My favorite end of the year list

Time’s Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of 2009 includes epigenetics, water on the moon, and gene therapy curing color blindness. Some days I miss my old job, but then I learned from the list that robots can do science now. Happy New Year.
Ellen Andrews

The health benefits of coffee

This is one less resolution we need to make for Friday – coffee is good for you, from the Wall Street Journal. Sort of, maybe, not for some people with some conditions. It’s all very complicated. No wonder consumers have no idea what to eat and drink.
Ellen Andrews

How do shared doctor visits work?

Shared medical appointments have been described as an important innovation to improve access to better quality care, especially for chronically ill patients. Proponents claim that shared appointments provide faster access to care, more time with the doctor, support from other patients facing the same illness, better patient and provider satisfaction, and improved efficiency. A video from the Wall Street Journal shows how a shared visit works at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Boston.
Ellen Andrews

Judge reinstates health coverage for 4,800 legal immigrants in CT

Late Friday, Hartford judge Grant Miller overruled Governor Rell’s action to cut off HUSKY for CT legal immigrant adults. Governor Rell implemented the cut December 1st without legislative action. The judge’s reversal was in response to a suit brought by Greater Hartford Legal Aid. DSS intends to appeal the ruling. DSS also incorrectly terminated dozens of immigrants in the administrative move; those residents have been re-instated.
Ellen Andrews

Insurance Dept. approves insurer rate increases 85% of the time

A report by the CT’s Office of Legislative Research on rate increases approved for the five largest health insurance companies, found that the CT Insurance Dept. (CID) sided with insurers in 22 cases out of 26 since 2006. The average approved rate increase was 12%. This analysis covers a small number of health plan rate increases in the state; CID does not have statutory review authority over many plans. The five largest companies are Anthem, HealthNet, ConnectiCare, United and Aetna, in that order. None of United’s previous products are subject to CID review and are not included in OLR’s report. HealthNet will soon no longer offer coverage in CT; CID recently approved United's purchase of HealthNet’s subscriber information despite concerns by providers and consumer advocates.
Ellen Andrews

Patient-Centered Medical Homes in national reform

Very early this morning, the US Senate overcame the last barrier to passing historic health care reform. The bill they will vote on is similar to the one recently passed by the House in many ways, but differs significantly in provisions for patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). Proponents have argued that PCMHs will both improve the quality and safety of health care while reducing costs. PCMHs are a different way of delivering care -- considering the whole patient, emphasizing prevention and primary care, and drawing on a team of providers all working at the top of their license. The House and Senate versions differ in which providers can serve as the primary clinician in a PCMH, which patients will have access to PCMHs, where the funding is allocated, and in how prescriptive they are about the function of PCMHs. For a description of the bills and the differences, see the CT Health Policy Project’s paper. For a letter on the subject signed by 133 members of the House including our Board member, Congressman Joe Courtney, click here. For more on the patient-centered medical home concept, see our PCMH resource page.

MA anti-smoking program helped 30,000 people quit; exceeds expectations

Three years ago when policymakers in Massachusetts voted to cover anti-smoking treatment under Medicaid, they expected to eventually see results. But the rate of smoking among poor state residents is down from 38% to 28% since 2006, and hospitalizations for heart attacks and ER visits for asthma are also down. The rates of smoking and hospitalizations did not change during the same time period, ruling out unrelated population effects. The results have not been peer reviewed but are so striking that Congress is considering adding smoking cessation coverage to national health reforms. Advocates in CT have been working to get Medicaid coverage of anti-smoking treatments for over a decade with no success. If we had passed the same provision when MA did, CT’s budget hole would be smaller and our state would be healthier. That is only one of thirteen ways to save money in CT’s health care budget that also improve health. Why are we always so far behind the curve? It’s not too late.
Ellen Andrews