at McDonald’s almost every day, and she’s not ordering salads.
Ellen Andrews

Inside the LOB

As a volunteer with the Public Health Committee for the past couple of weeks I’ve witnessed the hard work done by legislative aides and clerks. Without them, the system would not run as smoothly (or maybe it wouldn’t run at all). They do all the behind the scenes work, from scheduling appointment for legislators to making sure a public hearing runs smoothly. There was a Public Health Committee hearing last week and I saw firsthand the amount of behind the scenes organizing and running around that was done so that the hearing would go well. The clerks signed people up, organized the written copies of testimony, answered questions from legislators and those there to testify, made sure the equipment was working, and kept track of the testimony for the official transcript. This allowed the legislators to concentrate on listening to the people who were testifying. Imagine if there were no clerks or aides and the legislators had to do it all themselves. The legislative process would certainly run slower and have many more hitches. Consider this a friendly reminder to show your gratitude to legislative clerks and aides. They can’t accept gifts but I think a smile and a ‘Thank You’ would be appreciated.
Jen Ramirez

Health care reform hearings

Despite the weather, the Human Services, Public Health and Insurance committees heard several health reform bills yesterday. The two that drew the most attention were HB-6582, creating the Healthcare Partnership, and HB-6600, creating the SustiNet plan.

The Speaker’s Healthcare Partnership bill was heard first. This bill reflects a similar bill passed last year, pooling the state employee health plan with municipalities and eventually small businesses, nonprofits and CT’s uninsured. The bill passed both houses but was vetoed by the Governor. This year nonprofits, small businesses and the uninsured are not included and the bill moves the merged plan to self-insurance. Self insurance means that the state would accept all risk for the health costs of the population, rather than paying a capitated rate to managed care plans as we do now. Self insuring should give the state one-time savings of $60 to 145 million. Most states self insure their state employee plans. Proponents also suggest that cities and towns could save money by pooling with state employees. Participation would be voluntary for municipalities – if they don’t save money, they don’t have to join. Most testimony was favorable.

Going last on the agenda actually worked for the SustiNet bill as the weather had cleared and the hearing was well attended. Dozens of speakers testified in favor of the bill including small business owners, clergy, advocates, consumers and providers. A couple of speakers argued against the provision giving malpractice liability relief to providers in certain circumstances where they appropriately followed evidence-based medical standards. The provision is intended to improve adherence to the best available clinical standards of care, reducing poor health outcomes and improving quality.
Ellen Andrews

People rushing doctor appointments before they lose their job

The Hartford Courant this morning is reporting that people worried about layoffs are hurrying to schedule doctor and dentist appointments before they lose health benefits. Practices have reported an increase in calls from people who aren’t sick but need to get in for routine appointments fast. They are also getting cancellations from people who have just lost jobs. The federal stimulus package offers some relief to the jobless, starting yesterday, with 65% subsidies for COBRA benefits. ProHealth, CT’s largest primary care practice, is offering uninsured patients 20% or higher discounts for physicals, office visits and lab work.
Ellen Andrews